F1

Font Usage

Overview

Student productions are expected to follow the program’s typography and font usage guidelines when creating titles, credits, posters, graphics, promotional materials, and other official production-related design assets. This includes using approved fonts where required and maintaining professional formatting standards across deliverables.

Consistent font usage helps create clearer, more professional presentation materials while supporting a more unified visual identity across the program. Typography is an important part of visual communication, and following established standards helps students develop stronger design habits while ensuring that production materials remain clean, legible, and appropriate for exhibition and distribution contexts.

Limitations on Usage

Fonts, like music and images, are protected by intellectual property law. Their use is governed by licensing agreements, and improper usage can lead to legal complications and limit a film’s ability to be distributed. To model professional industry standards and ensure that student work respects the rights of font creators, all fonts used in student productions must be properly licensed and accompanied by a verifiable chain-of-title.

Researching and clearing font licenses requires time from both students and faculty. On early production cycles, which operate on short post schedules, this time is better spent on core filmmaking tasks. These projects are therefore limited to vetted font sources with clear, institutionally-approved licensing. Greater flexibility is granted on capstone cycles, where students have more time and are expected to take responsibility for securing proper font rights.

F1 • F2 • F3 • M1 • M2 • M3

Students may only use fonts from the following sources:

Google Fonts _{(licensing info)}
Adobe Fonts _{(licensing info)}
Self-created fonts

No other font sources are permitted on these projects.

FC • MC

Students may use fonts from any source, provided they can meet the following documentation requirements:

A copy of the font file(s) used.
A license document or purchase receipt that clearly states the usage rights and confirms permission to use the font in the film.

All font files and documentation must be submitted with final deliverables.

Thumbnail Images

Overview

Thumbnail images are often the first point of contact audiences have with a film online, making them an important part of a project’s overall presentation and discoverability. This post provides standardized thumbnail templates to help maintain visual consistency across school-related promotional materials and online showcases.

The use of templates ensures that projects meet technical specifications while encouraging students to think strategically about visual communication and audience engagement. Effective thumbnails should clearly represent the tone and identity of the project while remaining legible and visually compelling across a range of screen sizes and platforms. Developing an understanding of these presentation standards is increasingly important in contemporary distribution environments.

Instructions

Use these templates to create your thumbnails. To ensure your film is properly represented across a range of platforms, you must create both a horizontal and a vertical thumbnail.

Each thumbnail should contain two elements:

A carefully selected image that fills the entire frame (i.e., no letterboxing or black bars). This image is typically derived from either the poster or one of the production stills.
The title of the film. Ideally, for consistency of branding, this should match the font design of the title on the poster. No other text should appear in the thumbnail.

Examples:

Example of a horizontal thumbnail — Horizontal (1920x1080px)

Example of a vertical thumbnail — Vertical (1200x1600px)

Delivery:

Deliver the finished files for each in two formats:

A layered PSD file (include any custom fonts used)
A flattened JPG file (max file size: 2MB)

Horizontal Thumbnail Specs

Dimensions	1920 x 1080 pixels
File naming conventions	`01m2-HorizontalThumbnail.psd` `01m2-HorizontalThumbnail.jpg`
Content guidelines	No nudity or sexual imagery No hate speech No depictions of violence No harmful or dangerous content

Vertical Thumbnail

Dimensions	1200 x 1600 pixels
File naming conventions	`01m2-VerticalThumbnail.psd` `01m2-VerticalThumbnail.jpg`
Content guidelines	No nudity or sexual imagery No hate speech No depictions of violence No harmful or dangerous content

Location List

Overview

The location list serves as part of the project’s final delivery materials, providing a comprehensive record of all filming locations used during production. In addition to serving as an archival and administrative document, the report helps productions verify that all location-related materials and required paperwork have been properly completed and submitted during the delivery process.

Maintaining accurate location records is important both for redundancy and long-term project documentation. The report provides the school with a centralized reference point in case materials submitted elsewhere become incomplete, missing, or incorrectly labeled. It also encourages productions to carefully review their delivery materials and confirm that all locations, agreements, permits, and related documentation have been properly accounted for before final submission.

Export Instructions

Navigate to the Location Database board in FSU Greenlight.
Select the “My Shows” view at the top.
Batch-select all the items for the show.
Select “Export” from the menu at the bottom.

Delivery Instructions

Locate the exported Excel file on your local drive.
Rename the Excel file, using the following naming convention:
01m2-LocationList.xlsx
Deliver the renamed Excel file here.

Cast List

Overview

The cast list is submitted as part of the project’s final delivery materials and provides a complete record of all performers involved in the production. In addition to serving as an archival and administrative document, the report helps productions verify that all cast-related materials and required paperwork have been properly completed and submitted during the delivery process.

