FSUFILM Handbook

Category: FC

Distant Location Request
Overview

The Distant Location Request is used when a capstone production seeks permission to film outside the school’s studio zone. The Producer must present a detailed plan addressing the location’s importance, travel schedule, transportation, lodging, meals, equipment security, faculty support, contingency plans, deadlines, and a local backup option.

This process exists because distant locations add significant complexity, cost, wear on equipment, and stress on the crew. Approval is not automatic; productions must demonstrate that the location is essential, that the plan is realistic, and that the added demands can be managed responsibly within school expectations.

Paperwork

Distant Location Request Form Download (PDF)
INSTRUCTIONS

BFA and MFA capstone productions may request permission to film at a distant location outside the studio zone. Because distant productions place additional demands on equipment, personnel, and university resources, approval is not automatic. It is a privilege granted only to productions that demonstrate careful planning, logistical readiness, and a safe, realistic production plan.

Proposal Requirements

The Producer must submit a distant location request to the Head of Production that includes:
1. A description of the proposed location.
2. An explanation of why the location is creatively and/or logistically necessary.
3. A production schedule showing all travel days, drive times, and shooting days.
4. A transportation, lodging (if required), and meal plan and budget for the cast and crew.
5. A transportation, lodging (if required), and meal plan and budget for the assigned faculty member.
6. A plan for transporting, parking, securing, and maintaining school vehicles and equipment.
7. A contingency plan if critical production equipment becomes inoperable.
8. A production timeline showing key logistical deadlines.
9. A viable local backup plan if the request is denied or the location becomes unavailable.
Travel Times

As a general guideline, distant locations should be within approximately 2.5 hours (each way) of the College of Motion Picture Arts.

Travel time counts as part of the production day and reduces the available filming time in accordance with the program’s production day policies. For example: A production travels to a location that’s 90 minutes away and returns the same day. In the morning, any travel in excess of 30 minutes counts against the 12-hour work day. The same is true for the return journey at the end of day. Therefore, there’s 60 minutes in the morning and 60 minutes at the end of day (120 minutes total) that need to be deducted from the available shooting time that day.

Overnights

Depending on the travel distance and production schedule, the Head of Production may require overnight lodging for cast and crew. When overnight accommodations are required, the production is responsible for providing appropriate lodging and all required meals—including breakfast, lunch, and dinner as dictated by the approved schedule.

Expenses

The production budget should include all anticipated travel-related expenses, including fuel, parking, tolls (where applicable), drinking water, and other essential crew supplies.

All additional costs associated with an approved distant location are the responsibility of the production. The College of Motion Picture Arts does not provide funding beyond the standard production resources allocated to all productions.

Deadlines & Approvals

Requests should be submitted as early as possible during development and pre-production, and no later than two weeks before the first day of principal photography.

Distant location requests are reviewed by the Head of Production in consultation with the Head of Set Operations and the cycle faculty. The Head of Production has sole authority to approve, deny, or conditionally approve a request. Any conditions attached to an approval are mandatory, and the Head of Production’s decision is final.

Approval of a distant location does not constitute approval of the production plan. The Head of Production may require revisions to schedules, lodging, transportation, staffing, budgets, or other logistical arrangements as a condition of approval. Failure to meet the approved production timeline for the show may result in permission being revoked.
September 13, 2020
Dialogue List

Overview

The Dialogue List is a delivery document that identifies and organizes all spoken dialogue and on-screen text appearing in the finished film. This is used for captions, subtitles, accessibility workflows, sound post-production reference, and final delivery documentation.

Accurate dialogue documentation is important because downstream workflows such as captioning, subtitling, localization, accessibility compliance, and archival delivery depend on having a reliable written record of the film’s spoken content. Maintaining a clean and organized dialogue list also helps productions avoid inconsistencies or omissions during final delivery.

Paperwork

Dialogue List Download (DOC)

Instructions

When a film is sent to a foreign language film festival, the festival will add subtitles in the local language based on this Dialogue List. The form should include all spoken dialogue and on-screen text that is in the final film, including the timecode of when each occurs.

SAMPLE

Here’s a sample of what the completed form should look like:

September 13, 2020
Daily Production Report

Overview

The Daily Production Report documents the major activities, progress, delays, incidents, scheduling information, and operational details associated with a production day. It serves as an official record of what occurred during filming and is completed at the end of each shoot day.

