The order work happens in
Pre-production isn't a list you tick in any order. Most tasks depend on earlier ones:
- Lock a draft for breakdown and number the scenes.
- Break down the script into cast, locations, props, wardrobe, vehicles, effects.
- Build a first stripboard and day count, then a first budget from both.
- Hire department heads (production designer, DP, costume, locations) and the 1st AD.
- Scout and hold locations; cast principal roles; set start dates.
- Revise schedule and budget as locations and cast lock.
- Tech scout, final production meeting, safety plans, locked budget.
- Rehearsals, then day 1 of principal photography.
On a real show several of these overlap, but a schedule built before the breakdown or a budget built before the schedule usually has to be redone.
A simple prep timeline
For a fictional 18-day indie feature with six weeks of prep:
| Prep week | Main milestones |
|---|---|
| 1 | Producer, UPM, 1st AD start. Breakdown and first board |
| 2 | Department heads start. Location scouting begins |
| 3 | Casting sessions. Budget v2 from revised schedule |
| 4 | Locations held. Wardrobe fittings start. Crew deal memos out |
| 5 | Tech scout. Stunt and effects meetings. Permits filed |
| 6 | Production meeting. Final schedule, call sheet for day 1 |
The prep week entry covers how weeks are counted and paid.
What goes wrong in prep
Starting it too late is the most common problem on small shows: a crew hired a week before day 1 hasn't read the script, and locations are still unconfirmed when the first call sheet goes out. Permits need lead time too, and city processing times vary, so file early.
Another is letting the script keep changing without re-breaking it down. If scenes are added in week 5 and nobody updates the board, the schedule and budget are both wrong on day 1. Keep revision colors and re-run the breakdown after each set of new pages.
The pre-production checklist template covers this in more detail, and the pre-production learning hub groups the guides by department.