ACTING & FILM SCHOOL

Movie Production Management System Saves The Day

Jason Brubaker (Filmmaking Stuff) - Almost 10 years ago, while working for an indie producer in New York City, I learned that making a movie happens in various stages.  Assuming we found a screenplay that got us excited, the first step we took towards producing the movie involved creating an initial breakdown and schedule. Once we knew the schedule and the big ticket items (explosions, special FX, Stunts, etc) then we would work out a budget and use the information when pitching to potential investors.

To break down a script, I was given a bunch of different colored highlighters and a ruler. I then found each slug line, underlined it and numbered the scene. I also measured each scene by 1/8ths. Then I utilized the highlighters to highlight every element. For example, anything related to wardrobe would be a different color than a prop. I did this through the whole screenplay. And once complete, I then
entered the information into a popular filmmaking software program.

So you can imagine my excitement last month when I started working with Scenechronize, an online production management system that significantly reduces the time takes to schedule a movie. Simply upload a screenplay in PDF, and in 60 seconds the system completes the pain-in-the-butt stuff that used to take me an entire day. More than that, this system allows all departments to stay in sync during the course of a production. And if you’re making a short, it only costs
about 50 dollars to use. Check them out here: Scenechronize.com

While making movies will always require creative human collaboration, it’s nice to know there are tools out there to help make things more efficient.

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Jason Brubaker is a Hollywood-based independent producer. You can find more of his filmmaking tips at www.FilmmakingStuff.com