Daily reporting is important because productions rely on accurate records to track progress against the schedule, communicate between departments, identify emerging issues, and maintain accountability throughout the shoot. Consistent reporting also creates a valuable reference for post-production, faculty oversight, and future review of production operations.

Paperwork

Daily-Production-Report Download (XLSX)

INSTRUCTIONS

The Second Assistant Director is responsible for sending out a PDF of the Daily Production Report (DPR) at the end of every shooting day, no later than two hours after wrap. If the production does not have a dedicated Second Assistant Director, the First Assistant Director or Producer shall assume the responsibility.

The purpose of the DPR is to communicate important information from the day’s production, such as number of setups, start and end times, in and out times, reports on delays, and reports on equipment problems. If an urgent problem or situation arises on set, however, do not wait until the end of day to report it; contact the appropriate individuals immediately. (Make sure it is documented on the DPR at the end of the day as well, though.)

Post the completed DPR the “DPRs” channel on Teams. The PDF file should be formatted with production number and show title as follows:

01f3-DPR-Day1.pdf

DPR Sample

Here’s a sample of what the completed form should look like:

September 13, 2020
Crowd Release

Overview

A Crowd Release grants the production permission to photograph and use the likenesses of individuals appearing as part of a crowd scene or public group within the film. It should be posted in highly visible places when a production cannot lock down a public space and get signed releases from all passersby.

This release is important because productions must secure permission to use identifiable individuals in footage intended for exhibition, festivals, online release, or distribution. Crowd releases help productions manage situations involving large groups more efficiently while still ensuring that participants have authorized the use of their image in the finished project.

Paperwork

Crowd Release Download (PDF)

Crowd Release Download (DOC)

Instructions

In some situations, especially in public spaces that the production cannot lock down, it is not always possible to get signed releases from every individual that appears in a shot. This Crowd Notice sign can be used in such situations to alert passersby that, by entering an area, their voice and likeness may be recorded and used in the film.

If a production plans to use this signage, the Producer should check in advance with the Location Owner to make sure they are okay with the signs being posted around the location.

When posting the signs, pay particular attention to the flow of passersby through the area. Identify strategic positions for placing the signs so that they are clearly visible to any passersby, but out of view of the camera.

September 13, 2020
Crew Sign In

Overview

The Crew Sign In form is used to document crew attendance during production activities. It provides a record of which crew members were present on a given production day and is used to track arrival times, departure times, and walkie numbers.

Maintaining accurate attendance records helps productions stay organized and supports communication, scheduling, safety oversight, and administrative documentation throughout the shoot. Consistent sign-in procedures also help reinforce professional production practices related to accountability and crew coordination.

Paperwork

Crew Sign In Download (PDF)

Crew Sign In Download (DOC)

September 13, 2020
Crew Replacement Approval

Overview

The Crew Replacement Approval process is used when a production seeks permission to replace a crew member after assignments have already been finalized.

Crew changes can affect scheduling, training, department continuity, collaboration, and the overall balance of the production structure. Requiring formal approval helps the school evaluate whether the proposed change is appropriate, manageable, and consistent with the educational and operational needs of the production.

Paperwork

Crew Replacement Approval Download (PDF)

Instructions

This paperwork should be submitted when requesting that a crew member be replaced by another student. It requires the signatures of both the original crew member and their replacement, as well as the Producer and the Head of Production.

If crew members are switching positions on a productions, a separate form should be submitted for each crew position.

September 13, 2020
Crew Deal Memo
Overview

A Crew Deal Memo documents the basic terms and expectations associated with an individual’s participation as a crew member on a production. This includes information related to responsibilities, dates of participation, screen credits, emergency contacts, and other production expectations.

Clear crew documentation is important because productions depend on well-defined responsibilities and mutual understanding between collaborators. Maintaining formal agreements helps reduce confusion, supports accountability, and reinforces professional production practices related to staffing and crew organization.

Paperwork

Animation

Crew Deal Memo Download (PDF)

Crew Deal Memo Download (DOC)

Live-Action

Crew Deal Memo Download (PDF)

Crew Deal Memo Download (DOC)
Instructions

The Producer must ensure that all crew members complete a Crew Deal Memo at the start of the period of employment on the production. The deal memo outlines the terms and conditions of employment (which may not be modified) and defines the screen credit(s) in the finished film.

