Oli

Ask Oli about your film.

Oli reads your script, your schedule, your budget and your locations, and answers from them. Here are 1,000 things filmmakers ask him, from what happens in scene 12 to which locations are paid for.

Ask Oli for free See the questions

Which of my locations are finalized, have permits for the shoot days and are paid for?

Locations1 of 2 ready

FERRY TERMINAL (Pier 4 Terminal): finalized. Shooting Nov 2. Permit covers every shoot day. Paid.

Missing: HARBOUR has no permit for Nov 3

He reads it from your project. Nothing changes until you say yes.

1,000 questions

Writing

Reading the script

Asked in the script editor

What happens in scene 12?
Read me scene 3.
What's in the scene my cursor is on?
Give me the outline of the whole script.
List every scene heading in order.
What's the first scene?
What's the last scene?
How does the script end?
How does the script open?
Summarise act one.
Summarise the second half.
What happens between scenes 10 and 15?
Which scene introduces Sam?
Where does Maya first appear?
What's the scene right after the ferry leaves?
Remind me what happens in the diner scene.
Which scene has the argument?
How many pages is the script?
How many scenes are there?
What's the estimated runtime?
How many words is the script?
How many interior scenes do I have?
How many exterior scenes do I have?
How many night scenes are there?
How many day scenes are there?
What percentage of the script is dialogue?
How long is the average scene?
Is the script feature length?
Is this short enough for a 15-minute festival slot?
Which page does scene 20 start on?
How many characters speak in the script?
Who are all the characters?
Who has the most scenes?
Who has the fewest scenes?
Which characters only appear once?
When is Maya last seen?
In which scenes does Sam appear?
List the scenes without dialogue.
Which scenes are action only?
Which scenes are only one line long?
Which scenes are flashbacks?
Do I have any montages?
Are there any dream sequences?
Which scenes intercut?
Break my scenes down by type.
How many scenes are set at night and outside?
Which scenes happen at dawn?
Which scenes happen at dusk?

Story

Dialogue and characters in the script

Asked in the script editor

Show me every line Maya says.
What does Sam say in scene 4?
Show me all of Maya's dialogue in act two.
How many lines does Sam have?
How many words does Maya speak in total?
What's the average length of Sam's lines?
Who talks the most?
Who talks the least?
Rank the characters by how much they speak.
Which scenes are Maya and Sam in together?
Which scenes have Maya, Sam and the captain together?
Do Maya and the captain ever share a scene?
Who does Maya share the most scenes with?
Which characters never meet?
Give me alternative versions of this line.
Give me five other ways to say "I'll wait."
Give me a sharper version of Sam's last line.
Suggest a funnier line for the waiter.
Suggest a quieter line for Maya here.
Do my characters sound different from each other?
Which two characters sound the most alike?
Is Sam's voice consistent across the script?
Does Maya talk like a teenager?
Are any character names too similar?
Will the audience confuse Mark and Mike?
Is any name hard to say out loud?
Who are my day players?
Which characters only need one or two shoot days?
Which characters are leads and which are supporting?
Which speaking parts could be cut?

Locations

Locations in the script

Asked in the script editor

Which scenes take place at the harbour?
How many scenes are at the ferry terminal?
List every location in the script.
Which location do we visit most?
Which locations appear only once?
How many different locations are there?
Is the harbour interior or exterior?
At what times of day do we shoot at the harbour?
Which characters appear at the ferry terminal?
How many pages are set at the diner?
Give me a breakdown per location: scenes, INT/EXT, time of day, cast, pages.
Which locations could be combined to save a move?
Which scenes have "kitchen" in the heading?
Find scenes with "car" in the heading.
Which scenes happen in a vehicle?
Which locations need night shooting?
What's the harbour like, from the script?
What does the script say the diner looks like?
What production needs does the ferry terminal have?