Maintaining accurate cast records is important both for redundancy and long-term project documentation. The report provides the school with a centralized reference point in case materials submitted elsewhere become incomplete, missing, or incorrectly labeled. It also encourages productions to carefully review their delivery materials and confirm that all performer credits, agreements, releases, and related materials have been fully accounted for before final delivery is approved.

Export Instructions

Navigate to the Cast Database board in FSU Greenlight.
Select the “My Shows” view at the top.
Batch-select all the items for the show.
Select “Export” from the menu at the bottom.

Delivery Instructions

Locate the exported Excel file on your local drive.
Rename the Excel file, using the following naming convention:
01m2-CastList.xlsx
Deliver the renamed Excel file here.

Credit Sequencing

Overview

Credits sequencing establishes the standardized order and formatting conventions used for on-screen titles and end credits within student productions. These guidelines help ensure that cast, crew, departments, acknowledgments, and institutional requirements are presented consistently and professionally across projects.

Credit order carries both professional and practical significance within film production. In professional filmmaking environments, credit placement and sequencing are often governed by contractual obligations negotiated through unions, guilds, and individual talent agreements. Standardized sequencing helps ensure that contributors are recognized appropriately, prevents omissions or inconsistencies, and creates a cleaner delivery workflow during finishing and final export. Learning industry-standard crediting practices also helps students better understand both the collaborative structure of film production and the professional conventions that govern screen credit attribution.

The Overall Sequence

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.

Sequencing 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

Sequencing 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:

Cast
Stunt Performers

UPM
First Assistant Director
Second Assistant Director
2nd Second Assistant Director
Second Unit Director

Set Decorator
Art Director
Art PA

Camera Operator
First Assistant Camera
Second Assistant Camera
Loaders
Still Photographer

Sound Mixer
Boom Operator

Cableman
Gaffer
Best Boy Electric
Third Electric
Key Grip
Best Boy Grip
Grips
Dolly Grip

Script Supervisor

Production Coordinator
Location Managers
Local Casting
Casting Associates
Assistants to Actors/Producers/Directors
Production Assistants
Publicist

Make-up Artist
Hair Stylist
Costume Designer
Property Master
Assistant Property
Set Design
Leadmen
Special Effects Supervisor
Special Effects Assistants
Construction Coordinator
Construction Foreman
Painters

Craft Service
First Aid
Transportation Coordinators
Transportation Captains
Drivers

Assistant Editors
Sound Editors
ADR Editor
Music Editor
Re-Recording mixer

Visual Effects Producer
Visual Effects Supervisor
Visual Effects Coordinators
Modeling Artists
Rigging Artists
Texturing Artists
Animators
Layout Artists
Lighting Artists
Simulation Artists
Matchmove Artists
Compositors
Rotoscope Artists
Technical Support

Virtual Production Supervisor
Virtual Production VAD
Virtual Production Operators

Title Designer
Colorist

Music Rights

Special Thanks

Cameras By
Color By
Dolby
Disclaimer

FSU Copyright

Titles & Credits Delivery

Overview

Final title and credit materials must be delivered in a format that allows editorial, finishing, and archival workflows to proceed cleanly and consistently. This includes the submission of properly formatted title cards, end credits, associated project files, and any other required assets needed for final mastering and delivery.

Careful preparation of titles and credits is important because even small formatting errors, missing names, spelling mistakes, or incompatible files can create significant problems late in post-production. The delivery process is designed both to maintain technical consistency across projects and to encourage students to carefully verify the accuracy and completeness of all credited information before final submission.

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).

Folder location for credits and titles — Location to Deliver Credits and Titles

Title example — Naming convention for Titles

Credit example — Naming convention for Credits

Cadence (Single-System Sound)

Overview

Single-system sound workflows record audio directly into the camera during production, creating synchronized picture and sound files at the point of capture. This post outlines the cadence procedures and organizational expectations associated with maintaining consistent single-system recording practices throughout production and post-production.

Consistent cadence workflows help productions maintain clean editorial organization, reduce synchronization problems, and avoid confusion when handling large amounts of footage and audio across multiple shooting days. Establishing disciplined recording and labeling practices early in production helps students develop reliable technical habits that support smoother downstream editorial and finishing workflows.

Cadence

“PICTURE’S UP!”

When you’re ready to go for picture.

“LAST LOOKS!”

“Last Looks” is only for Hair & Makeup and Costumes to do any final touches.

“LET’S LOCK IT UP! WE’RE GOING FOR PICTURE!”

“Lock it up” is to notify everyone to be quiet.

