ProductionNibble2024

Nibble: Planning a Thesis Shoot

The real paperwork from a short film I produced, from prospectus to picture wrap.

A horror-comedy short about a pet rock that eats everyone in the house. Written, directed, shot, edited and sound-designed by Feralucce Savage as an MFA thesis film. Shot in August 2024, delivered October 2024. I was also its associate producer, unit production manager and location manager.

18weeks of preproduction

4shoot days, plus a pickup day

48scenes, 16 2/8 pages

$4,750cash budget, all in

33of 44 budget lines covered without cash

Transcribed from my MFA thesis appendix (University of New Orleans, 2024). Names, the production address and phone numbers are removed; people are shown by role.

1Preproduction

Eighteen weeks, week by week

The plan I wrote in April and worked to. Each square is a week with work in that phase; the number is how many tasks. Hover a square for the tasks.

	Apr 17	Apr 24	May 1	May 6	May 13	May 20	May 27	Jun 3	Jun 10	Jun 17	Jun 24	Jul 1	Jul 8	Jul 15	Jul 22	Jul 29	Aug 5	Aug 12	Aug 23	Aug 30
Approval	1	2	3
Team and budget				2		1	1	2
Design and build					2				3	4		3
Casting											3		5
Schedule														4	3
Final prep																4	4	5
Shoot																			1	1

The full schedule, as written

Apr 17 Approval
- Submit prospectus to thesis committee
Apr 24 Approval
- Revise prospectus from committee feedback
- Set up the project drive
May 1 Approval
- Confirm prospectus with graduate committee
- Create lookbook
- Share script with potential producers and department heads
May 6 Team and budget
- Talk to potential composers
- Meet the producer team and delegate tasks
May 13 Design and build
- Research effects: blood for the shower scene, slime, waterproofing papier-mâché
- Begin location search
May 20 Team and budget
- First draft of the budget
May 27 Team and budget
- Finalise the budget
Jun 3 Team and budget
- Lock department heads
- Begin making breakaway plates
Jun 10 Design and build
- Start wardrobe and costume design
- Meet producer
- Meet production designer
Jun 17 Design and build
- Begin shot list and storyboards
- Buy googly eyes for each size of the pet rock
- Location scouting
- Post the casting notice
Jun 24 Casting
- Begin the boulder build
- Finalise shot list and storyboards
- Auditions
Jul 1 Design and build
- Finalise production design
- Finalise and 3D-scan the boulder build
- Model the pet rock for 3D printing
Jul 8 Casting
- Callbacks
- Print the pet rock in each size
- Finalise prop, wardrobe and set dressing lists
- Prepay the location
- Department head meeting
Jul 15 Schedule
- Final script pass
- Review the casting shortlist
- Shooting schedule with the 1st AD
- Performance notes with the 2nd AD
Jul 22 Schedule
- Lock actors and get sizes
- Finalise the shooting schedule
- Lock final crew
Jul 29 Final prep
- Effects test: find the best blood for the shower scene
- Buy breakaway plates, props and wardrobe
- Gear build-out and shakedown
- Production meeting
Aug 5 Final prep
- Table read and rehearsal
- Wardrobe fittings and ageing
- Make-up test
- Finalise catering
Aug 12 Final prep
- Tech scout
- Buy media storage
- Final rehearsals
- Send prep email with call times and plan
- Final production meeting
Aug 23 Shoot
- Shoot weekend 1: call sheet, set dressing, production, transcode, dailies, paperwork check
Aug 30 Shoot
- Shoot weekend 2: call sheet, production, transcode, dailies, thank-you emails

2Shooting schedule

Four days, one actor per day

The stripboard in shooting order. Each lead's scenes are grouped into one day (a Nell day, a Suzie day, a Dani day), so each lead works once, and the child actor's limits fit a single day. The playback scenes shoot first though they come last in the script, and the notes are the ones I wrote on the board.

Day interiorDay exteriorNight interiorNight exteriorTV playback

46Playback: the commercialPlayback63/8

47Playback: Bernie Baxter's haunted TV studioPlayback74/8

48Playback: the science labPlayback8, 91 5/8Note: The playback on the TV is the first scene we are shooting - it is the last scene in the script.