Story

Story and structure

Asked in the script editor

Where is my inciting incident?
Where are my act breaks?
Where's the midpoint?
Where's the climax?
Does my story follow three-act structure?
Is my first act too long?
Does the second act sag?
Map the audience's emotional journey scene by scene.
Where is the tension highest?
Where does the tension drop?
Where are the funny moments?
Where are the sad moments?
Which scenes are weak?
Which scenes don't move the plot?
Which scenes could be cut?
Which scenes are too long for what they do?
What are my longest scenes?
What are my shortest scenes?
Where is the pacing off?
Where could I add a ticking clock?
How can I raise the stakes in act two?
Where could I add a deadline?
How does my structure compare to Jaws?
Compare my pacing to Before Sunrise.
Compare my script to Lost in Translation.
How does my opening compare to a typical thriller?
What are my plot threads?
Which plot threads are still open?
Which plot threads never resolve?
Where is each plot thread introduced?
Show me Maya's arc.
How does Sam change across the story?
What does Maya want, and does she get it?
Where is Maya at her lowest?
What's the state of each character at scene 15?
What has the audience learned by scene 20?
What's the context around scene 9?
What happens just before and after scene 9?
What's in my story bible?
What's my logline, genre, tone and theme?
What continuity facts have we established?
Any continuity mistakes?
Does anyone know something before they learn it?
Does any prop appear before it's introduced?
Is the timeline consistent?
What's established about the ticket so far?
What do we know about Sam's past by scene 6?

Writing

Formatting, drafts and versions

Asked in the script editor

Is my formatting industry standard?
Give my formatting a score.
What formatting mistakes do I have?
Are my scene headings formatted right?
Are my transitions formatted right?
Are my parentheticals too long?
What changed between draft 2 and draft 3?
Which scenes did I add in the new draft?
Which scenes did I cut since the last draft?
Is the new draft better than the old one?
Compare the quality of my last two drafts.
What changed in scene 5 since I last edited it?
How do I go back to an earlier draft?
Take me to export my script.
Export my script as a PDF.
Export my script for Final Draft.
Export as Fountain.
Is the script locked?
What does locking the script do?

Writing

Writing and rewriting

Asked in the script editor

Give me a logline.
Give me three loglines.
Write a one-page treatment.
Write a beat sheet.
Write a treatment for act one only.
Suggest titles for my script.
Suggest ten darker titles.
Rewrite scene 4 grittier.
Rewrite scene 7 so it's funnier.
Rewrite scenes 4 to 9 tighter.
Make scene 2 more tense.
Make the ending more hopeful.
Make the opening scene shorter.
Rewrite this scene from Sam's side.
Tighten Sam's dialogue.
Make Maya's lines less on the nose.
Rewrite the waiter's lines in a Scottish voice.
Cut every line of dialogue in scene 3 that isn't needed.
Fix the action lines in scene 6.
Rewrite only the action in scene 8.
Change "harbour" to "pier" in scene 2.
Rewrite the selected lines.
Make the selected text more visual.
Write a new scene after scene 7 where Maya calls her mother.
Add a scene where Sam closes the café.
Write a short opening scene before scene 1.
Write a new final scene.
Add a montage of Maya waiting.
Write a flashback to Sam's first day.
Add a ticking clock to act two.
Lock the script for production.
Unlock the script.

Writing

Writing with Oli in a project

Write my title page.
Put my name and email on the title page.
Update the title page to say "Draft 3".
Write a synopsis from the script.
Make the synopsis shorter.
Write a one-paragraph synopsis for a festival form.
Rewrite the synopsis without spoilers.
Write the first scene of a short film about a missed ferry.
Write a 5-page short about two strangers at a bus stop.
Write a cold open for my pilot.
Turn our chat into a scene.
Write the scene we just talked about.
Write the next scene.
Write a short horror film set in a lighthouse.
Write a romantic comedy opening in a laundromat.
Start a screenplay from my idea.
Create a new draft of the script.
Save this version as a new draft.
Make a new draft before I rewrite act two.
Rewrite scenes 3 to 5 in a new tone.
Rewrite every scene set at night to be quieter.
Rewrite scene 9 with less dialogue.
Make Sam angrier in scenes 4 to 6.
Rewrite the café scenes so they feel warmer.
Tag all the elements in my script.
Tag the props and wardrobe in the script.
Tag every location and character.
Find the vehicles and animals in my script.

