Film Scheduling: Or, How Long Will It Take to Shoot Your Movie? (Paperback)

by Ralph S. Singleton (Author) "There is an adage which says, "It only takes two things to make movies: time and money..." (more)
Key Phrases: film scheduling, blue pouch, staff car, Union Square, Harry's Warehouse, Second Unit (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description
How to create a production board, shot-by-shot, day-by-day to turn a shooting schedule into a workable production schedule.

About the Author
Ralph S Singleton

Product Details

• Paperback: 244 pages
• Publisher: Lone Eagle; 2nd edition (April 1, 1997)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0943728398
• ISBN-13: 978-0943728391
• Product Dimensions: 8.8 x 5.9 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 15.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #42,214 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

21 of 21 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars READ THIS BOOK FIRST!!, January 15, 2001

By A Customer

Film Scheduling is the basic primer of how to schedule a film. There are very expensive computer programs that will help you in scheduling -- but you have to first understand the process. This book is written by an experienced, working, Hollywood film producer. Best $20 you'll spend. Cheaper than film school! Spend a little more and get the other books Singleton's written as well and you'll be on your way to knowing more than many Hollywood execs.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Great primer!!, October 31, 2006

By	Ernesto Alcantara - See all my reviews

Before getting this title I had downloaded a couple of scheduling software to start planning a short film but soon discovered that I had no clue how to get started and transform the written words in the script to a detailed plan of action for the cast and crew to follow.

Although this book is a little old - the second edition was published in 1991- the principals for film scheduling it contains are invaluable for anyone involved in planning a film or video production. It guides you through the logical process of transforming any script into the foundation for a precise film schedule. Brief and concise explanations about color-coding your script, transferring these tags to breakdown sheets and then working with the strip board to fine tune your schedule. It uses Francis Ford Coppola's Conversation as a sample script, and it takes up a large chunk of the book. This helps illustrate a very complex film and what was the mindset for breaking it down into shooting days in the most adverse conditions, but you can always use your own. It also includes a chapter on computer scheduling but most of the software presented are outdated; the most important thing you can learn from this chapter is that you need to understand the fundamentals, key parameters and how the process is done manually before sitting in front of a computer and this book does just that.

I must also point out that you can breeze through the pages as I was able to finish this book in just two days (over the weekend) leaving me enough time to practice the basics and go to the computer to prepare a reasonable film schedule.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Nuts and Bolts, September 30, 2008

By	Florian T. Boyce (Brooklyn, NY) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

When it comes down to it, "Film Scheduling" does not steer you wrong, giving the reader the essential foundation blocks to properly break down and schedule a particular film.


My problem with the book however is that it is awfully dated. Being published in the 80s and revised in the 90s, it treats electronic tools (ie a computer) like it is some sort of "coming soon" feature.

All and all a decent book, that if anything is needing a new edition.