This is a streamlined “cheat sheet” for seasoned 1st ADs. Twirl open any callout and the complete description of that step will be displayed. Please remember that all GREEN CALLS are made over the radio and are repeated by the 2nd AD, while all BLUE CALLS are made to on-set crew only and are not repeated by the 2nd AD.
Daily Protocol
Morning Meeting
We are having the morning meeting
Precisely at call time, the 1D gathers the crew by the trucks for the morning meeting. The 1D goes over the logistics of the day and addresses safety concerns.
COVID: Due to the congregation of all crew members, the morning meeting should ideally be performed outside. If the space does not permit all crew to congregate with physical distancing, the crew should be divided into smaller groups and the meeting should be repeated for each group.
Work safely, everyone
This concludes the morning meeting. 1D then gathers DR, DP, SS, 2C, and goes to set.
WORKING OUT THE BLOCKING
Clear the set for blocking
If DR is ready, the 1D asks 2D to escort the actors to set, so that DR and actors can work out the blocking. During this time, 1D manages crew staging, while periodically monitoring DR.
Are we ready to mark the blocking?
If DR is ready, 1D invites DP, SS, and 2C to set and oversees the determination of coverage.
WORKING OUT THE COVERAGE
Observe the crew working out the coverage
DR and DP watch the action that’s been worked out with the actors. Together they discuss any changes. 1D watches and checks that: DP watches the coverage through a viewfinder or lens; SS watches eyelines and notes coverage plan; 2C marks the actors’ stopped positions with colored tape.
COVID: Physical distancing must be maintained during the laying down of marks. Either the actors should step back while the 2C lays down the mark, or the actor should be provided tape to lay down their own mark.
Are we ready for the New Deal?
Only when the plan is agreed upon, 1D calls:
NEW DEAL
We have a New Deal
1D confirms all department heads are present. DR shows the action.
COVID: If physical distancing is not possible due to space limitations, the New Deal should be repeated for smaller clusters of department heads.
Questions on the blocking?
DR fields queries, then shows/explains coverage.
Questions on the coverage?
DR fields questions on the plan. 1D facilitates, making sure every department is anticipating issues.
Is the plan good?
NO Troubleshoot
YES Proceed
BUILDING IT
OK, let's build it. Thank you, First Team.
2D escorts First Team (DR and actors) to base camp. 1D quietly gets a setup time estimate from the DP. (Note: No one else but 1D and DR need ask about time or guess how long things will take.) From this point on, 1D is quietly monitoring progress and updating department time estimates.
Ways of being helpful throughout this process include: “Let’s get the frame” … “Let’s get focus” … “Let’s get a boom line” … “Work quietly”
COVID: Crew must maintain physical distancing at all times, except for where a technical operation makes it impossible. Such moments should be kept to a bare minimum and undertaken with extreme caution. If the space does not permit crew members to maintain physical distancing, 1D must organize the staggering and rotation of different departments’ work. This is something that should have been identified during the tech scout, so a plan should already have been discussed for this in advance of the production day.
COVID: Camera placement should be more than six feet away from any actor. Any exceptions to this need to have been approved during Director’s Prep.
COVID: Set up video village in a location to minimize crowding around the monitor. Only two, physically distancing crew members may be at video village at one time, with priority given to DR and SS.
COVID: SM gives a sanitized wireless lav to each actor and instructs them how to secure the mic. If necessary, SM may secure the mic themselves, but the physical proximity should be kept to a minimum duration and an extra level of protection should be considered, such as a face-shield or a plexiglass divider.
Are we ready for camera rehearsal?
NO Troubleshoot
YES Proceed
Camera Rehearsal
Camera rehearsal is up. Stand by.
2D asks DR if they wish to be present. DR either comes to set or 2D informs 1D to proceed without DR. (If DR does not come to set, 1D calls “action” and “cut” instead.)
COVID: Do not use actors for the camera rehearsal, and keep minimal crew on set.
Camera ready?
Check, or confirm by non-verbal eye contact.
Sound ready?
Check, or confirm by non-verbal eye contact.
We are going for camera rehearsal...
