Sides / Photo Credit: Reproductions
WHAT ARE SIDES AND WHAT ARE THE
FUNCTION OF SIDES? (In the Entertainment industry.)
Bruce Bisbey…please follow me at: https://dumbdogproductionsllc.blogspot.com
or https://www.facebook.com/DumbDogProductionsLLC/ thank you.
What are sides and what are the function of sides?
The daily call sheet is a filmmaking term for the
schedule crafted by the assistant director, using the director's shot list. It
is issued to the cast and crew of a film production to inform them of where and
when they should report for a particular day of filming. The production office
will work directly from the call sheet to prepare the sides for the next day or
next scheduled shooting day.
Sides, when it comes to film production, are the
pages of the script that you will be shooting that day. When you’re talking a
feature film, it’s very rare that you will shoot the script in the order that
the script is written, as in “win the lottery” unlikely. So in order to keep
not just the actors, but the entire crew knowing what’s going to be filmed that
day, it’s important to show them what scenes (or even what parts of a scene)
are scheduled on the call sheet. Sure, they could have their own ratty copy of
the script rolled up in their back pocket, but believe me when I tell you that
a production office earns a ton of crew love and respect when the sides are
done on time and accurately.
Realize that there is another definition of “sides”
that has to do with actors auditioning for a role, which are the excerpted
pages from a screenplay that an actor can study and read to prepare themselves
for an audition or screen test. We’re not talking about those, because those
are easy.
The following by: Matt Rickett
“Sides” are the pages of the script that are being
shot during that day in production. Because movies and TV shows aren’t shot in
a linear way, it’s more convenient to provide script sides so cast and crew
know what tomorrow’s work is. So if you’re still wondering, “What are sides?”
just consider them a blueprint for the day’s work.
Your first order of business is to figure out what
you’re shooting. So grab a call sheet or a shooting schedule.
If you’re using production management software, pull
up your shooting schedule. You’re already on your way to making your first set
of script sides.
1. Pull scenes for script sides
Now that you know what’s shooting tomorrow, you have
to find a script, and pull out the pages that those scenes are on. No one wants
to walk around with a full script and leaf through it to find what’s being
shot.
This makes it quicker and easier for everyone during
a packed day to access what’s being shot now or in an hour from now. After all,
what are sides if not a hyper-specific plan for the day?
An even faster way?
Pull up your shooting script in your production
management software.
The script has been uploaded into the application.
Shoot days are automatically broken down based on the
shooting schedule. All you’ll do from here is filter the script by shoot day.
2. Cross out the script sides
Now take a marker and a ruler and run a line right
above the slug line of the scene you’re shooting. Next, cross out anything
that’s not in that scene.
Circle the scene numbers for the scene that is being
shot. In the margins on the side, use the ruler and the marker to draw an arrow
down the page until the scene ends. If it continues onto the next page, draw an
arrow in the margins on the next one or write “CONT’D” on the bottom with an
arrow pointing to the next page.
Once the scene ends, draw a line across the bottom of
that scene right above the top of the next. Then cross out the scene that’s not
being shot.
Then repeat this process for every page with every
scene scheduled for that day.
This will take a long time.
Using the software, however, we don’t have to any of
this manually.
We can even get more refined, and react to changes on
the fly.
For example, does a particular actor want just their
sides for that day? We’ll just filter the shooting script by day AND by
character.
A TV show often has to shoot out a lead actor because
of schedule conflicts. If that’s the case, you’ll want to prioritize every
scene that person is in so you can get them in the can.
As you know, it’s critical that a show or movie is
prepared for any type of change to shooting schedule.
Flexibility is key in such a fluid industry and that
includes everything down to the script sides they may be shooting that
day.
3. Scan the script sides
Now that you have your sides, it’s time to scan them
into a PDF.
First, get a call sheet that’s formatted down from
legal-sized to 8 1/2x11 inches from either your production coordinator or 2nd
AD.
Second, put that on the front of the script sides.
Use it as a cover sheet.
Then, run them all through the scanner so they go to
your inbox.
Now you have the PDF that gets sent to talent every
night.
You also have the master sides.
That’s a lot of steps.
The faster and easier way? Do it all in your
software.
Print your sides or save them as a PDF, and you’re
good to go. StudioBinder automatically adds shooting schedule details as a
header to the script sides. You don’t have to worry about adding the call sheet
as a cover page.
If you want to weave in a call sheet, save the script
sides as a PDF and download a PDF of the call sheet from the software.
You can then add the page to the script sides using
the Preview drag-and-drop feature.
Need to send script sides to your production
coordinator or AD for approval?
You’ll generate a share link or invite them to edit
or add a comment. That way they always see the latest version of a script
(versus a PDF which can become outdated).
What used to be a print, cross out, and wait for
approval process is now shareable and cloud-base, so it’s quicker to move on.
4. Make the script sides for set
If you’re doing this old-school, start with the
script sides PDF you’ve created.
Make a copy and shrink it down so that the pages are
in landscape and there are two sides per page.
