Help 1st AD coordinate the Tech Scout. Establish where the restrooms, parking, staging, base camp and set will be.
Prepare Crew Deal Memos for everyone at the production meeting.
Assist Producer in securing lunches, craft services, volunteers, and extras for all days of shooting.
Assist Producer in obtaining craft services the night before production.
Assist the Producer in casting by scheduling and participating in auditions if necessary.
Prepare and make copies of all the paperwork needed on set.
Create the Call Sheet, including maps. Have Producer approve it and email no later than 12 hours before the next day’s call time.
Communicate any changes to the schedule to the entire cast and crew.
Check the weather periodically to monitor adverse conditions. Have a back-up plan.
Double check every logistical piece of information and make sure nothing has been forgotten.
Production days
Start of day:
Arrive at set FIRST, at least 30 minutes before call time.
Open and establish contact with location. Record the state and location of things, ground rules.
Establish Base Camp.
Set up Base Camp with Walkies and Production iPad where crew will check in when they arrive.
Get the snacks and drinks from the Producer, and set up the craft service table.
When Grip Van arrives, verify they are parking in the correct place.
As crew members arrive, check them in using the Production iPad, and hand them a walkie.
Throughout the day:
Maintain the craft service table throughout the day to make sure it is stocked.
Stay at base camp and handle the phones, paperwork and actors. Know where everything and everyone is.
Remain in or near the Green Room with the Actors, except to escort them to/from set at 1st AD’s request.
Meals:
At lunch make sure everyone signs the Meal Sign-In Sheet.
Make periodic announcements on time remaining on lunch.
Make sure lunch does not exceed one hour.
End of day:
Complete the Performers Time Report, and have the actors sign it before they are dismissed for the day.
Make sure 2nd AC and Sound Mixer meet at end of day to verify their reports. Have them give you all reports.
Collect the camera card from the 2nd AC, and the sound card from the Sound Mixer, and deliver to Producer.
Have crew members sign out using the Production iPad and collect their walkie.
Organize any hard copies of Daily Production Paperwork, and scan them using the OneDrive app. Deliver the scanned files and the original hard copies to the Producer.
With Producer, clean and secure location. Be the LAST TO LEAVE (except perhaps Art Dept). Leave the location better than when you arrived.
Complete the DPR and have it approved by the Producer. Then distribute within 2 hours after wrap.
Post-production
Assist in wrapping production paperwork if necessary.
Approve the Call Sheet and have 2nd AD distribute copies
Check the weather periodically to monitor adverse conditions. Have a back-up plan.
Double check every logistical piece of information and make sure nothing has been forgotten.
Production days
Start of day:
Arrive at set 30 minutes to an hour early.
Get a walkie from the 2nd AD, then go stand where the set will be and stay there. Radio 2nd AD to bring you whatever you need.
At call time, have a Safety Meeting with the entire crew to communicate an emergency plan, location hazards and any production safety concerns. Complete the Safety Meeting Report for each location, each day.
Throughout the day:
Run through the 1st AD Set Procedure: Block, New Deal, Build, Rehearse, Shoot
Manage the time on the set by keeping up with the Setup Schedule. Adjust schedule as needed.
Look ahead to next set-ups and make sure departments are prepared and working ahead.
End of day:
Approve the Daily Production Report and have 2nd AD distribute copies within 2 hours after company wrap.
Approve the following day’s Call Sheet and have 2nd AD distribute copies.
The College of Motion Picture Arts pays an annual fee to Universal Production Music—the worlds largest music catalog—for the licenses to the library music they provide on their site.
No releases need to be signed for the use of this music, so long as you remain in accordance with the licensing agreement.
Contact the post-production staff if you need the login credentials.
Unfortunately, one of the most important aspects of making a film, the music, is often neglected until the very end of post-production. This is a mistake and could come back to haunt you. Therefore, it is in your best interest to start thinking about the music in your film during pre-production.