Characters

Build Maya's character profile.
Build profiles for every character.
Write Sam's backstory.
What does Maya look like?
What's Sam's personality?
What does Maya want?
What is Sam afraid of?
Describe the captain in one paragraph.
Give Maya a stronger flaw.
Make Sam older.
Show me Maya's profile.
What's Sam's arc from his profile?
How old is Maya in the profile?
Which characters don't have a profile yet?
Open my characters page.

Locations

Location profiles

Build a profile for the harbour.
Build profiles for every location.
Describe the ferry terminal's atmosphere.
What does the diner sound like?
What production needs does the harbour have?
What would a real version of the ferry terminal look like?
Show me the harbour profile.
Open my locations page.

Locations

Location status, permits and payment

Which of my locations are finalized?
Which locations aren't finalized yet?
Which locations have a permit for the days we shoot there?
Which locations are missing a permit?
Which locations are paid for?
Which locations haven't been paid yet?
Which locations are finalized, permitted and paid?
Which finalized locations still need a permit?
Which finalized locations still need paying?
Which paid locations don't have a permit yet?
Which locations are ready to shoot?
Where do we stand on the ferry terminal?
Is Pier 4 paid for?
Has the deposit for Old Quay been paid?
Does the harbour permit cover all our shoot days?
Which shoot days at the harbour have no permit?
When do we shoot at the ferry terminal?
Which days are we at each location?
Is the harbour permit approved or only applied for?
Which locations are booked?
Which locations are on hold?
Which locations have we wrapped?
Which locations did we scout but not approve?
What's the day rate for Pier 4?
Which location needs a deposit?
Give me the status of every location.
What's left to sort out before we can shoot at the harbour?
Which locations could stop the shoot right now?

Locations

Location updates

Oli shows the change and saves it when you say yes

Mark Old Quay finalized.
Pier 4 is booked.
Put the harbour on hold.
The harbour fee is paid.
We paid the deposit for Pier 4.
Mark the diner fee as not paid.
Mark the ferry terminal as wrapped.
The café is no longer available.
Mark Old Quay booked and the fee paid.

Locations

Location scouting

Make a scouting checklist for every location.
What should I check when I scout the harbour?
What do I need to know about power at the ferry terminal?
Make a scouting checklist focused on sound.
Make a checklist for scouting at night.
Open location scouting.

Pre-production

Script breakdown

Break down scene 3.
Break down the whole script.
Break down every scene at the harbour.
What's the breakdown for scene 5?
What props are in scene 2?
What wardrobe does Maya need in scene 6?
Who's in scene 4, and what do they need?
Which scenes need special effects?
Which scenes need vehicles?
Which scenes need animals?
Which scenes need extras?
Which scenes need stunts?
Which scenes need makeup effects?
Which scenes need a set dresser?
Open the script breakdown.

Pre-production

Shot lists

Make a shot list for scene 1.
Make shot lists for scenes 1 to 5.
Make a shot list for every scene.
Show me the shot list for scene 3.
How many shots do we have?
Which scenes don't have shots yet?
Make a handheld shot list for the argument scene.
Give me coverage for the dialogue in scene 4.
Add a wide establishing shot to scene 2.
What lenses should I use for scene 6?
What focal length suits the close-ups in scene 2?
Suggest lenses for a claustrophobic feel.
How long will scene 6 take to shoot?
How long will the whole shoot take at this pace?
Which scenes will take longest to shoot?
Draw the blocking for scene 4.
Where do Maya and Sam stand in scene 7?
Open shot lists.