Action is called. Technical team runs shot.
...That's a cut on camera rehearsal
How was that for camera?
Check, or confirm by non-verbal eye contact.
How was that for sound?
Check, or confirm by non-verbal eye contact.
BAD FOR EITHER Troubleshoot
GOOD FOR BOTH Proceed
Camera ready for rehearsal?
Check, or confirm by non-verbal eye contact.
Sound ready for rehearsal?
Check, or confirm by non-verbal eye contact.
NO Troubleshoot
YES Proceed
Rehearsal
Essential personnel only, please.
COVID: The set is about to become a Zone A space, so 1D clears the set of all non-essential personnel.
First Team in, please
2D brings DR and actors to set. Everything must be ready!
Everyone work quietly. First team is on set.
DR works with actors. (Note: Rehearsal moves directly into shooting. If any technical issue arise that cannot be solved immediately, 1D releases First Team until it is solved.)
COVID: Actors should ideally remain in masks during rehearsals. If masks need to be removed for any reason, consider deploying other protections, such as plexiglass barriers.
Rehearsal is up. Stand by.
1D waits and confirms visually when DR is ready.
Quiet, please. We are going for rehearsal...
DR calls “action” and “cut.” This should be treated like it is a take by all set personnel. Make sure the set is locked up.
...That's a cut on rehearsal. Stand by.
While DR checks in with the actors, 1D checks in with camera and sound for feedback. 1D relays this information to DR, who chooses to rehearse again or proceed. Are we ready to shoot?
Are we ready to shoot?
NO Call: “We are going again. Stand by.”
YES Proceed
Last Looks
Picture is up. Last looks.
Camera ready?
Check, or confirm by non-verbal eye contact.
Sound ready?
Check, or confirm by non-verbal eye contact.
Director ready?
Check, or confirm by non-verbal eye contact.
NO Troubleshoot
YES Proceed
Going for picture
We are going for picture. Lock it up.
It’s GO time. Listen to ensure set is locked up. Be very sure EVERYONE is actually ready, especially DR and actors, before calling:
COVID: Slating should be at least six feet from any actors. If the lens or space does not allow for that, a pan over to the slate should be used instead.
COVID: Actors should remove their own masks. If the shot doesn’t permit them to keep the mask on their person, PD should provide a Ziploc bag with the actor’s name on it and PD should manage the Ziploc bags during takes.
COVID: If hair and makeup needs to make an adjustment due to the masks, this should occur swiftly.
COVID: If DR wants to go again quickly, and actors consent, masks can stay off between takes.
Roll sound...
If sound is being recorded on a dedicated field recorder, use Cadence for Dual-System Sound.
If sound is being recorded by the camera, use Cadence for Single-System Sound.
Cadence for dual-system sound
SM calls SPEED
2C VOICE SLATES
1C rolls camera and Camera Operator calls SPEED
2C calls MARKER and clacks the sticks
Camera Operator calls FRAME
1D calls MASKS OFF (actors remove masks)
DR calls ACTION, watches take, and calls CUT
1D calls MASKS ON (actors replace masks)
Cadence for single-system sound
1C rolls camera and Camera Operator calls SPEED
2C VOICE SLATES
2C calls MARKER and clacks the sticks
Camera Operator calls FRAME
1D calls MASKS OFF (actors remove masks)
DR calls ACTION, watches take, and calls CUT
1D calls MASKS ON (actors replace masks)
That's a cut on picture. Stand by.
1D checks in with camera and sound to see if the take was good or if a technical issue may require another take.
1D relays this information to DR, and checks to see if the DR would like to go again or move on to the next set-up.
Ready to move on?
NO Repeat
YES Proceed
Moving on
Thank you, First Team
2D escorts the actors (and DR if desired) off set and the crew comes in to execute the next set-up.
COVID: After the First Team has left the set, 1D allows crew to re-enter the space.
We are moving on to... (describe next set-up)
Move on to the next planned set-up as indicated previously during the New Deal. 1D restates shot as previously described.
Return to BUILDING IT and proceed until all scene coverage is complete.
