TV Un-Scripted Production Management / Part 1

Question 1

What is a documentary?

Answer 1

• A non-fictional film or video
• presents reality and real-life events
• Aims to convey the world as it is

Question 2

What is one of the earliest known documentaries?

Answer 2

• “Nano of the North” by Robert J. Flaherty (1922)
• The silent film depicted the daily life of an indigenous Inuit family in the Canadian Arctic
• It is regarded as the first feature-length film

Question 3

What was the role of documentaries in the 1930s - 1940s?

Answer 3

• Documentaries played a crucial role in propaganda during World War II
• Increased use to inform and influence public opinion

Question 4

What was the role of documentaries in the 1950s to 1960s?

Answer 4

• There was a rise in observational documentaries, often focusing on social issues and real-life stories

Question 5

What happened with documentaries in the 1960s - 1970s?

Answer 5

• TV became a prominent platform for documentaries, allowing them to “boom”.
• Documentaries became more mainstream and reached a wider audience.

Question 6

What happened with documentaries sin the 1990s to 2000s?

Answer 6

• The advent of digital technology led to documentaries becoming more diverse in style and subject matter.

Question 7

What has happened to documentaries since 2010?

Answer 7

• Streaming platforms like Netflix, Amazon Prime Video and Diseny+ have become major outlets for documentaries.

Question 8

What is the purpose of documentary films?

Answer 8

Documentaries have become a powerful medium to inform, educate and raise awareness about a wide range of topics.

Question 9

What types of documentaries are there?

Answer 9

• Observational
• Investigative
• Participatory

Question 10

What is an observational documentary?

Answer 10

It aims to capture real-life situations without direct intervention from the filmmaker, allowing events to unfold naturally.

Question 11

What is an investigative documentary?

Answer 11

It aims to uncover and expose issues, injustices, or controversies through in- depth research and reporting.

Question 12

What is a participatory documentary?

Answer 12

It’s a documentary in which the filmmaker actively participates in the story, blurring the line between observer and participant.

Question 13

How is a docuseries different from a documentary?

Answer 13

• Unlike a standalone documentary film, a docuseries unfolds its narrative across several episodes, allowing for a more in-depth exploration of the subject matter.
• two or more episodes and a different pacing than a standard documentary.

Question 14

What are methods to tell a real-life story?

Answer 14

You can use interviews, archival footage, and other visual elements to tell the story of a certain subject matter.

Question 15

How long are documentaries and docuseries?

Answer 15

This depends on the subject matter, purpose and platform for which they are produced.

Question 16

What is a short documentary?

Answer 16

• Typically 15 to 40 minutes in duration.
• Short documentaries are often concise and focused, providing a brief exploration of a specific topic.

Question 17

What is a Feature-length documentary?

Answer 17

• Feature-length documentaries are longer and can range from 70 minutes to over two hours.
• Many documentaries intended for theatrical release or major streaming platforms fall into this category.

Question 18

What is a television documentary?

Answer 18

• Television documentaries, especially those created for broadcast on networks, often adhere to specific time slots.
• They can vary from 30 minutes to 60 minutes, depending on the broadcaster’s programming schedule.

Question 19

What is a docuseries?

Answer 19

• A docuseries, which consists of multiple episodes, can have varying lengths for each episode.
• Each episode may range from 30 minutes to over an hour, depending on the content and the platform.

Question 20

What is the first step in creating a documentary?

Answer 20

• The first step to create a documentary or a docuseries is to find a story to tell.
• Once the creative aspect has been discussed, and the project has been imagined, the economic feasibility needs to be evaluated:
  the ideas must be translated into numbers.

Question 21

What is budgeting?

Answer 21

Budgeting is the process
to create a financial plan to spend your money.

Question 22

What is a budget?

Answer 22

The spending plan is called a budget.

Question 23

What does the budget show?

Answer 23

• it outlines the expected income and expenditures over a specific period.
• It serves as a comprehensive tool for managing and controlling finances of a project.

Question 24

Why is it important to make a budget?

Answer 24

Creating a spending plan allows you to determine in advance if you will have enough money to realize the idea pitched by writers and Director.

Question 25

What does a budget consist of?

Answer 25

1) Revenue:
*This section outlines the expected income or funds the entity anticipates receiving.

2) Expenses:
*Expenses cover all anticipated costs and expenditures associated with the project. This section can be further divided into various categories like personnel, production, marketing, overhead, etc.

3) Fixed Costs:
*Fixed costs are expenses that do not change with the level of production or sales. Examples include rent, salaries, insurance, and utilities.

4) Variable Costs:
*Variable costs are expenses that vary proportionally with the level of production.

5) Contingency:
*A contingency fund is set aside for unexpected or unforeseen expenses. It acts as a buffer to handle uncertainties that may arise during the budgeted period.

6) Profit Margin:
*The difference between revenue and expenses expressed as a percentage.

7) Actual vs. Budget:
*A section for comparing actual financial performance against the budgeted figures. This allows for variance analysis and adjustments in future budget cycles.

8) Cash Flow:
*In addition to profit and loss considerations, a budget may also include a cash flow statement, detailing the inflow and outflow of cash over a specific period.

Question 26

What is used to manage budgeting better?

Answer 26

Various software tools have been created specifically for budget management, designed to facilitate the producer’s work in the overall financial management of the available resources.

Question 27

How is a software tool for budgeting chosen?

Answer 27

Each Producer has their favourite, and factors that influencing the choice include:

Operational
intuitiveness
user-friendliness
a clear structure
formula setup

Question 28

Which are the key areas of a budget?

Answer 28

• Head (Information such as: Title, Production Company, Duration, Number of episodes, Version / Date of Budget, Ratio)
• Overall Costs / Cost Summary (Total Budget ATL & BTL)
• Assumptions (number of shooting days, number of editing weeks, costs for archive, costs for music etc.)

