Study guides · Stuff Every Moviemaking Scout Should Know
Practice facts for the Moviemaking merit badge. Not an official Scouting America credential. Grab a snack: this guide is the friendly version, with the answers explained and a groan-worthy joke waiting at the end of most cards.
Knowing Moviemaking Scout saves you money, time and the occasional embarrassment.
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Short answer: The story you plan to produce
A treatment is a short written telling of the story you plan to produce, conveying a visual picture.
Groan of the day: A good treatment gives your story a healthy start.
Sources: Scouting America: Moviemaking
Short answer: Planning shots with sketches
A storyboard plans the film visually, and rough sketches or stick figures are acceptable.
Groan of the day: A storyboard keeps your ideas all on board.
Sources: Scouting America: Moviemaking
Short answer: Development
Development is where the idea is explored, the screenplay written, and financing sought.
Groan of the day: Development is where your movie develops its story.
Sources: Filmmaking
Short answer: Plans and preparations are made
Pre-production covers hiring cast and crew, choosing locations, and building sets.
Groan of the day: Pre-production is planning before the cameras roll.
Sources: Filmmaking
Short answer: The raw footage
Production is when raw footage and other film elements are recorded.
Groan of the day: Production is where the action gets captured.
Sources: Filmmaking
Short answer: Footage is edited and sound mixed
Post-production edits footage, mixes sound, adds effects, and records the score.
Groan of the day: Post-production is where the pieces come together after the fact.
Sources: Filmmaking
Short answer: Distribution
Distribution releases the finished film to audiences through theaters or streaming.
Groan of the day: Distribution gets your movie out and about.
Sources: Filmmaking
Short answer: Turns a script into a movie
The director handles overall storytelling, creative decisions, and acting.
Groan of the day: The director directs the whole show.
Sources: Filmmaking
Short answer: Securing funding and hiring crew
The producer initiates and oversees development by securing funding and hiring cast and crew.
Groan of the day: The producer produces the means to make the movie.
Sources: Filmmaking
Short answer: Finds actors to fill the parts
The casting director finds actors for script roles, often through auditions.
Groan of the day: Casting directors cast a wide net for talent.
Sources: Filmmaking
Short answer: The film's photography and camera work
The DOP heads the photography, supervising cinematographers and camera operators.
Groan of the day: The DOP develops the look of the picture.
Sources: Filmmaking
Short answer: Finds and manages film locations
The location manager finds and manages places where the film is shot.
Groan of the day: The location manager knows all the right places.
Sources: Filmmaking
Short answer: The musical score
The composer reads the script and creates new music called the score.
Groan of the day: The composer scores points with the audience.
Sources: Filmmaking
Short answer: Marking the start of a take
The clapper loader slaps the clapperboard to mark the take for syncing sound.
Groan of the day: The clapperboard claps for a good take.
Sources: Filmmaking
Short answer: Cut
A take ends when the director calls Cut and recording stops.
Groan of the day: Cut is the director's sharpest call.
Sources: Filmmaking
Short answer: Raw footage reviewed each day
Dailies are the day's raw, unedited footage that the team reviews.
Groan of the day: Dailies give your footage a daily checkup.
Sources: Filmmaking
Short answer: Telling cast and crew when to arrive
Call sheets tell the cast and crew when and where to show up for shooting.
Groan of the day: A call sheet makes sure everyone gets the call.
Sources: Filmmaking
Short answer: An early assembled version of the film
Editing moves through a rough cut, a fine cut, then picture lock.
Groan of the day: A rough cut is a diamond in the rough.
Sources: Filmmaking
Short answer: The final cut is agreed on
Picture lock is when the editor and director agree on the film's final cut.
Groan of the day: Picture lock locks in your final choices.
Sources: Filmmaking
Short answer: The visual conception of the film
The production designer creates the film's visual conception, working with the art director.
Groan of the day: Production designers design the look of the production.
Sources: Filmmaking
Short answer: The clothing for the characters
The costume designer creates the clothing for characters, working with actors and departments.
Groan of the day: Costume designers suit every character.
Sources: Filmmaking
Short answer: The aural conception of the film
The sound designer creates the aural conception of the film with the supervising sound editor.
Groan of the day: Sound designers make the movie sound just right.
Sources: Filmmaking
Short answer: The shooting schedule and logistics
The AD manages the shooting schedule and logistics of the production.
Groan of the day: The AD keeps the day on schedule and on track.
Sources: Filmmaking
Short answer: Continuity issues between takes
The script supervisor notes continuity issues after each take.
Groan of the day: The script supervisor keeps the story continuous.
Sources: Filmmaking
Short answer: Visual images to share ideas
The storyboard artist makes visual images helping the director and designer share ideas.
Groan of the day: Storyboard artists draw up the plan.
Sources: Filmmaking
Short answer: Filmmaking outside the mainstream system
Independent filmmaking happens outside the mainstream, now more accessible with digital tech.
Groan of the day: Indie filmmakers stand independently on their own two feet.
Sources: Filmmaking
Short answer: Marketing and promotion
Distribution involves marketing and promotion, plus showing the film in cinemas or streaming.
