Production Planning and Post-Production

This unit builds on foundational filmmaking skills and focuses on translating script to screen through practical production planning, on-set actor preparation, location management, and post-production craft. Students will practice casting, lighting and camera planning, sound design and nonlinear editing, and develop the business, legal, and distribution materials needed to move a project from shoot to market.

Learning Objectives

• Analyze location scouting reports and environmental data to identify at least three noise, safety, or logistical risks per site and propose documented mitigation strategies for each.
• Apply auditioning and actor-preparation techniques to cast a short scene, produce rehearsal plans and actor briefs, and generate a complete call sheet and crew list for a planned shoot.
• Demonstrate post-production workflows by producing a 2–3 minute edited sequence that incorporates nonlinear editing, sound effects, background atmospheres, music scoring, and designed titles/credits.
• Evaluate business and legal production requirements by developing a production packet that includes a budget/financing outline, insurance considerations, basic production company setup notes, and a distribution/submission plan for domestic release or festival entry.