Written by Jeff Hupp Like many of us, COVID was rough on me and my family. I work in the auto advertising industry and was sent home to work remotely almost immediately. To make matters worse, my ex-employer was struck with a lawsuit, which triggered ads to ‘go dark’ until resolution. So, what did I do to pass the time? I wrote screenplays, which I hadn’t done since… never. My degree was in TV, Film. and Radio from a small MAC ten university, but admittedly, I had never finished a feature screenplay. But I was amazed when I began placing in screenwriting competitions. So, what was the next logical step? Try my hand a directing a pandemic screenplay called Band on the Run-- the one I felt closest to.I could write a ton about making Band on the Run; The sights, the sounds, the smells of a working film production*, but this isn’t the forum. Instead, let’s focus on my top three best practices in the pre, production and post phases. 'Band on the Run' Jeff Hupp Pre-production:Screenplay: Just writing one is not enough. Make sure you let someone you trust read it and give notes. I also paid for readers. I did this repeatedly, compared notes, and revised until I had a consensus it was ready for production.Ask for help: One night during pre-pro, I realized I was over my head and needed some help with the many facets of production. So, I called two of my Detroit ad...
Published By: NoFilmSchool - Tuesday, 20 August, 2024