Animated 3d Feature Film Production Schedule (Page 4 of 10) in pdf

Page 4 of 10

disengagement throughout the movie). While “filmmaking by focus group” is ill-advised, cautionary tales abound of producers

who conversely turned a blind eye to observable audience feedback during the production, and suffered the consequences upon

release (provided they could even obtain distribution). Confidentiality concerns must be weighed against the equally significant

risks associated with creating a film in isolation – especially if that film is intended for mass markets. Well-spaced, well-executed

and well-digested test screenings are the tentpoles that support the fabric of production.

DEPARTMENT TASKS

Following are notes related to the specific departments and line item tasks contained within the above schedule.

Storyboard/Animatic

Starting with a complete draft of the screenplay, a team of story artists boards the film in its entirety over the course of 6 months.

Animation is a uniquely visual medium, and the storyboarding process can inform changes to the shooting script that add

enormous entertainment value.

Therefore, the ideal relationship between writing and boarding is a synergistic cycle that

ultimately reflects itself in the animation. An animatic is created from the storyboards, and is given an objective test screening

after 5 months of storyboarding. Audience notes are addressed in the 6

month of story work.

With a satisfactory animatic in place as the foundation of the film’s workreel, the story team rolls onto another production. Six

months later, some or all of the story team returns to address notes resulting from the mid-production test screening. This

process is repeated after another six months, following the final test screening. If the budget permits, the production may choose

to keep the story supervisor on board during the entire production.

Reading/Recording

Time for vocal recording, foley and temp score is initially allocated on this schedule in the 2

, 4

and 6

months, and then again

in response to each test screening (final scoring is contained within the “Post-Production” line item in the second-to-last row).

The staggering of recording studio time gives the story team time to work out material that will drive performance, but recording

time can obviously be scheduled whenever the producer likes.

Animated 3d Feature Film Production Schedule Page 4