End of Day 1 of 4 · Playback day · Thu Aug 22 · call 4:00 p.m. · 2 4/8 pages

12Dani's houseDay ext · morning22/8

14Dani's houseDay ext21/8

16Dani's houseDay ext22/8

26Dani's houseDay ext · evening–1/8

13Dani's houseDay int2, 51/8

15Dani's houseDay int2, 51/8

9Dani's kitchenDay int2, 5, 8, 91 5/8

27Dani's bathroomDay int22/8

28The hallway outside the bathroomDay int52/8

29Dani's bathroom: the showerDay int2, 55/8

End of Day 2 of 4 · Nell day · Fri Aug 23 · call 7:00 a.m. · 3 6/8 pages

7Dani's kitchen: the dog bowlsDay int3, 53/8Note: Animal Actor - Most likely the hardest scene of the day - scheduling it first to make the day easier.

8Dani's houseDay ext32/8

17Dani's house: the doorbellDay ext41/8

19Dani's house: Suzie at the doorDay ext44/8

21Dani's houseDay ext41/8

25Dani's house: the screamDay ext4, 102/8

18Dani's houseDay int51/8

20Dani's living roomDay int4, 53/8

22Dani's living roomDay int4, 56/8

23Dani's bedroomDay int43/8

24Dani's hallwayDay int42/8

End of Day 3 of 4 · Suzie day · Sat Aug 24 · call 7:00 a.m. · 3 4/8 pages

2Dani's house: the boxDay ext12/8

1Dani's living roomDay int12/8

3Dani's kitchen: opening the boxDay int1, 57/8

4Dani's bedroomDay int12/8

5Dani's kitchenDay int53/8

6Dani's house: Dani drives offDay ext11/8Note: Has to be during daylight - can't shoot first, costume change.

31Dani's houseDay int13/8

32Dani's hallwayDay int12/8

33Dani's bathroomDay int12/8

34Dani's hallwayDay int12/8

35Dani's bathroomDay int12/8

37Dani's bathroomDay int12/8

38Dani's hallwayDay int1, 51/8

39Dani's bathroomDay int1, 55/8

41Dani's living roomDay int52/8

42The hallway outside the bathroomDay int52/8

43The hallway outside the bathroomDay int52/8

44Down the hallway toward the bathroomDay int51/8

45The hallway outside the bathroomDay int52/8

36Dani's hallwayDay int51/8

40Dani's house: the screamDay ext11/8

10Dani's house: Dani pulls inNight ext11/8

30Dani's house: Dani's car pulls inNight ext12/8

11Dani's kitchen: time passesNight int52/8Note: This is a special lighting shot, MAY shoot on another day if we have time.

End of Day 4 of 4 · Dani day · Sun Aug 25 · call 7:00 a.m. · 6 4/8 pages

Columns: scene, set, type, cast numbers, pages in eighths. Cast: 1 Dani; 2 Nell; 3 Crusher (dog); 4 Suzie, the girl scout (child actor); 5 Nibbles (the rock); 6 Announcer; 7 Bernie; 8 Jeanine; 9 Doctor Compton; 10 Crossfade element (as listed on the board).

3Day Out of Days

Each lead on set once

Read from the board: every human lead is SWF, starting, working and finishing on the same day. With a volunteer cast and a child actor, that keeps each lead's time on set to a single day.

Cast	Day 1 Playback day	Day 2 Nell day	Day 3 Suzie day	Day 4 Dani day	Days
1 · Dani				SWF	1
2 · Nell		SWF			1
3 · Crusher (dog)			SWF		1
4 · Suzie, the girl scout (child actor)			SWF		1
5 · Nibbles (the rock)		SW	W	WF	3
6 · Announcer	SWF				1
7 · Bernie	SWF				1
8 · Jeanine	SW	WF			2
9 · Doctor Compton	SW	WF			2

4Budget

$4,750, and everything that didn't cost cash

Built in EP Budgeting (Movie Magic) and kept as delivered. Cash went only where nothing could be borrowed, donated or made: the location, meals, the script supervisor, wardrobe and props, drives, and festival entries.

