The list of filmmaking and video pre-production services is so extensive because an investment in planning yields a great return in the final product. Sam Baumel and his team spend copious amounts of time to ensure all necessary components of the pre-production process is thorough.
VR, Video & Film Pre-Production Services In New York, Miami, Los Angeles, Las Vegas, San Francisco, Washington DC, Philadelphia and Boston.
The list of pre-production video services include: Casting, Location Scouting, Permits & Insurance, Video Equipment Rental, Scheduling, Shot List Creation, Production Management, Hiring Production Crew, Contract Execution, Costume Design, Wardrobe Selection, Set Construction, Prop Acquisition, Guild Signatory, Real People Casting, Travel & Lodging Coordination.
A full description of each of these pre-production services is provided below.
+ Casting Calls
Casting calls during pre-production solicit auditions from preofessionals in the performing arts such as actors for film, television or theatre as well as voiceover actors, singers and dancers.
Sam Baumel works with experienced NY & LA casting agents to identify the perfect fit for a role - both creatively as well as for the magnitude and type of production & crew.
+ Location Scouting
There’s quite a lot that happens behind the scenes even before the camera starts rolling on any film or photography production. Location scouting for film and photography is an essential component of pre-production in filmmaking, commercials or any 360 VR, video or photo production.
When the producers, directors, and DP's know the general idea of what kind of geographical area they will require for their shoots outside of the studio, the location scouting then begins. Location managers typically have a spectacular database of intriguing locations to accommodate just about every imaginable request. Sam works with location managers across the country who liaise closely with the owners of the locations they represent to ensure satisfaction.
+ Studio Shoots
Studio Shoots are done in a photography or film studio outfitted with cycloramas, backdrops, lighting grids, and soundproofing. Depending on the size and scope of the project, some studio shoots may also include additional equipment such as cranes, props, greenscreens, makeup rooms and kitchens.
Sam Baumel has produced projects at several studios for film and video across New York. He knows where to go when you need to fit a picture car on the stage or if you just need a simple space for an boutique fashion piece.
+ Permits & Insurance
Film permits or insurance are required for just about every kind of production. Each city and state has a council or office that is in charge of handling the issuance of filming permits. Obtaining the municipal sanctions is a part of the location scouting process and the responsibility of the location manager or Producer.
Permits are issued in advance of shooting with all of the details of time, date, location, personnel, equipment, special effects, stunts, and actions. Every city and state has a process for applying for the filming permits such as fees and the submission of general liability production insurance.
Sam Baumel carries annual film production insurance policies specifically covering general liability and inland marine (film equipment).
+ Scheduling
A film production requires a great deal of planning for things to run smoothly. The backbone that ties everything together is, of course, reasonably conservative scheduling.
The degree of planning and scheduling that goes into filmmaking and video production is staggering, but it's something we take particular pride in managing with rigor. Each and every thing is scheduled from accessing locations, to equipment pickups and dropoffs, the preparation of craft services, transportation of talent, the time required for actors to throigh hair and make-up, setting props, practicing stunts, blocking background actors – the list goes on. Knowing exactly how and what to schedule, what the dependcies are and where the bottlenecks are likely to occur are critical to a shoot running smoothly.
The project plan for shooting for each day during film production is usually created by the 1st AD (Assistant Director)who reports to the Production Manager. On smaller scale projects, Sam Baumel will create the schedule directly with a Production Coordinator.
+ Shot List
A shot list is a list of all the shots included in a video production. Similar to a shopping listwith all the ingredients needed to cook your recipe, a shot list includes all the shots that will be capture to edit the scenes for the film or video.
Different types of annotations on the shot list function as a shorthand for how the image should be composed. Directors and Cinematographers ensure they're on the same page by agreeing to the shot list compositions as well as estimates for setup and execution of each shot. The shot list is also utilized by the 1st AD (Assistant Director) to build a schedule. The schedule often dictates that the shots be captured out of narrative sequence to optimizes efficiency. You avoid setting up for the same kind of shot more than once and ultimately this saves time.
+ Production Management
Film Production Management organizes the financial, business, and employment aspects in commercial, film and television production. Film Production Managers have control over the production budget, ensuring funds are appropriately spent, as well as making sure that things run according to plan during the course of filming.
A Production Manager will often have a Production Coordinator, Line Producer and Production Assistant on their team. Sam Baumel has filled all of these roles. He's also produced projects with crews that included individuals who filled all these roles. He knows when it's necessary to include each and how to scale the magnitude up or down.
+ Wardrobe Selection & Costume Design
Wardrobe Selection is not just about finding an outift. It also entails being responsible for the proper design, fit, sizing, purchases and manufacturing of all of the costumes for all of the actors. It's often wise to have backups of wardrobe elements and to consider how a wardobe element will blend or contrast with other elements in the video frame.
Creative wardrobe selection comes with the responsibility of meticulously pairing the right clothing to the film genre, era, and scene in the film. For instance, the part of a Viking who has spent many days living in primitive conditions and battle will seem more appropriately dressed if his clothing is tattered and dirty as opposed to a new costume. These subtle nuances can make a massive difference in the production value of a film or video.
+ Set Construction
A Production Designer or Art Director will work to execute movie set construction aligned with the creative vision of the Direcotr. These specialists know the tricks of the trade to fabricate sets ranging from small news interview style rooms to full-scale landscapes - all with amazing resourcefulness.
+ Prop Acqusition
The job of a Prop Master (aka Property Master) requires identification acquisition, rental or fabrication of objects to appear in a scene. The Production Desinger works closely with Prop Master, Set Decorator and Fabricators to present options to the Director and clients that can be pulled together to create entirely different atmospheres for a scene. Sam Baumel works with a handful of gifted Production Design teams who make movie magic every day.
+ Guild Signatory
Guild Signatory companies are employers that signed a collective bargaining agreement with WGA (Writers Guild of America), SAG (Screen Actors Guild), DGA (Directors Guild of America) or other film production guilds and unions. If a production company intends to employ a Guild member or option or buy materials from a Guild member, you must first become a signatory to the Guild’s minimum basic agreement. Sam Baumel has arranged for his and other companies to become signatory of the major guilds for a handful of productions over the years.