Pre-production

Storyboards

Storyboard scene 2.
Storyboard the opening.
Storyboard every scene at the harbour.
Show me the storyboard for scene 4.
Which scenes have storyboards?
Storyboard the title sequence.
Storyboard a montage of Maya waiting.
Storyboard a chase.
Storyboard the end credits.
Draw frames for scene 1.
Open storyboards.

Pre-production

Casting

Write casting notes for Maya.
Write casting notes for every character.
What age range should I cast for Sam?
What kind of actor suits the captain?
Write audition sides notes for the lead.
Help me post a casting call.
How do I post a casting call on Lowerated?
Open casting.

Schedule

Scheduling

Make a shooting schedule.
Make a 5-day schedule.
Schedule the script starting Nov 2.
Schedule so we shoot all the harbour scenes together.
Schedule nights together.
Make a schedule that keeps Maya's days together.
Show me my schedule.
Show me the strip board.
What are we shooting each day?
Which day do we shoot scene 12?
How many shoot days do we have?
How many pages a day are we shooting?
Which day is the heaviest?
Which day is the lightest?
Move the schedule around Dec 24 to 26.
Reschedule around Maya being away on the 5th.
We lost the harbour on the 3rd, reschedule.
Push the whole shoot back a week.
Does the schedule break union turnaround rules?
Is anyone working too many days in a row?
Do we have enough rest between days?
Are any days too long?
Check the schedule for labor rule problems.
Give me a calendar file of the shoot.
Put the shoot days in my calendar.
Open scheduling.

Schedule

Call sheets

Make call sheets for every day.
Make a call sheet for day 1.
Make a call sheet for tomorrow.
Make call sheets for the harbour days.
Open call sheets.
Show me the call sheet for day 2.

Budget

Estimate the budget.
Estimate the budget for a micro-budget short.
Estimate a budget under £10,000.
Build a budget from the breakdown.
What will scene 8 cost?
What will the harbour scenes cost?
How much will the night shoots cost?
What am I missing in the budget?
Suggest budget lines I've forgotten.
How fast are we spending?
What's our burn rate?
How many weeks of money do we have left?
Where are we over budget?
Where are we under budget?
Give me a variance report.
Which departments are over?
Compare budget versions.
How does the new budget compare to the first one?
Where can I cut costs?
How can I save money without hurting the story?
Which scenes are the most expensive?
Give me a weekly cash flow.
When do we need the money?
What will the VFX cost?
Which scenes need VFX, and practical vs digital?
What will the camera rental cost?
Estimate lighting and grip rental.
What will sound gear cost to rent?
Show me my budget.
Open budgeting.

Schedule

Weather

What's the weather risk for my exteriors?
Which scenes are at risk if it rains?
Which exterior scenes are most exposed?
What are my cover sets?
Suggest cover sets for the harbour days.
What do we shoot if it rains on day 2?
Log that we moved scene 4 inside because of rain.
Make a wet-weather plan.
Open the weather plan.

Production

Permits

How many permits do we have?
How many permits are approved?
How many are still pending?
Which permits expire in the next two weeks?
Which permits expire this month?
What have our permits cost?
How much have we paid for permits?
How much do we still owe on permits?
What do I need for a filming permit?
Make a permit checklist for the harbour.
What permits does a drone shot need?
What permits does a street closure need?
Open permits.

Production

Crew

Who's free on Nov 3?
Who's available all next week?
Is the gaffer free on day 2?
Who should be our DP?
Match my crew to roles.
Who could cover sound if our mixer drops out?
Are there any crew clashes?
Who's double-booked?
Which departments have nobody on a shoot day?
Open crew.

Production

Equipment

Make an equipment list from my shot lists.
What cameras and lenses do I need?
What lighting do I need for the night scenes?
What audio gear do I need?
What grip gear do I need?
Which gear is most likely to fail?
What are the backups for our camera?
Suggest backups for every key item.
The camera died, what do we do?
Log that the boom mic broke.
Do we have backup coverage for every department?
Open equipment.