“ROLL CAMERA!”

DP speeds the camera and says “Sound and Camera Speed”.
AC voice slates (i.e 2 Alpha Take 1).
AC calls “Mark” and clacks the slate’s chevrons.
DP calls “Set” when they are framed up, in focus, and ready to go.
Director will then call “Action” and then “Cut”.
1st AD will say “Cut on picture. Stand by.”

After each “Cut,” the 1st AD checks with camera and sound to see how it was for them, then they check with Director to see if they want to go again.

“WE’RE GOING AGAIN!”

Make sure everyone is ready. Then call the cadence once more.

“PICTURE’S UP! LOCK IT UP! ROLL CAMERA!”

Call goes as above until the director calls “Cut”. AD repeats the “Cut”.
AD continues to ask “Going again?” until they are told “Got that”.
Once the AD hears “Got that” they then call:

“GOT THAT! MOVING ON! THANK YOU.”

Moving on…

“NEW DEAL! CAMERAS MOVE! WE’RE GOING TIGHTER!”

“New Deal” means the camera(s) are moving to their next setup position.
“We’re going tighter” references that the set is moving on to a tighter frame. This is because we typically shoot scenes starting with the widest frame and then working towards the tightest frames.
If you’re moving on to the next scene then call:

“GOT THAT SCENE! MOVING ON TO SCENE ‘X’. LET’S CLEAR THE CREW AND BRING IN FIRST TEAM (OR CAST) TO REHEARSE.”

Moving on…

Soundly

Overview

Soundly is a sound effects library and audio workflow tool used to search, organize, preview, and integrate sound assets into post-production workflows. This page outlines expectations and procedures for accessing and using the software within the program’s sound design and editorial environments.

Efficient sound asset management is an important part of professional post-production because sound teams often work with large libraries of effects, ambiences, and design elements across multiple projects. Learning organized search, tagging, preview, and workflow practices helps students build stronger sound design pipelines while developing familiarity with industry-standard audio post-production tools.

About Soundly

Having access to a robust sound effects library is invaluable for filmmakers. While there are a lot of free websites where you can download sound effects, the quality of the files can vary and acquiring the correct licensing rights can be a time-consuming and frustrating endeavor. The College therefore pays an annual fee to license Soundly, which is an application for easy searching through the 6 Terabytes of media in our professional sound effects library. This allows you to have a vast array of high-quality, licensed effects at your fingertips, and it’s engineered to have frictionless integration with Media Composer and ProTools. You can then focus on what really matters: the creative work.

Additionally, Soundly has an AI feature called Voice Designer which allows for text-based voice generation. This is a very useful tool if you need to add, say, the voice of an unseen character or if you need to rough-in a voice during editorial that will later be replaced with ADR.

Soundly Layout and Search

When first launched, the application will open as shown below. If it defaults to a different page, make sure it is set to the “Sounds” tab. Also check that it is signed in to our account as shown below. If it appears that the Soundly application is not signed in to our account correctly, please contact the Post Staff and they can get it fixed.

In the upper-left corner is a search field where you can type in keywords to help you find the what you are looking for. The library is vast and contains sound effects, backgrounds, Foley, and more. After you select one of the sound effects that your search revealed, you can preview it in the timeline at the bottom.

By default, Soundly opens in a big window that can be viewed fullscreen. Sometimes you may prefer to put it in “Dock Mode” which will squeeze the interface down to the bottom third of the screen. To enter “Dock Mode” navigate to the task bar and select Window > Dock Mode.

This can be helpful when you are also working in Media Composer or ProTools, as it will allow you to easily have both interfaces open while you work, as shown below.

Soundly in dock with Media Composer and ProTools

Soundly with Media Composer

When using Soundly with Media Composer, it is simple to bring sounds from the library into a bin. After you have searched for and have found the sound that you want to bring into Media Composer, highlight the section of waveform you want and drag that into an open bin.

Media Composer will prompt you with a question about the audio start-time. Make sure it is set to 24 and then click “OK”.

Assuming your media creation settings in Media Composer are set as shown in the example below, the sound will be transcoded into Avid Media and will appear in your bin, ready to work with.

Soundly with ProTools

When using Soundly with ProTools, you have two options for bringing sounds into the project. You can either bring the sound into the Clips Bin or spot the sound directly onto a track.

To send a desired sound effect to the Clips Bin, select the sound in Soundly and then press “B” on the keyboard. It will be imported directly to the Clips Bin in ProTools.

To spot a desired sound effect to a specific marked track, highlight the section of the sound effect you want, use the sector tool to mark a spot on an appropriate track, and then press “S” on the keyboard. It will be imported directly to the track that was marked.