During final delivery of paperwork, a single form is used to collect all the deal memos for assigned crew positions. To prepare for this, it is recommended that producers either:
1. Organize digital scans of all the crew deal memos before starting work on the form submission, then drag each PDF into the appropriate field in the form; or
2. Organize paper copies of all the crew deal memos, then take a photo of each memo using the camera feature in the appropriate field in the form.
September 13, 2020
Composer Contract

Overview

The Composer Contract establishes the agreement between the production and the composer creating original music for the film. The contract addresses the scope of the work, ownership and usage rights, delivery expectations, screen credits, and the production’s ability to use the music within the completed project.

Clear agreements with composers are important because original music involves both creative collaboration and intellectual property considerations. Proper documentation helps ensure that the production has the rights necessary to exhibit and distribute the film while also establishing clear expectations regarding deadlines, revisions, and ownership of the musical work.

Paperwork

Composer Contract Download (PDF)

Composer Contract Download (DOC)

INSTRUCTIONS

The Producer should use this contract agreement with a Composer who is writing the musical score for a production. It should be used regardless of whether or not the composer is being paid for their services.

The Producer is responsible for working with the Composer to determine the due date, the compensation structure, and the screen credit in the finished film.

It is advisable to make the delivery date of the score (in Section 1 of the contract) as early as is feasible, in order to provide some padding. It is not uncommon for composers on student films to miss their deadline, so it’s better to assume that that might happen than to hope for the best. Most ideal would be setting delivery of the score for a date during the sound editing phase, so that you have a better sense of how everything’s coming together. If that’s not viable, set delivery for as many days before the mix date as your composer’s schedule will allow.

All other clauses in the agreement must remain unchanged, unless the Producer is authorized in advance by the Head of Production to make specific amendments to the contract.

September 13, 2020
Camera Report
Overview

The Camera Report documents technical and organizational information related to footage recorded during production. This includes scene and take information, media card tracking, camera settings, lens and filter data, and other production details associated with camera operations.

Accurate camera reports are important because editorial and post-production workflows depend heavily on reliable production records when organizing and reviewing footage. Consistent reporting helps reduce confusion, improve media management, and support smoother communication between camera, script supervision, editorial, and post-production departments.

Paperwork

Camera Report Download (PDF)

Camera Report Download (XLS)
INSTRUCTIONS

The 2nd AC completes the Camera Report. For the info in the top-right corner:
- RDM/Roll #: A sequential numbering of each of the camera cards used. For example, the first camera card used on day 1 would be A001. The next camera card used, say on day 2, would be A002. And so on.
- Sheet: A sequential numbering of Camera Reports for each camera card. For example, for camera card SSD 56, you start with Sheet 1. If you fill up Sheet 1, then you would continue on a new Camera Report, Sheet 2. And so on.
- Media ID #: The ID number on the camera card.
- Camera ID: The serial number that can be found on the bottom of the camera.
- File Format: The file format that is set on the camera menu. Standard for Red Epic is 2K ProRes 444.
- Project Frame Rate: The frame rate of the project edit timeline. Standard is 24fps.
- Framing Aspect Ratio: The aspect ratio used for the camera framing guides.
- LUT: The Look Up Table settings that were selected in the camera menu.
SAMPLE

Here’s a sample of what the completed form should look like:
September 13, 2020
Certificate of Insurance

Overview

A Certificate of Insurance is a document issued by the university’s insurance provider verifying that approved production activities are covered under the institution’s insurance policies. Productions may need to provide this document to property owners, vendors, municipalities, or other outside parties before filming or conducting production-related activities.

Many locations and organizations require proof of insurance before granting permission for production activity to take place. The certificate helps demonstrate that the production has institutional coverage in place while supporting safer and more professionally managed relationships with outside partners and locations.

Paperwork

Authorization for Certificate of Insurance Download (PDF)

Authorization for Certificate of Insurance Download (DOC)

Instructions

The Producer of a film should submit this form to the Head of Production to request the issuance of a Certificate of Insurance by the College of Motion Picture Arts to a business or individual that has requested one.

If the College issues a Certificate of Insurance, it is solely to allow access to the facility and/or equipment that the business or individual is offering the production. The College is not liable for any damage or loss to said facility and/or equipment. The Producer and Director will be financially responsible for any damage or loss to said facility and/or equipment.

September 13, 2020