Preparing for Takeoff

Book excerpt: Preparing for Takeoff focuses entirely on the preproduction process from the perspectives of both the director and producer. It empowers independent filmmakers with the tools and techniques they need to finish their movie on time, within budget, and dodge the pitfalls that can be easily avoided with some careful planning. Readers will learn everything there is to know about effectively planning for a film, including previsualization, location scouting, script analysis, financing, casting, and much more. This book not only helps readers prepare for what to encounter during shooting, but also offers preparation tips for postproduction, marketing, and distribution. The accompanying website includes a bonus chapter, sample script analyses, sample budgets, and exercises that can be applied to the reader's own projects.