Acquiring music rights is often a more difficult and time-consuming process than one might realize. For this reason, all F1 and M1 projects are only permitted to use music from the Universal Production Music library, since the school has already licensed that music. Producers on all other production cycles may use the other methods of acquiring music that are described below, but they should start the process of clearing rights as early as possible.
A show will not be permitted to mix with a piece of music if the music rights have not been 100% cleared. If rights haven’t been cleared by the second-to-last day of the sound design period, an alternate track from the Universal Production Music library should be prepared as a back-up, in case rights on the preferred track are not cleared by the time the show mixes.
Working with a Composer
If you want your film scored, then you will want to contact several composers during pre-production. Explain to them what your story is about and ask them to send a demo reel. If you like their work, then ask them to produce a temp track based on the ideas expressed in the script. If you like the temp track, hire them to score the film. You should have them sign the School’s Composer Contract at the moment of hiring before they begin any work.
Provide them with copies of early cuts as well as the final cut of your film. The composer will then compose the score and submit it to you.
Licensed Music
If you want to use pre-existing music, then you will need to obtain the proper licenses in order to use the music in your film. You must get each license for at least:
Two-years
Film festival
Non-commercial
World rights
Getting the music rights could be as simple as sending letters to the publisher and record label, having them sign and return them. However, you may be required to complete their licensing agreements instead. If this is the case, make sure you have the Head of Production review the agreement before you sign it, to ensure we have the proper releases.
There are typically two different types of licenses that you will need to acquire:
This is the right to reproduce a specific musical composition in your film. It must be obtained from the copyright owner of the composition, which is usually the publisher. You can find out who the publisher is by searching by song title at either www.ascap.com or www.bmi.com.
Almost every song is represented by one of these two companies. Songs that are not represented by ASCAP or BMI might be found at the National Music Publishers’ Association “Songfile” website (www.nmpa.org). You will be provided with a contact at the publisher’s Business Affairs or Licensing Department.
Note that you will need to get a synchronization license from the publisher, even if you are making your own sound recording of that song. For example, if you have your actor sing or recite lyrics, whistle or hum the tune, play the song on a musical instrument, or in any way make your own sound recording of the song, you will need to get the synchronization license from the publisher.
This is the right to synchronize a sound recording with your visual image. You clear this right with the record label who owns the sound recording you would like to use. Check the liner notes of the recording to find out which company this is. Alternatively, you can get contact information for record labels by contacting either ASCAP or BMI (see above). You will be provided with a contact at the record label’s Business Affairs Department.
Library Music
The school pays an annual fee to Universal Production Music for licenses to their library music. You are free to use any and all of the music in that library and no releases need to be signed. You will need to credit the song title and composer in the finished film for each piece of music that you use. Here’s an example:
Public Domain Music
If you want to use a piece of music currently in the public domain, be careful. Know for sure that the piece of music is actually in the public domain. This can sometimes take a fair amount of research, as there is often unclear and unreliable information circulating about works that are supposedly in the public domain. All songs and musical works published in 1925 or earlier are in the public domain; anything published after 1925 should be assumed to be under copyright, unless otherwise stated. If the piece of music is in the public domain, then you can use it.
However, be aware that just because a musical composition may be in the public domain, that does not necessarily mean the sound recording of that composition is in the public domain. For example, the musical composition of Beethoven’s 9th Symphony is in the public domain, but the New York Symphony Orchestra’s recent recording of it is not. If you would like to use that particular recording in your film, you will need to get a license from the publishing company that holds the rights to that specific recording. You could, however, hire your own musicians to perform the 9th Symphony without needing to acquire a license to use the composition.
Creative Commons
Creative Commons is a community that offers an alternative copyright model for authors of creative works who would like others to be able to share, remix, sample, or build upon their work. Creative Commons provides a range of licenses that authors can attach to their creative works, giving other people greater or lesser degrees of permission to share or modify the work.
