TIME SCALES AND PRODUCTION SCHEDULES

WORKING TO TIME SCALES ✌

Once the production has been planned the work needs to be divided into three sections:

• Pre-Production (planning)
• Production (obtaining your material e.g. photographing, recording, filming)
• Post-Production (editing stage)

What LO3 will be marked on in the exam

(things to consider when planning)

• Task allocation - WHO is doing each task (consider each team members specific skills and abilities.) 
• Scheduling - WHEN does each task need to be done and how long will each task take. 

1. Dependencies - where one task needs to be done before another can be completed or begun.
2. Milestones - checkpoints to ensure work is up to standard and on schedule.
3. Deadlines are essential to good management. 

• Resource Allocation - WHAT is required for each task (consider what equipment/resources are required for each task.)
• Report Creation - HOW have the team completed each task (ensuring the group is communicating well throughout and reflecting on how effectively the team is working together.) 

Why work to time scales?

• All media productions have a final deadline - so that the project can be distributed on time
• Deadlines also reduce costs - all people and resources on a media production cost money
• By planning effectively - using the guidance on the previous slide - the production company saves money and creates a smooth working environment
• When you read your brief in the exam, you need to establish what the key deadlines are, who in your team they affect the most, and what needs to be done by those deadlines 

• Pre-Production - during planning each individual task needs careful scheduling in a linear fashion - milestones are crucial here.
• examples of milestones, dependencies, contingencies:
• Production/Post-Production - the production needs to be monitored to ensure:

1. Individuals set targets within the team
2. Personnel, locations, props/costumes and equipment are booked well in advance
3. Regular meetings to ensure everyone is on task - milestones
4. Regular meetings with the client to ensure they are happy with that is being produced and allow for modifications 

What if things go wrong? Contingencies 

• A good project will always have a contingency. this includes:
• A back up location 
• A back up cast member
• Extra time allocated for tasks 
• Additional/replacement tasks if one doesn't work out