Groan of the day: Distribution spreads the word and the film.
Sources: Filmmaking
Short answer: Advertising and promoting the film
Films are advertised and promoted via trailers, social media campaigns, and TV spots.
Groan of the day: A trailer pulls audiences toward the theater.
Sources: Filmmaking
Short answer: The written script of the film
The screenplay is written during development and later turned into a movie by the director.
Groan of the day: A screenplay puts the story on paper.
Sources: Filmmaking
Short answer: Reviews footage and assembles selected takes
The editor reviews footage with the director and assembles the film from selected takes.
Groan of the day: The editor cuts the film down to size.
Sources: Filmmaking
Short answer: Planning the film's expenditures
A production budget is drawn up to plan expenditures for the film.
Groan of the day: A budget keeps your spending in the picture.
Sources: Filmmaking
Short answer: To protect against accidents
For major productions, insurance is procured to protect against accidents.
Groan of the day: Insurance is a safety net for the production.
Sources: Filmmaking
Short answer: Finding places to film
Pre-production includes working out the shoot location, and location managers find and manage them.
Groan of the day: Scouting locations means finding the right spot on the map.
Sources: Filmmaking
Short answer: Movement and dance sequences
The choreographer creates and coordinates the film's movement and dances.
Groan of the day: A choreographer gets the whole scene moving.
Sources: Filmmaking
Short answer: Creates a specific look for a character
The makeup and hair designer works with the costume designer to create a character's look.
Groan of the day: Makeup designers make characters look the part.
Sources: Filmmaking
Short answer: Giving crew members space to work together
The production company establishes a production office providing space for crew to work together.
Groan of the day: The production office is where the crew gets down to business.
Sources: Filmmaking
Short answer: The main filming of the movie
Production records raw footage during the film shoot, including principal photography.
Groan of the day: Principal photography is the main event of shooting.
Sources: Filmmaking
Short answer: It can shoot great video without expensive gear
Smartphones can shoot great video, so Scouts do not need Hollywood's expensive equipment.
Groan of the day: A smartphone puts a camera right in your pocket.
Sources: Scouting America: Moviemaking
Short answer: So batteries do not die mid project
Plugging in as much as possible avoids worrying about batteries dying.
Groan of the day: Plug in and your project won't lose its power.
Sources: Scouting America: Moviemaking
Short answer: Rendering raw files can take hours
Rendering turns raw video files into a finished file and can take a couple of hours.
Groan of the day: Rendering takes time, so don't render your schedule tight.
Sources: Scouting America: Moviemaking
Short answer: To repeat shots as needed and edit later
Filmmaking is nonlinear: filmmakers shoot the script out of sequence, repeat shots, and assemble them in editing.
Groan of the day: Out of order shooting is a cut above.
Sources: Filmmaking
Short answer: Exploring the idea and writing the screenplay
Development is where the initial idea is explored, rights secured, screenplay written, and financing obtained.
Groan of the day: Development is where ideas get a green light.
Sources: Filmmaking
Short answer: Releasing the finished film to audiences
Distribution is where the finished film is released to audiences through cinemas, home video, or streaming.
Groan of the day: Distribution gets the film out and about.
Sources: Filmmaking
Short answer: Visualize scenes and spot problems early
Storyboards help directors and cinematographers visualize scenes and find potential problems before they occur.
Groan of the day: A storyboard artist really draws a crowd.
Sources: Storyboard
Short answer: To match what the camera will see
Frames are drawn in the same aspect ratio as the video format so the board matches the camera's view.
Groan of the day: Good aspect ratio means the board measures up.
Sources: Storyboard
Short answer: Being rough sketches no bigger than a thumbnail
Thumbnail storyboards get their name because they are rough sketches not bigger than a thumbnail.
Groan of the day: Thumbnail sketches are handy in a pinch.
Sources: Storyboard
Short answer: The cost of the overall production
Storyboards help estimate the cost of the overall production and save time.
Groan of the day: A good board keeps the budget on the drawing board.
Sources: Storyboard
Short answer: A simplified moving mock-up of a scene
An animatic is a simplified mock-up showing how a scene will look with motion and timing.
Groan of the day: An animatic really gets things moving.
Sources: Storyboard
Short answer: Still photographs edited in sequence
A photomatic is a series of still photographs edited together and shown in sequence with sound.
Groan of the day: A photomatic develops its story fast.
Sources: Storyboard
Short answer: Assemble a rough cut
A storyboard can help the editor in the first stage of editing when assembling a rough cut.
Groan of the day: The editor cut to the chase.
Sources: Storyboard
The whole guide on one screen. Screenshot it, print it, stick it on the fridge.
Think of your answer first, then peek.
The story you plan to produce. A treatment is a short written telling of the story you plan to produce, conveying a visual picture.
The film's photography and camera work. The DOP heads the photography, supervising cinematographers and camera operators.
The clothing for the characters. The costume designer creates the clothing for characters, working with actors and departments.
Planning the film's expenditures. A production budget is drawn up to plan expenditures for the film.
To repeat shots as needed and edit later. Filmmaking is nonlinear: filmmakers shoot the script out of sequence, repeat shots, and assemble them in editing.
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