Schedule

Logistics

Asked in the script editor

Plan logistics for day 2.
Plan logistics for the whole shoot.
Where should crew park at the harbour?
Where's basecamp for the ferry terminal?
Plan the company move between the diner and the harbour.
Where's the nearest hospital to the harbour?

Production

Project status

What's done and what's missing on this project?
What should I do next?
How far along is pre-production?
Which characters still need profiles?
Which locations still need profiles?
Which scenes still need a breakdown?
Which scenes still need shots?
Is the schedule done?
Is there a budget yet?
Are we ready to shoot?
What's blocking us from shooting?

Film page

Is my film page ready to publish?
What's missing on my film page?
Fill in my film page.
Write the logline and synopsis for my film page.
Fill the credits from the project.
Make my film page feel noir.
Make the film page lighter and warmer.
Change the font on my film page.
Use a dark scheme on the film page.
Make it look like a festival poster.
Open my film page.

Production

Open documents.
Open the dashboard.
Take me to the script.
Take me to the strip board.
Take me to call sheets.
Take me to the budget.
Take me to location scouting.
Take me to permits.
Take me to crew.
Take me to storyboards.

Claude and ChatGPT

In Claude or ChatGPT through the Lowerated connector

Asked in Claude or ChatGPT, through the Lowerated connection

Which of my projects am I working on?
Open my Coffee Shop project.
Start a new project called The Last Ferry.
Who applied to my casting call this week?
Shortlist the three strongest for the lead.
Which applications are still unread?
Post a casting call for a lead in her 30s.
Who's on my cast list?
Find roles I could apply for.
Which roles have I applied to?
Show me my profile and CV.
Add a credit to my CV.
Update my bio.
Accept the invitation to Ali's project.
Show me the storyboard.
Add frames to the storyboard for scene 4.
Tighten the logline on my film page and show me before it goes live.
Publish my film page.
Unpublish my film page.
Which of my locations are ready to shoot?
Mark the harbour fee as paid.

Production

Several steps in one ask

Break down scene 3, then make its shot list.
Break down the script, then build the budget.
Make shot lists for every scene, then storyboard them.
Build character profiles, then write casting notes.
Build location profiles, then make scouting checklists.
Tag the script, then break it down.
Make a schedule, then call sheets for every day.
Make the equipment list from the shot lists, then estimate rental costs.
Write a synopsis, then fill in my film page.
Write a logline and a synopsis, then a title page.
Write a new scene, then break it down.
Rewrite scene 4, then update its shot list.
Make a budget, then show me where to cut.
Make a schedule, then check it against union rules.
Check the weather risk, then suggest cover sets.
Build profiles for Maya and Sam, then casting notes for both.
Storyboard scenes 1 to 3, then make the shot lists match.
Make a plan to get this project ready to shoot.
Plan everything I need to do this week.
Take me from finished script to call sheets.
Get the harbour scenes ready to shoot.
Prepare everything for day 1.
Prepare my film page for publishing.
Make a pitch-ready synopsis, logline and title.
Turn my idea into a first scene, a synopsis and a title page.

Plain words

Said the way people actually type

whats left to do
what do i do next
r we ready to shoot
which locs are paid
which locations r sorted
do we have permits for everything
any permits missing
is pier 4 good to go
harbour permit ok?
what day are we at the harbour
who's free tuesday
who can do sound
any clashes
how much have we spent
are we over
budget??
whats the burn
cut costs pls
how much will this cost
how long is my script
page count?
runtime?
how many scenes
who talks most
maya lines
sam's scenes
scene 4?
read scene 9
outline pls
logline pls
give me a title
synopsis
make it shorter
make it darker
funnier
tighten it
rewrite 4
rewrite 4-9
new scene after 7
shot list 1-5
storyboard 2
break down 3
schedule it
call sheets
what if it rains
cover sets
permits expiring?
gear list
backup camera?
film page ready?
publish film page
lock script
is it locked
did anything change in scene 5
undo my last draft
compare drafts
format check
continuity check
plot holes?
weak scenes?
what should i cut
ending feels flat
act 2 is slow
make maya likeable
sam is boring
the waiter needs a name
who are my day players
is the gaffer free
when do we shoot scene 12
move the shoot a week
we lost the harbour on the 3rd
make a calendar invite
what time do we start day 1
make a call sheet for tmrw
mark harbour paid
pier 4 booked
put old quay on hold
deposit paid for pier 4
which locations still need paying
which locations need permits
ready locations?
harbour status
location status