When the scene is complete, return to WORKING OUT THE BLOCKING for next scene.
Continue this process for the rest of the day.
During the day, if the production falls behind schedule or if any problems arise, 1D should be proactive in conferring privately with DR and/or DP on how to solve the problems. This can be done quietly and discreetly on set or during breaks, such as lunch.
COVID: Departments should sanitize equipment throughout the day during free moments, especially anything to be handled by others in the department.
Important Time-Based Items
Start of Day
First shot is off at (state time)
Recording the time of the first shot of the day (and the first shot after lunch) is an important item that is reported to the studio on the DPR.
Midday
That's lunch
At exactly the 6-hour mark after first call time Lunch must be called. If the team has already rolled on a set-up you can go into “Grace,” which means work must then be completed within 12 minutes. You cannot shoot past this or you are in meal penalty.
During lunch, 1D talks to DR and the DP about the rest of the day’s work and participates in making any adjustments to the plan and/or schedule to help make the day.
COVID: Boxed lunches should be delivered to the team spaces for each department, so as to avoid having people congregating around a single lunch table.
COVID: Since masks need to be off for eating, extra precaution must be taken. Eating outside with maximum distance between people is recommended.
COVID: Staggering the start time for lunch for different departments is recommended, if the schedule permits. Staggering the start time for lunch is required if physical distancing is not possible at the location.
Ten Minutes
Ten minutes before the end of lunch the 1st AD announces this to everyone.
We're back
This call marks the official end of lunch. All crew is required to return to work. 1D should remind everyone what set-up is first up after lunch.
COVID: After lunch, PR makes sure that high-touch surfaces get a sanitizing wipe down and each department sanitizes heavily used items of equipment.
End of Day
This is the Abby Singer
1D alerts the crew that this is the second-to-last set up. (Be sure it actually is before announcing.) This is a morale boost as the day nears its end.
This is the martini
1D alerts the crew that this is the last set up of the day. (BE SURE it actually is before announcing.) This is a bigger morale boost as the day nears its end.
That's a day (and/or picture) wrap for (actor's name)
Crew applauds to thank the talent for the day’s work or for their work over multiple days on the whole picture.
That's a day (and/or picture) wrap for (production name)
Crew celebrates a hard day’s work. “Picture Wrap” can be an emotional call after weeks of work on a feature.
Company Wrap
1D talks to the DR and the DP about the next day’s work and any adjustments to the plan and/or schedule.
1D signs off on the Daily Production Report (DPR), which is sent back to production by the 2D.
COVID: 1D makes sure that camera wrap happens no less than 60 minutes before company wrap, to allow sufficient time for loading out and cleaning the location.
COVID: Actors change out of wardrobe, preferably in a single-person occupancy changing room. PD places any wardrobe supplied by the production in a secure bag to be laundered if used again. If actors need to remove their masks, the changing room becomes a Zone A space.
COVID: Equipment should be reloaded back into the truck in a prescribed sequence. Only one crew member is permitted in the back of the truck at a time. Physical distancing must be observed at all times. Each department should clean equipment during wrap.
COVID: Doors Down Meeting should ideally be performed outside. If the space does not permit all crew to congregate with adequate physical distancing, the crew may divide up into departmental groups for separate, smaller doors down meetings.
COVID: 2D keeps access to location restricted until last crew member has left. The plan for sanitizing the location at company wrap must be completed before the 2D leaves the location.
Below you will find link to a tutorial video explaining how to prepare your premiere project for sound design and instructions for turning over an AAF for sound notes.
Please note, that the tutorial video does not include instructions for exporting the scratch mix along with the the AAF but the settings can be found in the pdf below.
The scratch mix wave file should be labeled the same as your AAF.
Below you will find a link to a video tutorial explaining how to prepare your premiere project for color correction and instructions for exporting your finished film.
Please note that the tutorial above does not include instructions for exporting an AAF to be exported and delivered at the same time. But those instructions can be found in the pdf below.
The AAF should be labeled the same as your quicktime file.
Also below are two additional tutorials that cover the process of color correcting inside premiere using lumetrie. The content that pertains to us starts about minute 7.
