Updated 8/2013 development@ictv

ICTV SCRIPTED PRODUCTION GUIDE

Updated 8/2013 development@

1

Table of Contents

I. Introduction II. Pre-Production

A. ICTV Scripts 1. Brand Guidelines 2. Script Edits 3. Script FAQs 4. Resources

B. Prop List C. Costume List D. Shot Lists/Storyboards E. Location Diagrams F. Sponsorship G. Schedules H. Additional Pre-Production Tips III. Production A. Rush Night B. Selecting Your Crew C. Casting Your Show D. Kick-Off Meeting E. Equipment F. Call Sheets G. Environment H: Shooting on-campus I. Shooting off-campus J. PPECS K. "What If" Situations L. Additional Tips IV. Post-Production A. External Hardware B. Choosing Editing Software C. Turning in Episodes D. Resources E. Additional Tips V. Publicity A. Red Carpet Premiere VI. Professionalism VII. Miscellaneous A. Fundraising B. Awards

3 4 5 6 7 8 10 11 12 13 15 16 18 19 20 21 23 28 30 31 33 35 37 40 42 43 46 47 48 59 51 52 53 54 55 57 60 61 64

2

I. Introduction

Scripted shows are a unique cornerstone for ICTV; no other student television station produces scripted shows the way that Ithaca College does. While it is an incredibly rewarding experience, it can also be very challenging.

This guide is intended to help you produce your scripted show for ICTV, not to tell you how to produce your scripted show. It will not tell you how to use a 700, how to write a screenplay, or how to use Avid Media Composer. Being selected as a producer for ICTV means that you should know this knowledge prior to the start of production. If you don't, don't worry. Suggested resources are included in this guide.

Instead, this guide will provide advice based on previous, successful ICTV scripted shows. It will tell you the best spots to film on campus, ICTV guidelines for scripts, how to work with the ICTV Executive Staff, in addition to other helpful information. Should you have any additional questions or need advice that is not found in this handbook, contact ICTV's current Director of Development.

While all scripted shows are overseen by the Director of Development, producers are entirely responsible for every aspect of their show. The Director of Development's role is to help you produce your show in the following forms:

Serving as a liaison between you and the ICTV Executive Staff Being present for various shoots Editing scripts along with detailed feedback Giving advice on how to handle various matters (technical and personal) that arise Informing producers about past ICTV scripted production patterns and policies that may

affect their scripted series Offering additional resources when necessary

The most important thing to remember throughout the process of producing your scripted your show is that ICTV wants you to succeed. ICTV wants you to bring your vision, talent, and skills to the channel through creating the best show possible, and we're here to help you in any way that we can. This guide is one of those ways, and ICTV looks forward to working with you!

3

II. Pre-Production

The key to producing a successful ICTV show is by putting emphasis on all three stages of production. The first of these stages is pre-production.

Pre-production is everything that happens prior to the start of filming, including writing the scripts, creating shot lists, and casting. Essentially, this is the "planning stage" for the other two stages to follow. As such, it is very important that the appropriate amount of energy and attention is devoted to this stage.

Before you begin anything other part of pre-production, you must have a show concept. This can be anything from a paragraph to a few words, so long as it clearly defines what your show will become. Here are some examples of show concepts:

"Zombies invade Ithaca College."

"An Orientation Leader recounts his freshman year."

"Canada invades America - starting with a local high school."

Those concepts belong to Ithapocalypse, Freshmen, and Poutine! on the Fritz, respectively. Notice how each of these is different, but they clearly describe what the show is about. They do not need to have the plots or characters or setting involved, it needs to be simple enough to get the ball rolling. (An easy way to think of it is to use it as a short answer to the question "What's your show about?")

You will notice that many show concepts are centered around or take place on a college campus. Producers who create shows about college do that because it is the smartest way to utilize your resources. As you create your show concept, keep your immediate surroundings in mind and figure out how to work your story into the resources at your disposal.

Your show concept will later develop into a logline for your show, which will go on your proposal. (See the "ICTV Proposal Guidelines" on the Resources section of the ICTV website for more information about a proposal.) Having a strong show concept will be of significant benefit moving forward as it both dictates where your show ends up and what steps you are to take next.

4

II.A Scripts

There are two types of scripted ICTV shows: webseries and on-air. Webseries are created solely for the web, and as such, they should have shorter scripts but more episodes. Webseries should also be geared to smaller, niche audiences - which promotes more unique, high-concept shows. On-air series are shot in the traditional "field show" format with three half-hour long episodes and should have a target audience of the Tompkins County community. (With commercial breaks, each episode should be twenty-eight minutes and thirty seconds.) In production, there are no key differences between producing a webseries versus producing an on-air series. The scripts, however, are significantly different.

All ICTV Scripts should:

Be written in appropriate screenplay format Have no formatting/spelling mistakes Have a strong story Have strong, dynamic characters Have an "episode plot" that also ties into the series storyline Have strong, unique dialogue

While the content guidelines for webseries and on-air series are the same, there are key differences in the scripts for webseries and on-air series. Scripts for webseries should:

Be between 10 and 12 pages long (sans title page) Have upwards of 4 episodes (the ideal number to shoot for is 6) Have A (and potentially B) storylines Utilize minimal characters Utilize minimal locations

Scripts for on-air series should:

Be between 35 and 40 pages long (sans title page) Have an overarching plot/themes that extends throughout all three episodes Have A and B (and potentially C) storylines Utilize the same core cast of characters for all three episodes Utilize minimal locations

It is the Director of Development's job to assist producers in adhering to these guidelines.

The key to writing a successful ICTV series is to keep it simple, for there is strength in simplicity. Using one or two locations repeatedly is much more successful than using seven or eight different ones because it makes shooting significantly easier. The same goes for actors: using the same two actors is much easier to coordinate than ten. Keeping the writing simple streamlines production, which is key to your show's success.

5

 ................
................

In order to avoid copyright disputes, this page is only a partial summary.

Google Online Preview   Download