Story

Deeper script questions

Asked in the script editor

Does every scene have a clear goal?
Which scenes start too early?
Which scenes end too late?
Where am I telling instead of showing?
Which scenes repeat the same beat?
Where does the story lose momentum?
Is my protagonist active enough?
Does Maya make the key decision at the climax?
Where does Sam's motivation change?
Which characters have no arc?
Is my antagonist strong enough?
Which scene is the emotional peak?
Where should the audience cry?
Where should the audience laugh?
Is the ending earned?
Is the twist set up early enough?
Which setups never pay off?
Which payoffs aren't set up?
Where's the theme stated?
Is the theme clear by the end?
Which scenes would work as a trailer moment?
What's the most visual scene?
Which scenes are mostly talking heads?
Where could I cut dialogue and show it instead?
Which lines are on the nose?
Which characters explain too much?
Is there too much exposition in act one?
Which scenes feel like filler?
Does the pace pick up toward the end?
How does my opening hook the reader?
Will a reader keep going after page 10?
Is the first page strong?
How quickly do we meet the protagonist?
How quickly does the story start?
Which scenes would a producer cut for money?
Which scenes are hard to shoot on a small budget?
Which scenes need the most crew?
Which scenes need the most cast?
Which scenes could be shot in one location?
What's the cheapest version of this script?

Budget

Producer questions

What's the most expensive day?
What's the cheapest day?
Which location costs the most per day?
Which department costs the most?
How much is cast costing us?
How much will the harbour days cost in total?
What would one more shoot day cost?
What would cutting scene 12 save?
What do we lose if we drop a day?
Can we shoot this in 4 days instead of 5?
Which scenes could move to a cheaper location?
Where's the biggest risk to the schedule?
What could stop the shoot?
Which day is weather dependent?
Which day needs the most gear?
Which day needs the most crew?
Which crew are we missing for day 1?
Which locations are still open questions?
Which permits do we still need to apply for?
Which permits are approved but unpaid?
How much do we still owe across permits?
Which locations are approved but not booked?
Which locations are booked but not paid?
Which locations have a permit but no shoot days yet?
What's left to pay before day 1?
Is everything in place for the first week?
Give me a pre-shoot checklist.
What would you worry about if you were the line producer?
What should I tell the investors about where we are?
Give me a one-paragraph status update for the team.

Writing

Genre and format writing

Write a cold open for a crime pilot.
Write a teaser for a horror short.
Write a meet-cute in a rainy bus shelter.
Write a heist planning scene.
Write a quiet two-hander in a car at night.
Write a chase on foot through a market.
Write a dinner party where everyone lies.
Write a phone call scene with only one side heard.
Write a scene with no dialogue.
Write a scene in a single location with three characters.
Write a 1-page proof-of-concept short.
Write a 3-minute short for a 48-hour film challenge.
Write a short for a film school assignment.
Write a short documentary-style opening.
Write a music video treatment.
Write a scene in the style of a stage play.
Write a western standoff.
Write a sci-fi opening on a spaceship.
Write a found-footage opening.
Write a comedy sketch.
Write a scene for a vertical web series.
Write a pilot opening for a sitcom.
Write a thriller ending with a twist.
Write a kids' adventure opening.
Write an animated short about a lost sock.
Write a scene that introduces a villain.
Write a funeral scene with dark humour.
Write a breakup scene in a supermarket.
Write a reunion scene at an airport.
Write a confession scene in a church.
Write a job interview that goes wrong.
Write a scene where two characters argue about nothing.
Write a scene set in one continuous shot.
Write a dream sequence.
Write a flashback that reveals a secret.
Write a voice-over opening.
Write a montage of a year passing.
Write a scene that ends on a cliffhanger.
Write the last scene of a feature.
Write the first scene of a feature.