You may use Creative Commons work in your film if the original work has been licensed with one of the following license types, so long as you provide attribution in your film’s end credits:
Some of the Creative Commons licenses, however, do not play nicely with how we make movies. If you see licenses on works that include either of the following terms, you will most likely not be permitted to use those works:
NoDerivs. This license does not permit derivative works and requires that the original work is passed along unchanged and in whole, which is unlikely to happen in the context of our films.
ShareAlike. This license requires you to also license your work with a ShareAlike license. However, since the College owns the copyright on all student films, students are not permitted to license their films with a Creative Commons license, which makes it impossible for you to honor the original Creative Commons license.
Note, however, that many authors who’ve opted for a NoDerivs or ShareAlike license may be open to giving you permission to use their work if you contact them directly. If they are willing, you’ll need to follow the College’s usual process of acquiring a licensing agreement for a copyrighted work.
At FSUFILM, we adhere to a professional standard for the presentation of credits and titles in all student films. Film credits serve the sole purpose of recognizing those who contributed directly to the production and are not a space for personal messages, jokes, or informal content. All credits must be accurate, appropriately formatted, and aligned with industry standards to maintain the integrity of the work and the professionalism of our filmmakers.
It is the responsibility of the director to make the credits for the film they directed. These credits must be delivered and cut into the Media Composer project by picture lock.
Every show must adhere to the following rules. No exceptions.
There can be no visual changes made to the FSUFILM leader.
There can be no possessive credits (“A Film by Me”) or production company credits. Only FSU makes these films.
Students must use their real names and are not permitted to take their name off a film.
Whenever possible, students who do more than one job should have their name listed once with all jobs in one place.
Only ATL crew, actors, and the title may have single cards. Everyone else should be in groups, listed efficiently to be legible but not lengthy.
There can be no dedicating the film to someone.
A “Special Thanks” section may be added to thank individuals or businesses that helped support the production, but aren’t credited elsewhere. A few rules:
The list should include only formal names and/or business names. No other language is permitted.
Use real names—not nicknames or terms like Mom & Dad.
If you wish to thank faculty or staff members, rather than singling out individuals, use the more inclusive: “College of Motion Picture Arts Faculty and Staff.”
For production cycles that ran a Spark fundraising campaign, include a general thank you to “Spark Donors” in every film. You may additionally thank individual donors, if you have a special relationship with them and would like for them to be able to see their name on screen.
Thanking a deity of any sort is not permitted. The State does not hold a religious affiliation, so FSU cannot thank any God or Gods.
CONTENT vs. CREDITS
For FSUFILM productions, title and credits are limited to a maximum of 60 seconds. This can be divided between Lead Titles and End Credits but combined together their length is not to exceed 60 seconds. This allotted time includes the Logo card and the Copyright card at the end of the credits, each of which must run for two seconds each.
Titles and credits that run over picture or audio that is not “advancing the narrative” will count toward your 60 seconds for titles and credits. Titles and credits that run over picture or audio that is “advancing the narrative” will count toward your Content time.
Remember that the primary purpose of credits is to credit that people which contributed to the creation of the film. Content time is for story, credit time is for credit. Any questions will be left to the discretion of the directing and editing faculty.
DELIVERY SPECS
All Credits and Titles should be made in After Effects and delivered as either a DPX sequence or a PNG sequence. A DPX sequence should be used if the titles are going over black and a PNG sequence should be used if the titles need to go over picture since it holds an alpha channel. Either image sequence should be exported for 1920×1080 at 24fps. Make sure to name the image sequence appropriately (Example: 01M2_Credits_v1).
Location to Deliver Credits and TitlesNaming convention for TitlesNaming convention for Credits
SEQUENCING OF CREDITS
While every production’s titles and credits are slightly different, the general order goes:
FSUFILM Leader
Lead Titles
Content (Story)
End Credits
Logos
Copyright
A production can choose whether or not to include any Lead Titles at the start of the film. That decision will impact the order of the end credits, as outlined below.
