THE ORIGINAL PLANNING DOCUMENTS OF

A S U C C E S S F U L FA N TA S Y S H O OT I N G

Your Name

Title of
Your
Shooting
Confidential:
This document must not
be shared with 3rd parties
Copyright 2010 by the photographer
 Copyright 2010 by the photographer

Confidential
This document is absolutely confidential. It may not be shared with anyone other than individuals
granted permission by the photographer. In case you received this document from anyone other than
the photographer then you have received illegal materials.

-2-
2010 by the photographer
Table Of Contents

How To Use This Template............................................................................4

Production Countdown Checklist..................................................................5
The Great Photo Idea...................................................................................6
The Story.....................................................................................................7
Roles And Responsibilities Checklist............................................................8
All Contact Details And Addresses...............................................................9
Contacts Details Of The People Involved....................................................................................................... 9
Addresses Of The Places Involved.................................................................................................................. 10
Location Requirements Checklist...............................................................11
Styling Matrix.............................................................................................12
Carry On Luggage Checklist.......................................................................13
Check In Luggage Checklist.......................................................................14
Weather Forecast 15 Days Before Shooting...............................................15
Location Visit Checklist..............................................................................16
Day Before Shooting Checklist...................................................................17
Gear Checklist............................................................................................18
Takeoff Checklist........................................................................................19
The Holy Shooting Schedule......................................................................20
Ramp Up Step By Step List........................................................................21
List Of Frames To Produce In Each Scene...................................................22
Varying Point Of View.................................................................................23
Lighting Setup...........................................................................................24
Postproduction...........................................................................................25
Lessons Learned........................................................................................26
Templates For Shooting Contracts / Model Releases..................................27
English Contract................................................................................................ 27
English / Chinese Contract................................................................................27
English / German Contract................................................................................27
English / Japanese Contract...............................................................................27

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2010 by the photographer
How To Use This Template

This template makes it super easy for us photographers, to come up with a solid and
complete planning for a photo shooting. I used it several times now and with each iteration it
is getting a little bit better and more complete.

Heres how I use the template and how I suggest you use it, too:

First customize the template for a shoot. Start with the production countdown checklist on
the next page. Go through the list and delete the lines which do not apply to the shooting
you are planning. If you are not traveling to another country for a shooting, then obviously
items like get a visa and get vaccines do not apply to you. Simply delete them.
Then go through the remaining chapters, remove everything that does not suite you this
time.

Second, fill in the information you have. Start with your great shooting idea. Describe it. If it
is not big yet, make it bigger. From there on go through the rest of the chapters and fill in
everything you already got.

Thirdly, use the production countdown checklist to work on every aspect of the planning. You
already wrote down your big shooting idea? Excellent, then tick off the first box (can be tricky
in MS Word I usually just replace it by an x. While you are at it, also tick off start making
a production book. You just started it. Next thing is planning the location. Fill in your location
requirements checklist, let your location scout come up with a suitable location, customize
the location visit checklist and so on, until you can tick of the location planning checkbox.

Go on like this until the complete Production Countdown is ticket off. By that time you should
be right in the middle of your well organized shooting, ready to take at least 3 killer
exposures.

Have fun and

Good light!
-- Michael (michael@zelbel.com)

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2010 by the photographer
Production Countdown Checklist

o 12 Weeks Before develop a big shooting idea

o 11 Weeks Before start making a production book
o 9 Weeks Before plan the location with your location scout
o 8 Weeks Before define the roles of your staff
o 7 Weeks Before define the scenes to shoot
o 7 Weeks Before start working with your translator
o 6 Weeks Before define props and fashion with your stylist
o 6 Weeks Before define hairdo and makeup with makeup artist
o 6 Weeks Before organize and align with models
o 6 Weeks Before align with assistant
o 6 Weeks Before get location permit
o 5 Weeks Before book flights
o 5 Weeks Before organize transport to location
o 5 Weeks Before organize parking
o 5 Weeks Before organize a fallback location/studio
o 4 Weeks Before collect and distribute all contact details
o 4 Weeks Before build the team
o 3 Weeks Before test lighting ideas
o 3 Weeks Before care about a studio as fallback
o 2 Weeks Before check weather forecast
o 2 Weeks Before make detailed shooting schedule
o 2 Weeks Before align models, stylists and other team members
o 1 Week Before go through preparation checklist
o 6 Days Before buy props and stuff in home country
o 5 Days Before check weather forecast again
o 4 Days Before align on what models and stylists bring with them
o 3 Days Before traveling to the destination
o 2 Days Before check the location
o 2 Days Before define where to put what on location
o 1 Days Before go through preparation checklist again
o 1 Days Before buy local props and things locally
o Shooting Day go through gear checklist
o Shooting Day follow the shooting schedule
o Shooting Day follow the shooting plan