Below you will find a link to a tutorial video explaining how to conform your locked premiere project back to the OCF and make sure you have everything you need to begin sound and color.
While every production’s titles and credits are slightly different, the general order goes:
Lead Titles
Content (Story)
End Credits
Logos
Copyright
For FSU Film 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.
Simple title cards can be made with the Premiere title tool, but more advanced animation or motion graphics can be created in After Effects. All credits must be delivered to the editor before Picture Lock. They must be exported as an Apple ProRes 4444 1920×1080 quicktime at 24fps. This will hold an alpha channel in case it needs to run over picture.
They should be uploaded to this folder on Frame.io so the Editor can cut them into the locked sequence.
Credit Rules
Every show must adhere to the following policies:
There can be no visual changes made to the film school logo card without approval from the Dean.
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 students are not permitted to take their name off a film, unless otherwise approved by the Dean.
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.
Special Thanks:
This section needs to be professional. Things like “Mom & Dad” are not professional. You may list their names, but “familiar terms” or nicknames are not okay.
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.
There can be no dedicating the film to someone. Again, as FSU films, only the school may dedicate a film to someone. Students may thank people in the “Special Thanks” section.
Lead Titles
If lead titles appear at the head of the film, they must appear in this order:
FSU Logo
Above-Title Cast
Title
Supporting Cast
Original Score by
Production Designer
Sound Designer
Editor
Director of Photography
Producer
Writer
Director
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:
At the end of the picture edit cycle, the Editor and Director will be assigned a time to formally lock picture. This means that the Lock Sequence must be completed and any VFX and Credits created by the Director must be transferred to the Editor and cut into the Locked Sequence by that time and the appropriate fields must be filled out in Motion.
Once picture locking is complete, the Editor and Director will make sure the Premiere Project, Reference Video, and any additional media that the Editor used is uploaded to the appropriate folders on Frame.io so the Director can download them and conform the project for Sound Design and Color Correction.
Create the Locked sequence
In Premiere Pro, correctly identify your locked sequence and save it in the Lock bin as Show#_Lock. For example, the locked sequence for 01F3 would be named 01F3_Lock.
Double-check the sequence settings by clicking on the Sequence drop-down menu and selecting “Sequence Settings.”
Your locked sequence settings should be as follows:
Build the front sequence
All locked sequences must have a “front sequence” at the start of the timeline that is formatted to Academy standards. This involves setting the sequence timecode to begin at 00:59:00:00 and building a front sequence that includes 30 seconds of bars-and-tone, 30 seconds of slate, the Academy leader (i.e., the countdown), and the FSU leader.
To begin, locate the front sequence materials (bars-and-tone, countdown, and FSU leaders). They are in the extras folder in the QD2 Project on Frame.io.
Import these into your Premiere Project in the Front Sequence bin. Their are two different FSU Leaders. One runs “Forward” and one runs in “Reverse”. Choose one.
Set your sequence to begin at timecode 00:59:00:00. To do this, click on the Sequence drop-down menu and select “Start Time…”
Then enter “00:59:00:00” in the pop up window.
At 00:59:00:00 on the timeline, insert the 30-second bars-and-tone clip from the Front Sequence bin.
At 00:59:30:00 on the timeline, insert a 30-second slate. You’ll need to create the slate yourself, using the title tool in Premiere Pro. Please keep it professional and include all the pertinent info:
At 01:00:00:00, insert the 8-second countdown from the Front Sequence bin. If everything is put together correctly, the “two-pop” on the countdown leader will fall exactly on 01:00:06:00. (This is very important!)
At 01:00:08:00, insert one of the 8-second FSU leaders from the Front Sequence bin.
At 01:00:16:00, line up the first frame of content to start there.
Your completed front sequence should now look like this:
Add titles and credits
The College has strict requirements for how titles and credits need to be formatted. Before building your titles, read the requirements here.
All credits must be finished by Picture Lock. This should be done by the Director in either Premiere Pro or After Effects and then exported out as a 1920×1080 ProRes444 video at 24fps. This must then be transferred to the Editor via Frame.io so it can be cut in by Picture Lock.