Get a big paper cutter and scan dozens of copies of
these shrunken sides.
Use the paper cutter to cut the pages in half so
there are now two half-sized script sides. Staple them all together. These will
be in every corner of the set.
You’ll also make a big stack of large sides for those
working on set. So you’ll have to take those full-size master sides, copy a few
dozen, and then staple them all together.
Using software to make your sides? Don’t worry about
scanning and slicing. Do it all online.
The software streamlines every steps. Really, a few
clicks and you’re good to go.
5. Distro the script sides
At this point, you should have a few things. One
large master copy of the script sides, one PDF copy of that master copy, dozens
of half-sized script sides, and some more full-sized script sides.
It’s the end of the day, so it’s time to distribute
the PDFs to the talent.
By the way, distro? It means distribute.
You have to get everyone’s email addresses who’s
working tomorrow in the cast, all their assistant’s email addresses, and blast
the script sides out. Make sure you BCC, and also make sure you add the
production coordinator and 2nd AD so they know who got them.
Oh, and the top star wants a hard copy delivered, so
you’ll have to do that tonight on your way home.
Then, put all the copies of script sides for set in a
large “To-Set” box that transpo (transportation department) will pick up first
thing in the morning. Make sure you do this or you’ll get an earful from the
ADs.
Re-send the sides to the assistant’s email that
bounced back, fixing that typo in the spreadsheet. Then head out to Beverly
Hills to drop off the sides in the star’s mailbox at the end of their gated
driveway.
And of course, there’s the less-complicated
alternative.
With production management software, everything we’ve
outlined above for step five? Replace it with “hit send.”
You’ll manage all your contacts in the software. This
way, you can categorize them by project and department. It gives you options:
Use their info to send PDFs of script sides via
email.
Generate “view-only” share links so they can see the
script sides online.
Or invite contacts online to view, edit, or comment
on the sides.
While this expedites every step in the old-school
script sides process, we still can’t help you with that hand delivery.
Since you know your way around a production, you also
know about Hollywood’s idiosyncrasies.
And Old Hollywood never dies.
6. Bump in the road
Let’s say the casting department needs you to create
film sides for actors.
The EPs want a big-name guest star. The star needs
their scenes weeks ahead of schedule.
In StudioBinder, open up the latest draft of the
script the scenes are in, filter by character name, and there you go.
Send the script sides for actors to the casting
associate and just like that, mission accomplished.
A film Production Office is the administrative office
responsible for managing a film production. The office is responsible to the
Film Producer and includes the Production Manager, Assistant Director and one
or more Production Assistants. Typically a Production Office is established in
the pre-production phase and continues until at least post-production.
The Production Office usually includes positions such
as, but not entirely made of, Production Supervisor, Production Office
Coordinator, Assistant Production Office Coordinator, Production Secretary and
Office Assistants (otherwise known or credited as Office PA's or Staff
Assistants). If it is a location or overseas project this team may include a
travel coordinator.
As an Art Department Coordinator I was, have and
always been impressed by the professional skill of the Office Production
Coordinators. They are amazing.
The value of an experienced Office Production
Coordinator cannot be overstated. She or he will have dozens of problems and
fires to put out on a daily basis. They will work directly with every
department head, deal with all the talent, director, producer’s and at some
point almost assuredly meet or work one on one with every member of the crew.
A Production Office will look different for each
production depending on many variables including the type of film, the
production company producing the film and the size of the budget of the film
itself. A Production Office can be as small as one or two people (mostly seen
in an independent film structure) or as big as ten or more on a film with a
sizeable budget.
The production office works directly with all
departments. Usually hand in hand with the accounting department. Their function
is the hub and center of the project, particularly if it is on location.
The key responsibility is the script, sides and call
sheet. Coordinating the process flow of all aspects from transportation, vendors,
studio, each department, travel etc. etc. etc. An almost endless list, ending
in the strike and wrap of the project in extreme detail.
Sources, References & Credits: Google, Wikipedia, Wikihow, WikiBooks,
Pinterest, IMDB, Linked In, Indie Wire, Film Making Stuff, Hiive, Film Daily, New
York Film Academy, The Balance, Careers Hub, The Numbers, Film Maker, TV Guide
Magazine, Blurb, Media Match, Quora, Creative Skill Set, Chron, Investopedia,
Variety, No Film School, WGA, BBC, Daily Variety, The Film Agency, Best Sample
Resume, How Stuff Works, Studio Binder, Career Trend, Producer's Code of
Credits, Truity, Production Hub, Producers Guild of America, Film Connection, Variety,
Wolf Crow, Get In Media, Production Beast, Sony Pictures, Warner Bros, UCAS, Frankenbite,
Realty 101, Careers Hub, Screen Play Scripts, Elements of Cinema, Script
Doctor, ASCAP, Film Independent, Any Possibility, CTLsites, NYFA, Future Learn,
VOM Productions, Mad Studios, DP School, Matt Rickett,
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Sides / Photo Credit: Reproductions
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