Characters

Character work

Give Maya a secret.
Give Sam a reason to stay.
What would make Maya more sympathetic?
What would make Sam more threatening?
Give the captain a memorable entrance.
Give the waiter a small arc.
Make Maya's goal clearer in act one.
Raise the cost of Maya's choice.
Give Sam a habit we remember.
Give each character a different way of speaking.
Write Maya's backstory in five lines.
Write a character bio I can send to the actor.
What does Sam want versus what he needs?
How does Maya see herself?
How do others see Sam?
What is Maya hiding?
What's the worst thing that could happen to Sam?
Who is Maya at the start versus the end?
Give Maya a ghost from her past.
Give the captain a contradiction.
Combine the waiter and the cashier into one character.
Split Sam into two characters.
Make the antagonist more human.
Change Maya's age to 50 and adjust her profile.
Write a wardrobe note for Maya's character.
Write a hair and makeup note for Sam.
What music would Maya listen to?
What would Sam order at the café?
Describe Maya's apartment from her profile.
What's Maya's relationship with her mother?

Writing

Dialogue craft

Asked in the script editor

Make this exchange faster.
Add subtext to the argument in scene 4.
Make Sam say less and mean more.
Give Maya the last word in scene 6.
Cut the small talk in scene 2.
Make the opening line of scene 3 grab attention.
Replace the exposition in scene 1 with action.
Make the captain sound older.
Make the teenager sound real.
Make the dialogue sound less written.
Add an interruption to the argument.
Add a pause where Maya decides.
Write a silence into scene 8.
Give Sam a joke that lands badly.
Make the apology sound reluctant.
Make the goodbye understated.
Make the confession more painful.
Rewrite the voicemail Maya leaves.
Rewrite the text messages on screen.
Rewrite the radio announcement at the terminal.

Pre-production

Camera and shots

What's the best way to cover a dialogue scene in a car?
How should I shoot the opening?
How do I make the harbour feel lonely on camera?
Which scenes suit handheld?
Which scenes should be locked off?
Where would a dolly move help?
Where could I use a long take?
Which scenes need a wide establishing shot?
How should I shoot the ending?
How many setups is scene 4?
How many setups for the whole day 1?
Which shots could I drop if we run out of time?
What's the minimum coverage for scene 6?
Suggest inserts for scene 2.
Suggest cutaways for the café scene.
What shot should open the film?
What shot should end the film?
Give scene 5 a visual motif.
What lens makes Maya look isolated?
What lens for a wide night exterior?
Should I shoot anamorphic?
How do I light the diner at night?
How do I shoot rain on a small budget?
How do I shoot a car scene without a low loader?
How do I shoot a crowd with ten extras?

Pre-production

Pre-production by department

What props do we need in total?
Which props are hero props?
Which props appear in more than one scene?
What does wardrobe need across the shoot?
How many costume changes does Maya have?
What does hair and makeup need per day?
Which scenes need blood or wounds?
Which scenes need special makeup?
Which scenes need practical effects?
Which scenes need weapons?
Which scenes need fire or smoke?
Which scenes need water?
Which scenes need a vehicle driven on camera?
Which scenes need a child on set?
Which scenes need an animal handler?
Which scenes need an intimacy coordinator?
Which scenes need a stunt coordinator?
Which scenes need playback on a screen?
What set dressing does the café need?
What does the art department need for the ferry terminal?

Budget

What-ifs

What if we lose a day?
What if it rains all week?
What if Maya's actor is only free for three days?
What if the harbour falls through?
What if we shoot nights as days?
What if we cut the budget by 20%?
What if we add a second camera?
What if we shoot in winter?
What if we drop the drone shots?
What if we move the café scenes to a studio?
What if we shoot the whole thing in one location?
What if we double the crew?
What if we have no permit for the street?
What if the camera breaks on day 2?
What if we lose the sound mixer?
What if the schedule slips a week?
What if we can only afford four locations?
What if Sam's actor drops out?
What if we shoot scenes out of order?
What if we only have weekends?

