Pick-Up Photography

Request supplemental shooting needed to capture missing or revised production material.

Overview

Pick-up photography refers to additional filming conducted after principal photography has concluded in order to capture missing material, inserts, revised coverage, or other supplemental footage needed to improve the project.

Because additional filming affects scheduling, equipment access, staffing, locations, and administrative coordination, productions must approach pick-up photography carefully and with clear planning. The process helps ensure that additional shooting is necessary, realistically achievable, and properly coordinated within the broader production and post-production schedule.

How It Works

On the FC and MC cycles, students may make a request to the Head of Production for pick-up photography to improve moments in the film that were not captured successfully during principal photography. Pick-up requests may not be made for additional moments that were not part of the original shooting plan.

No show will be approved for more than six hours of pick-up photography. And all pick-up photography will need to be completed and cut into the edit before picture lock. In some cases, this may mean that the turnaround time for pick-up photography is tight, so students will need to be diligent and proactive if they want to put in a request.

Pick-up photography is a privilege to be earned. Since pick-up photography involves time and resources, requests will not be approved automatically. Approvals will be granted only if the time and resources are available and if students make a compelling case for the value of the pick-ups to the film (including proof that the problem cannot be adequately solved with careful editing choices).

Pick-up request procedure

Students will need to complete a Additional Photography Request form, in which they must provide the following details:

  • the exact nature of the subject matter to be shot;
  • the reason why it was not shot with the first unit crew during principal photography;
  • the date, times, and location of the proposed shoot;
  • the crew required for the proposed shoot, including names and signatures (you’ll need to determine how many crew members you need and you’ll need to recruit them);
  • notes on any special equipment requests;
  • notes on any budget plans;
  • any other supporting documentation.

For MC projects, all requests must be submitted to the MFA Head of Production no later than the end of the spring semester. For FC projects, all requests must be submitted to the BFA Head of Production no later than the day of the first cut screening.

The Head of Production’s decision on whether to approve or deny a pick-up photography request is final.