Soundly Voice Designer

Soundly has a feature called Voice Designer, which uses AI to generate voices based on text input. Utilizing a plugin called “Place It”, it will make the generated voice sound as if it was in a particular place and/or coming out of a particular speaker.

Switch to the Voices tab and you will see the interface appear like the example below.

The top section will allow you to type in any dialogue that you need to generate. You will then have options to decide the language and the voice, and you can then generate the voice by clicking “Speak It”. You can also use one of the presets.

The bottom section will allow you to modify that voice. There are presets available or you can click the button shown below and you can choose you own “Speaker” and “Space”.

Importing the Voice Designer media into ProTools and Media Composer is exactly the same process as described above.

Frame.io Review Links

Overview

Frame.io review links are used to distribute cuts, gather feedback, track revisions, and facilitate communication throughout editorial and post-production workflows. This page outlines expectations for organizing, sharing, and managing review links during the feedback and approval process.

Consistent review workflows help productions avoid confusion around versions, notes, and approvals while making collaboration more efficient across faculty, students, and post-production teams. Structured review practices also help students develop professional habits related to client communication, revision tracking, and collaborative editorial workflows.

CREATE A REVIEW LINK

Navigate to the video on Frame.io that you want to share. Then, click the three dots to the right of the video:

This will open a dropdown menu that you can navigate through. Select “Share” and then “Share for Review”:

A window will open prompting you to choose what kind of link you want to create. To be able to send the link to someone who’s not already a member of the Frame.io project, you will need to change it to “Public”:

Then, click the icon to copy the link to your clipboard:

Now you can paste this link anywhere, such as in a Teams message or an email, and send it to whomever needs to see it. Please be careful when sharing review links, though; anyone with the link, regardless of who they are, will have access to the linked content on frame.io and will be able to leave comments.

Manage Review Links

If you need to go back and manage the review links you’ve created, navigate to the main page for project and click on the Review Links tab:

This will display all the links that have been created for that project. If you wish to activate or deactivate a review link, toggle the “Active” button:

If you need to re-copy the review link, you can do so here:

If you need to adjust settings, add or remove files, or duplicate or delete a review link, click on the three dots and a dropdown menu will appear:

Stock Footage

Overview

Stock footage refers to pre-existing video materials licensed for use within a production, including archival footage, environmental plates, specialty imagery, or other externally sourced visual assets. This page outlines the policies, approval considerations, licensing expectations, and workflow requirements associated with incorporating stock footage into student projects.

Because stock footage involves both creative and legal considerations, productions must ensure that outside materials are used appropriately, documented properly, and integrated thoughtfully into the project. Learning how to evaluate licensing restrictions, visual consistency, and workflow compatibility helps students better understand the professional standards surrounding third-party media usage in film and post-production environments.

Limitations on Use of Stock Footage

As a school, our primary focus is on the creation of original work. The emphasis is therefore on students creating all the imagery for their films themselves, rather than relying on stock footage libraries. Educationally, this helps students learn the process of creating original imagery, and the labor and resources that are needed to accomplish that. This helps students better understand the value of intellectual property, as their focus is more on creating intellectual property from scratch than on “borrowing” work created by others.

The process of clearing the rights for stock footage also informs the school’s policies. Many stock footage resources have inaccurate or misleading copyright information. For example, sites may claim that footage is in the public domain when it is not. To work through all the potential copyright and licensing issues with stock footage can be a lengthy and laborious process for both students and faculty. On many of our production cycles, there either isn’t sufficient time to do this or the time could be better spent focusing on other aspects of the production.

For these reasons, stock footage use is limited to F2, FC, and MC projects. Stock footage is not allowed on F1, F3, M1, M2, or M3 projects.

F2 • FC • MC

Stock footage is allowed.
All stock footage needs to be cleared by the Head of Production, to ensure that we have the proper rights to use the footage.
If stock footage is going to appear on camera during production — e.g., imagery on a television within a scene — the footage needs to be cleared before the start of principal photography. If stock footage is added during post-production, the footage needs to be clear before picture lock.
Stock footage can only be purchased with CMPA funds. Students are not permitted to purchase stock footage with personal funds.
Stock footage that is already owned by the CMPA, such as media that was originally shot for another FSU film, may be utilized. Please allow two weeks of turnaround on any such requests, in case the media files need to be pulled from the archive.

F1 • F3 • M1 • M2 • M3

Stock footage is NOT allowed.
All footage appearing on screen during the running time of these projects needs to be created by students during the assigned production days. This includes any content that needs to appear on screens within shots — e.g., a news broadcast that appears on a television within the scene. Producers will need to build time into the production schedule to create this embedded content during the assigned production days.