Writing

Scene-by-scene requests

Asked in the script editor

Read scene 1.
Read scene 2.
Read scene 5.
Read scene 10.
Read the last scene.
Summarise scene 1.
Summarise scene 6.
Summarise the last three scenes.
Who's in scene 7?
Where is scene 8 set?
Is scene 9 day or night?
How long is scene 11?
What's the point of scene 13?
Does scene 14 need to be there?
What changes for Maya in scene 15?
Rewrite scene 1.
Rewrite scene 2.
Rewrite the last scene.
Break down scene 1.
Break down scene 7.
Shot list for scene 2.
Shot list for scene 9.
Storyboard scene 1.
Storyboard scene 6.
What does scene 3 cost?
How long will scene 3 take to shoot?
Which day is scene 3 on?
What's the weather risk for scene 5?
Who needs to be on set for scene 4?
What props does scene 4 need?

Writing

Ideas and development

Help me find an idea for a short.
Give me five short film ideas I could shoot in one location.
Give me ideas for a film about loneliness.
Turn this news story into a film idea.
Brainstorm twists for my story.
Brainstorm titles.
Brainstorm opening images.
Brainstorm endings.
Help me pick between two ideas.
What's the most interesting version of this idea?
Is this idea original?
Who is the audience for this film?
What films is this like?
What's the hook in one line?
How would I pitch this in 30 seconds?
What would make this a feature instead of a short?
Could this be a series?
Help me plan my first draft.
Give me a writing plan for this week.
Help me get unstuck on act two.

Film page

Film page and release

What does my film page still need?
Write a tagline for my film page.
Write a short synopsis for the film page.
Write the credits block.
Pick a template that suits a thriller.
Make the film page match the poster colours.
Make the page feel more indie.
Make the page feel more like a studio film.
Is my trailer link working on the film page?
What should I put under "where to watch"?

Know-how

Filmmaking know-how

What's a shot list and why do I need one?
What's the difference between a breakdown and a shot list?
What goes on a call sheet?
What's a strip board?
What's a one-liner schedule?
What's a DOOD report?
What does "company move" mean?
What's a cover set?
What's turnaround?
What's a day player?
What's a location release?
Do I need a permit to film in a park?
Do I need insurance to film on the street?
What's a deal memo?
How many pages can I shoot in a day?
How long should a short film be for festivals?
How do festivals judge shorts?
How do I write a logline?
How long should a synopsis be?
What's a treatment?
What's a beat sheet?
What does "locking the script" mean?
What are revision colours?
What's a production script?
What does a 1st AD do?
What does a line producer do?
What does a script supervisor do?
How do I budget a short film?
What's above the line and below the line?
How much contingency should I keep?
How do I schedule a shoot with child actors?
How do I plan a night shoot?
How do I keep continuity on a small set?
How do I run a table read?
How do I prepare for a location recce?

Schedule

The night before a shoot day

Asked in the script editor

What are we shooting tomorrow?
Which locations are we at tomorrow, and are they sorted?
Is every location for tomorrow permitted?
Is every location for tomorrow paid?
What's the weather risk tomorrow?
What's our cover set if it rains tomorrow?
Who's needed on set tomorrow?
Is anyone in the crew double-booked tomorrow?
What gear do we need tomorrow?
What's the riskiest gear for tomorrow?
How many pages are we shooting tomorrow?
How many setups is tomorrow?
What's the first scene tomorrow?
Which scenes tomorrow are exteriors?
Which props do we need tomorrow?
Which costumes do we need tomorrow?
Which scenes tomorrow need makeup effects?
Make tomorrow's call sheet.
What could go wrong tomorrow?
Give me a checklist for tomorrow.
What should I tell the crew tonight?

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