ORDER FOR LEAD TITLES
If lead titles appear at the head of the film, they must appear in this order:
FSUFILM Leader
Above-Title Cast
Title
Supporting Cast
Original Score by
Production Designer
Sound Designer
Editor
Director of Photography
Producer
Writer
Director
Order for End Credits
The order for end credits, if not shown in the lead titles, are:
Director
Writer
Producer
Director of Photography
Editor
Sound Designer
Production Designer
Original Score by
The remaining end credits appear in the following order:
This protocol exists to provide provisions for crewmembers who smoke, whilst also protecting locations and other people from cigarette smoke. The PRODUCER on a show is responsible for making sure that these protocols are followed. In all cases, the production shall defer to any local or municipality laws regarding smoking, such as the Smoking Regulations for the State of Florida.
Sound Stage Shoots
Cigarette smoking is prohibited anywhere on campus. Therefore, for any production that shoots on the school’s sound stages, cigarette smoking is prohibited.
Location Shoots
During pre-production, the Producer is responsible for requesting permission from the location owner for crewmembers to smoke during the production.
If the location owner agrees to smoking occurring at (or nearby) the location, the Producer and location owner will agree to a set of parameters about where smoking can and cannot occur. Under no circumstances can smoking occur within 150-feet of camera, craft services, video village, production vehicles, or any other work area.
During production:
The Producer is responsible for providing a cigarette can.
The Producer is also responsible for making sure that crewmembers are aware of, and are following, the smoking agreement at the location. This information should be included on the call sheet.
If a BTL crewmember would like to request a smoking break during the day, it must be approved by the department head. If a department head would like to request a smoking break, it must be approved by the 1st Assistant Director.
At the end of day, the Producer is responsible for making sure that there is no remaining cigarette waste at the location.
If a location owner does not agree to smoking occurring at or nearby the location, smoking is prohibited at that location.
The College of Motion Picture Arts has an established “studio zone” for local productions. The zone is based on a set driving distance from University Center A. All shoots within the zone are considered “local” productions. All shoots outside the zone are considered “distant” productions.
Studio Zone Map
Inside the Zone
All F1, F3, M1, and M2 productions must shoot within the studio zone. This restriction is in place for a number of reasons: to make it possible for faculty and staff to visit locations during preps and shoots; to reduce wear and tear on production vehicles; and, for safety reasons, to place a cap on driving times for cast and crew.
Outside the Zone
Under some circumstances, BFA and MFA Capstone productions are permitted to shoot outside of the studio zone. Shooting outside the studio zone causes additional stress on personnel and equipment, so approval is only granted when any and all concerns have been addressed satisfactorily. Permission must be attained in advance by submitting a Distant Location Request to the Head of Production, who has final say on whether a distant location shoot will be approved.
F2 productions are also permitted to shoot outside of the zone. Permission must be attained in advance from the F2 instructor.
Water must not be allowed to pool on the stage floor, or seep under set pieces or floor covers. If hoses or other connections for water lines are used on stage, lines and connections must be continually monitored for leaks, which must be repaired immediately.
There must always be an approved plan in place to immediately drain off water from a water effect. For rain effects, a gutter may be used to collect water in a small area, but for larger effects, a pool must be used or built from thick plastic and 2×4’s to form a raised edge to trap the water inside. A plan must be made and approved for removal of the water from these pools, and water that will inevitably be tracked around the stage by wet feet and equipment. A pool or other vessel of water may never be left overnight. The Stage Supervisor will monitor water effects. At any time the Stage Supervisor or Set Operations Manager may shut down the production to ensure the safety of crew, equipment and facilities.
