Prep
Overview
What is prep? Prep (preparation) is the critical time period of a week to ten days before principal photography begins, which is when a director prepares for the upcoming shoot. It happens during the film or television show’s preproduction period.
What does a director do during prep? The director interprets the script and selects every element that will appear in the frame. It is a time to gather the troops and share the vision as the leader of the upcoming episode. The director reads the script and breaks it down for story, character, style, and color. The director casts, or chooses, the actors who will appear in this episode along with the series’ regulars. It is a time to discuss tone with the episode writer and have countless meetings with department heads to answer their questions so that they (and their crews) can have everything ready. The director scouts and chooses locations during prep. Finally—and probably most important—the director plans how to shoot the episode and generates shot lists or storyboards (or both) that will be his roadmap during the shoot.