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2010 by the photographer
The Great Photo Idea

This shooting is about

The key statement that the photos make is

I imagine the following scenes

Some examples for photos like this are

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2010 by the photographer
The Story

We will think of the shooting as taking photos of scenes from the following little story. This
will help us to express a common mood and expression when it comes to setting up the
scene, clothing and makeup, posting, lighting and all the other creative elements.

The main characters of our story is. She is living in One day she

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2010 by the photographer
Roles And Responsibilities Checklist
Each team member is responsible for their tasks and for overcoming their challenges.

Role Top Tasks, Responsibilities and Challenges Casting Result

Model 1. Have top body condition on day of shooting,

good nails
2. Sign release with complete transfer of all image
rights incl. commercial
3.

4.

Hair and 1. Care that the makeup is like planned and always
Makeup Stylist perfect
2. Care about the hair
3.

Fashion Stylist 1. Bring the clothes

2. Closely align with hair and makeup stylist
3.

Location Scout 1. Care for a suitable location

2. Deal with every obstacle on location
3.

Drivers/ 1. Be prepared with checked and filled up cars on

Assistants day of shooting
2. Know exactly the route to the location
3.

Translator 1. Capable of translation photoshooting related

terms;
2. Stay on my side all the time, and proactively
translate whatever I say to whoever I address
3.

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2010 by the photographer
All Contact Details And Addresses

Contacts Details Of The People Involved

Model Model

Makeup and Styling Fashionstyling

Location Scout Agent

Postproduction Photographer

Other Other

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2010 by the photographer
Addresses Of The Places Involved

Location

Address.

Hotel / Base

Address.

Markets/Shops for stuff needed

Address.

Fallback Location / Studio

Address.

Restaurant for dinner after the shooting

Address.

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2010 by the photographer
Location Requirements Checklist

Category Requirement Result

Type

Distance

Accessibility

Privacy

Legal

Examples

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2010 by the photographer
Styling Matrix

Category Across Scenes Scene #1 Scene #2 Scene #3 Scene #4

Makeup style

Eyes

Lashes

Contacts

Cheeks

Lips

Hair

Others

Fashion

Accessories

Props

-12-
2010 by the photographer
Examples

Carry On Luggage Checklist

o passport incl. visa

o production book
o camera body
o camera fallback body
o camera battery chargers
o lenses
o memory cards
o speedlights
o laptop + charger
o

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2010 by the photographer
Check In Luggage Checklist

Photography items Props for the shooting

o camera tripod o wigs and similar

o laptop holder o costumes
o guerilla pod o sunglasses etc
o angle view finder o music for the shooting
o speedlight cables
o snoot Other items
o color filters
o light stands o clothes
o umbrella swivels o toilet items
o umbrellas o luggage strap
o reflectors
o greycard
o lens cleaning kit
o gaffer tape
o USB cable
o GPS tracker
o velcro
o a piece of aluminum wrap
o card reader
o compass

-14-
2010 by the photographer
Weather Forecast 15 Days Before Shooting

According to the 15 day weather forecast of AccuWeather (http://zelbel.com/weather) the

weather on location at the scheduled day of the shooting will be like this:

Temperatures:

Felt Temperature:

Wind:

Clouds / Rain:

Sunrise / Sunset:

-15-
2010 by the photographer
Location Visit Checklist

Checkpoint Result

Parking Space? Distance to set?

Electric power 220V available?

Restrooms?

Changingroom?

Retreat in case of rain?

Place to store gear?

Drinks, food, snacks available?