The second-to-last thing in the end credits should be a logo card lasting exactly 2 seconds. This can be found in the QD2 Frame.io projects in the Extras folder.
The last thing in the end credits should be a copyright card lasting exactly 2 seconds. This can be found in the QD2 Frame.io projects in the Extras folder.
Add VFX (if Applicable)
All VFX must be finished by Picture Lock. This should be done by the Director in either Premiere Pro or After Effects and then exported out as a 1920×1080 ProRes444 video at 24fps. This must then be transferred to the Editor via Frame.io so it can be cut in by Picture Lock.
Since not all shows will have VFX if you do please make an additional folder on Frame.io for this to be transferred to the Editor.
Condense tracks for color grading
To prep the film for the Director to be able to conform to the OCF on there machine and color using Lumetri in Premiere, your video needs to be condensed onto as few video tracks as possible. It’s understood that, due to the nature of how some video dissolves are built, more than one track is sometimes necessary. The idea is to reduce the amount of tracks and media as much as possible and the end result should look something like this.
QC the locked sequence
The Editor should watch the Final Format video looking for black frames or any other problems. Once your picture is locked it is locked!
Export a locked reference
The Editor will need to create a reference video so for the director to use to ensure sync later and to make sure nothing actually gets changed during sound and color.
Export the entire sequence marking in at 00:59:00:00 the first frame of the bar and tone and then marking out on the last from of the copyright.
Label the video as: “xxQD2_Lock_Reference” Use the export settings: Apple ProRes 422LT 1920×1080 24fps progressive with square pixels.
Once its exported the editor should reimport it into premiere and lay it on a higher video track to check for any issues. Once satisfied upload it to the following folder on Frame.io;
Other media
Any additional media outside of that capture in production that is in the locked sequence needs to be placed in the appropriate folder on frame.io for the Director. This way they can reconnect everything once they have the Premiere project.
Save the project
Lastly, once you are confident that you’re locked sequence is formatted correctly, the reference matches, and all additional media is up on Frame.io. save a new version in your projects finishing folder, but add “Locked” to the file name.
Then upload it to the Appropriate folder on Frame.io for the Director.
Below is a PDF document that runs through the entire post workflow for the QD2 projects, from the production days through picture editing, sound, color, and final delivery. It’s optimized for the EVA1 workflow, but also addresses how to manage multiple file formats from different sources (such as DSLRs, phones, and webcams).
The Internet is a wonderful place for finding videos, images, motion graphics, clip art, music, and sound effects that can be used in your films. Below is a list of resources to help with finding stuff that’s either in the Public Domain (belongs to all of us) or Creative Commons (licensed by the author for others to use).
Beware, however, that the Internet is also a terribly unreliable place and the burden of proof will fall on you to document that you actually have the rights to use any of the stuff you dig up, so that you have a clear chain of title on your film.
For works 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. Any works published in 1924 or earlier are now in the public domain. Any works published after 1924 should be assumed to be under copyright, unless otherwise confirmed. Also be aware that new versions of works public domain — e.g., the New York Symphony Orchestra’s recent recording of Beethoven’s 9th Symphony— are copyrighted. In other words, you could perform the composition yourself and be okay, but you couldn’t use the New York Symphony Orchestra’s recording without clearing it first.
For Creative Commons work, some license types (such as “NoDerivs” and “ShareAlike”) are not compatible with the work we do, so you would not be able to use that work in your film. Generally speaking, you’ll need to look for works that are licensed either as “Attribution” or “Attribution-NonCommercial”. (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 usual process of acquiring a licensing agreement for a copyrighted work.)
Audionautix – The music on this site is the creation of Jason Shaw.
Bensound.com – Download royalty free stock music for YouTube and your multimedia projects.
Brett Van Donsel provides affordable music options for filmmakers, YouTubers, gamers, podcasters, advertisers and more. Most of the music is royalty free.
Filmmusic.io – Over 600 tracks, free even for commercial use, primarily with cinematic music by Sascha Ende.
Gravity Sound – Free Music and Sound Effects for Personal and Commercial Use