Dirt, Sand, Paint, or other messy items
When a production intends to use loose material such as dirt, or wet material such as paint, the student production designer will be required to show preparation for protection of the area and removal of the materials before receiving approval. Dirt contains moisture, so a moisture barrier must be put on the floor, or the dirt must otherwise be kept from coming in contact with the stage floor. As dirt, peanut shells, paint, and other messy materials can be tracked into other areas of the building, plans must be made to clean feet and to prevent such tracking. Mats or drop cloths, and small brushes or brooms must be supplied so crew and cast can clean their feet before exiting the stage or work area.
Computer labs and Post Hall editing suites are work spaces. They are not spaces for hanging out and socializing, as this can be distracting to other students who are trying to work. They are also spaces with a lot of technology that needs to remain well-maintained and correctly configured. Each student is expected to leave a workstation in the same condition they found it, so that the next user doesn’t run into problems. For these reasons, we have the following lab policies, and violations of these policies may result in disciplinary action.
Lab access
The labs and the Post Hall are for student-use only. This is to keep our facilities secure and to minimize potential distractions that guests may cause for other students who are trying to focus on their work. If you wish to bring a guest to a lab or the Post Hall, you must seek prior approval from FSU faculty.
Food and drink
Food is never permitted in the computer labs or editing suites. Beverages are only permitted if in a BOTTLE WITH A SPORTS CAP. Beverages must be kept in your backpack or bag when you’re not drinking. The container must never be left on the desk or on the floor near the workstations. If you cause damage to any equipment, you will be held responsible for the full replacement costs.
Noise and cell phones
Keep your voice volume down so as not to disrupt or disturb others working in the space. Keep phones on silent/vibrate mode at all times. If you need to take/make a call, step out of the lab.
Workstations
Keep your work area reasonably clean and neat at all times. Always restore your work area to a pristine condition when you leave. Unless rendering, log out of your workstation if you plan to step away from your computer for more than 15 minutes.
Accessories
All students are responsible for proper care of the equipment. If you lose or break any equipment, you will be held responsible for the full replacement costs. Tablets, mice, and external monitors must not be removed from a workstation under any circumstances. Chairs must also not be removed from the lab.
Storyboard panels and walls
You may hang project-based materials on the “storyboard” panels if you wish. Do not post inappropriate or potentially offensive materials to the storyboard panels. Keep it professional. Do not tape or pin anything to bare walls or computer monitors.
Clean up
Please assist with the general upkeep of the labs. It’s a team effort. If you notice that a lab is getting messy, assist by cleaning up some of the mess, even if you weren’t responsible for it.
Rendering
Assume all projects will be rendered locally on your assigned workstation. Contact faculty if you feel you cannot complete your show’s rendering on your local workstation. If you set-up renders overnight or over lunch, leave a piece of paper on the desk to indicate that the workstation is busy rendering.
Internet
The downloading of illegal or potentially harmful files on the lab computers is absolutely forbidden. In particular, the FSU network or computers must never be used to download or store pirated movies, music, software, plug-ins, or any other material.
The purpose of the Production Meeting is for the 1st AD to go through all the logistics with the crew, and to work out any remaining questions or concerns. All crew members (leadership team & below-the-line) must attend the meeting.
Before the Meeting
The Producer is responsible for the following, but may be delegated to a 2nd AD if one is assigned to pre-pro.
Post the latest draft of the script to the show’s Teams channel.
Remind all crew members of the meeting time.
At the Meeting
The 1st AD is responsible for running the meeting by doing the following:
Opening remarks. Welcome everyone. Go around room and state your position on the show.
Make sure everyone has the latest draft of the script that was posted to the Teams channel pulled up in front of them.
Read through the action of the script, stopping after each scene for questions & comments. Each crew member should anticipate anything that would be helpful to discuss (e.g. safety, special equipment, sound, special effects, visual effects, etc.).
Give overview of location(s) and production schedule.
If applicable, discuss safety protocols for any hazardous conditions. Reference appropriate Safety Bulletins as needed.
Discuss any other logistics (e.g. dietary concerns, car pooling).