Where is the sun at the time of

shooting? Where is it going to set?

Can the models pose conveniantly?

Mosquitoes, bugs?

Temperature at location?

Is it a public place? Viewers /

spectators expected?

Can we play music?

Can we get in conflict with somebody?

Find the exact position for your

shooting!

Make sample photos! Good exposures

of sky, greenery, rocks, other elements
of the compositions!

Is the location really suitable?

-16-
2010 by the photographer
Day Before Shooting Checklist

o camera batteries charged

o memory cards clean
o speedlight batteries charged
o laptop battery charged
o external battery charged
o laptop hard drive got 20GB space
o got music for the shooting
o all participants have address and driving instructions
o contracts are printed and ready to sign
o weather forecast is OK
o got drinks and food for the shooting

-17-
2010 by the photographer
Gear Checklist

o production book o bugspray

o camera body and batteries o sunscreen
o fallback camera body and batteries o clothes
o lenses o jewelry
o memory cards o wigs
o tripod o smoke effects
o lightstands o drinks
o flashes o fruit
o flash cables
o snoots
o color filters
o umbrellas
o angle view finder
o laptop + external battery
o USB cable
o reflectors
o graycard
o GPS tracker
o velcro
o gaffer tape
o aluminum wrap
o lens cleaning kit
o compass

-18-
2010 by the photographer
Takeoff Checklist

Things to check before we start driving to our location

o equipment checklist checked

o clocks in Laptop and cameras on local time
o cameras zerod out and working
o GPS tracker got space and is running
o cars are filled up and driver knows the way

-19-
2010 by the photographer
The Holy Shooting Schedule

We absolutely MUST stick to the following schedule on the day of the

shooting

Shedule, [Date]

aa:00 bb:00 Drive to location

bb:00 cc:00 Prepare Scene #1, Makeup

cc:00 dd:00 Shoot Scene #1

dd:00 ee:00 Shoot Scene #2

ee:00 ff:00 Shoot Scene #3

ff:00 Pack up the stuff an leave Location

-20-
2010 by the photographer
-21-
2010 by the photographer
Ramp Up Step By Step List

List of activities to be done directly after arriving on location

1. Mark the exact spot where we shoot the first scene by putting a bucket there

2. Park the cars as close as possible

3. Models oil their skin

4. Everybody use bugspray

5. Setup the camera tripod for the first scene

6. Setup camera, check the main settings

7. Attache remote trigger, angle viewfinder, pocket wizard

8. Tether with laptop

9. Setup the lightstands with the main light and the kicker light, just place them somewhere

10. Compose the geometry of the scene, probably with an assistant posing

11. Place the lightstands at the correct position

12. Adjust the power of the main light

13. Adjust the power of the kicker light

14. You are ready to go, shoot your first scene

-22-
2010 by the photographer
List Of Frames To Produce In Each Scene

List of the frames we shoot in each scene.

Before the model enters the scene:

1. Available light exposure

2. Optimum Sky exposure

3. Grey Cube

4. mainlight switched on

5. all lights switched on

6. lighting setup documentation

With the model

7. First making-of photos

8. Makeup test portait

9. Model speaking her text

10. Model right after speaking

11. Model turned her head*

12. Creatively improvised

13. Details, closeups

14. Second making-of photos

-23-
2010 by the photographer
Varying Point Of View

During

POV 1:

POV 2:

POV 3:

-24-
2010 by the photographer
Lighting Setup

Here are some scribbles (probably made online with (http://zelbel.com/diagram) for the
lighting setup for our different scenes:

-25-
2010 by the photographer
Postproduction

For postproduction the following is planned

o Stretch photo by 5%
o Make eyes 5% bigger
o Rubberstamp pimples and spots
o Make skin smoother
o sharpen
o

-26-
2010 by the photographer
Lessons Learned

In our shooting the following thing went wrong, or can be improved. I will add checkpoints
and planning steps to the production book of the NEXT shooting, so that these things cannot
come up again:

Issue 1

Issue 2

-27-
2010 by the photographer
Templates For Shooting Contracts / Model Releases

There is another version of this template that comes with the Beijing Blueprint eBook. That
version contains also some model release contract templates.

-28-
2010 by the photographer