11cash lines

20pro bono lines

10students lines

3lent or provided lines

Locations$1,800

Publicity$1,300

Production staff$900

Video$300

Wardrobe$245

Props$170

Story and rights$35

Acct	Category (open for the lines)	Cash
Above the line
1000	Story and rights Copyright registration · 1 flat at $35 cash	$35
1100	Producers Executive producer · 3 months pro bono Associate producer · 5 months pro bono	$0
1200	Directors Director · 6 days pro bono	$0
1300	Cast Principal players (3) pro bono Day player: the dog pro bono	$0
	Total above the line	$35
Production
1600	Production staff Unit production manager · 5 months pro bono 1st assistant directors (2) · 6 days film students 2nd assistant director · 6 days film student Script supervisor · 6 days at $150 cash Location manager · 5 months pro bono Production assistants (2) · 6 days film students	$900
1800	Camera Director of photography · 6 days pro bono 1st assistant camera · 6 days film student 2nd assistant camera · 6 days film student Still photographer · 6 days pro bono	$0
1900	Wardrobe Designer pro bono Girl scout costume · 1 purchase cash $135 Fast-food uniform · 1 purchase cash $100 Ratty robe · 1 purchase cash $10	$245
2000	Make-up and hair Key make-up artist · 6 days pro bono	$0
2100	Set dressing Set decorators (2) · 6 days pro bono	$0
2200	Props Propmaster · 3 months pro bono Animal handler pro bono The dog pro bono Picture vehicles (2) · 6 days pro bono Breakaway plates · 1 purchase cash $130 Dog collar, name tag, dog bowl · 3 purchases cash $40	$170
2300	Art department Production assistants (2) · 6 days film students	$0
2500	Video Video editing · 2 months pro bono Hard drives (2) · 2 at $150 cash	$300
2600	Sound recording Production mixer · 6 days student Boom operator film student Sound equipment · 6 days provided by Savage Light Studios	$0
2700	Set lighting Gaffer · 6 days film student Best boy · 6 days film student	$0
3100	Locations The house · 6 days at $200 cash $1,200 Haunted TV studio pro bono Science lab university location Catered meals · 6 days, 20 people at $5 cash $600 Catering staff · 6 days pro bono	$1,800
	Total production	$3,415
Post-production
3400	Editing Editor · 2 months pro bono	$0
3800	Titles Titles provided by Savage Light Studios	$0
	Total post-production	$0
Other
4000	Publicity Festival entry fees · 26 entries at $50 cash	$1,300
	Total other	$1,300
	Total above the line	$35
	Total below the line (production, post and other)	$4,715
	Grand total (fringes $0)	$4,750

5Risk and change

What changed, and what it taught me

From my thesis reflection, with the lessons in my own words.

What happened	Impact	Response	Lesson
Pre-productionScript feedback: readers and industry professionals asked for the two leads to share a scene.	The film's concept changed. Set dressing, wardrobe and props bought for the original look no longer fit, and neither did the location.	Made the change, returned most purchases and found a new location. Storyboards survived, because the previs hadn't encoded the palette changes.	In retrospect, the right choice: it produced the most touching scene I've filmed.
Pre-productionThe actor the lead was written for had to be out of the country, about a month before the shoot.	The lead role was uncast four weeks out.	Recast the part.	–
Pre-productionThe 3D print of the largest rock failed four times; the hand-sculpted fix cracked the resin when heat-cured.	The hero prop wasn't ready.	Repaired it twice; the paint dried minutes before leaving for set.	–
ProductionThe new location was booked solid, so there was no tech scout.	On arrival it was smaller than the photos and full of reverb. Planned jib shots were impossible, the bathroom was too small, and the crash pad didn't match the hall floor.	Went handheld for the jib shots.	No location without a tech scout.
ProductionThe camera fell.	The camera broke and a couple of files were corrupted.	A pickup day.	–
ProductionThe dog didn't like the food bought for it and wouldn't eat.	The hardest scene of the day got harder.	It was already scheduled first in the day, as the hardest scene.	Don't write a scene with an animal unless I can hire a well-respected trainer.
ProductionThe practical effects failed: the blood shooter, the shower curtain, a modesty garment that wasn't opaque.	The effects didn't work as planned on the day.	–	Hire someone for practical effects; directing, shooting and running a blood rig at once is too much.
ProductionWorking with a child actor.	The parent expected a three-page scene to take 30 minutes.	All of the child actor's scenes were scheduled into one day.	Don't write a part for a child actor; the limits are extremely restrictive.

What I'd do differentlyPut at least one lighting instrument on every shot. Shoot above the delivery resolution, to allow reframing. Tech-scout every location before booking it. Hire practical effects, and an animal trainer, rather than doing it all myself.