Question 29

What is the ATL section?

Answer 29

The ATL section is where there are allocated funds for “creative” resources: head writer, showrunner, screenwriter, renowned narrators, director, or high-profile experts who contribute to the documentary’s prestige.

Question 30

What is the BTL section?

Answer 30

The BTL section cover the more practical and directly attributable costs associated with the production itself. It’s the core production expenses, including those related to filming, editing, crew salaries, and other direct production costs. This is where the tangible work of creating the documentary takes place.

Question 31

How do you prepare a budget?

Answer 31

To start, we need to evaluate the type of project:

is it ambitious or on a smaller-scale?

Question 32

What are key words to keep in mind when budgeting a movie?

Answer 32

PROJECT COMPLEXITY
SCALE AND AMBITION
RESOURCE ALLOCATION NEGOTIATIONS
FLEXIBILITY

Question 33

What is the Locked version of a budget?

Answer 33

the official Budget with the agreed-upon grand cost of production

Question 34

Why is it important not to underestimate any line in your budget?

Answer 34

From the initial presentation of the budget to the client, until arriving at a locked version you will go through a long negotiation.

Be prepared to justify every line cost properly and to face potential cuts.

For this reason, do not underestimate any line in your budget and be able to debate or remodulate any section of it.

Question 35

What is the goal in budgeting?

Answer 35

The goal is to optimize resources to achieve the desired creative vision while ensuring the project’s financial viability.

Question 36

How can resources be optimised while ensuring a project’s financial viability?

Answer 36

• Look for accountable suppliers, close good deals with them and build loyalty.
• Optimize the time of shooting.
• Respect the editing schedule and timing.

*Keep cost progress updated; it will help you manage unexpected expenses or reallocate funds to other sections.

• Listen to each creative request, discuss it, evaluate every feasibility, and work with creatives to find alternative solutions.
• Be prepared to say ‘no’ sometimes.
• Work side by side with the finance department.

Question 37

What are some elements, the ingredients of a docuseries that impact the budget?

Answer 37

BTL Elements:
Footage
Archives
Re-enactment
Stock pictures
Original music
Published music
VFX

Question 38

What is “Footage”?

Answer 38

recorded material on set.

Question 39

What are archives?

Answer 39

Footage archive:
collections of existing video, film footage, or television programs.

Personal archives:
materials collected from individuals who have a personal connection to the documentary’s subject.

Question 40

What is reenactment?

Answer 40

The recreation or dramatic representation of real-life events.

It involves actors re-creating scenes based on documented or researched events.

Reenactments are often used to visually illustrate aspects of a documentary narrative, particularly when actual footage or images of the events are not available.

Question 41

What is original music?

Answer 41

Musical compositions that are specifically created for a particular project and are not pre-existing or sourced from other sources.

Question 42

What impacts the cost of archived material?

Answer 42

The usage rights need to be defined in terms of:
DURATION
TARGET MEDIA
TERRITORY

Another major differentiator for archives is their origin:

Italian broadcaster archives have an average cost per minute, depending on the chosen rights, ranging from 3K to 5K euros.

An archive from abroad, especially from major U.S. broadcasters, can vary from a minimum of 7K to 15K dollars.

Question 43

What is the responsibility pf the writers?

Answer 43

Writers: responsible for developing the narrative, script, and storyline of the project.

Question 44

What is the responsibility of the director?

Answer 44

Director: reads the creative vision of the project.

Question 45

What is the responsibility of the Production Crew?

Answer 45

Production crew: coordinates and executes various aspects of production, including setting up locations, managing equipment, and overseeing day-by-day operations on the set.

Question 46

What is the responsibility of the technical crew?

Answer 46

Technical crew: Includes various technical roles such as filmmaker, sound engineers, lighting technicians, and other specialists responsible for the technical aspects of filming.

Question 47

What is the responsibility of the editing department?

Answer 47

Editing department: edits and assembles the recorded footage and archives into a coherent and engaging final product.

Question 48

What is the responsibility of the post-production department?

Answer 48

Post-production department: handles tasks after editing is done, including visual effects, sound design, color grading, and any additional enhancements to refine the final product.

Question 49

What does the Graphic-team do?

Answer 49

Graphic: creates visual elements such as graphics, titles, and animations used in the production.

Question 50

What does the legal department do?

Answer 50

Legal department: manages legal aspects, including contracts, permissions, and ensuring that
the production complies with copyright and other legal requirements.

Question 51

What does the finance department do?

Answer 51

Finance department: oversees the overall financial health of the project, including budgeting, accounting, and financial planning. Ensures that the project stays within budget constraints.

Question 52

What is a rights share?

Answer 52

A rights share in film production typically refers to the distribution of ownership or profit-sharing rights among individuals or entities involved in the creation and production of a film. It outlines how the rights and financial benefits from the film will be divided among key stakeholders such as producers, directors, writers, and investors.

It’s in the ATL section under Writers and Directors.

Question 53

What is a service share?

Answer 53

A service share in film production usually refers to a contractual arrangement where a production services company provides specific services, such as filming or post-production, in exchange for a share of the film’s profits or revenue rather than a fixed fee.

In ATL section

Question 54

What are fringes?

Answer 54

In film production, “fringes” typically refer to additional labor costs beyond the base wages, such as benefits and contributions to health insurance, retirement plans, and other employee-related expenses. These are often considered as part of the overall compensation package for the crew members involved in the production.

In BTL section

Question 55

What is TAX?

Answer 55

In film production, “tax” typically refers to the various taxes and incentives associated with filming in a particular location. This includes understanding and complying with local, regional, and national tax regulations, as well as taking advantage of any available tax credits or incentives that may be offered to filmmakers in a specific area.