The “Shooting Ratio” is a term used in the Film and TV industry that basically talks about how much footage gets shot compared to the final edited project length. Imagine a simple drama - it could be around 11 hours of footage that needs to be filmed to make just one hour of the final show. Now, if it's a more complex film, you might need a whopping 100 hours of shot footage to craft just one hour of the finished product. Non-scripted and factual projects take it to a whole new level, sometimes running into hundreds of hours! Why? Because you're chasing those real-life moments, and you can't hit pause or stop until you capture exactly what you need. It's like a behind-the-scenes adventure where every moment counts!
As Post Supervisors, the project shooting ratio affects us in a couple of different ways.
1. Have we got enough crew/time to process all the dailies from the shoot
2. How will we work with our storage efficiently, this includes our Nearline Storage (Local storage, such as Raids in the cutting room or Media Asset Management systems) and our Long Term Storage (Archive - LTO, S3 storage etc)
3. VFX work (Pulls for VFX houses etc)
4. Transfer of data (from set to cutting room or backups)
When talking about shooting ratio, we need to consider…
1. The number of cameras shooting a scene
Determining how many pages of the script to shoot in a day depends on various factors, including the complexity of the scenes, the available resources, and the production schedule. In the film and television industry, the number of script pages shot in a day is often referred to as the "page count" or "daily page count."
As Post Supervisors, the project shooting ratio affects us in a couple of different ways.
1. Have we got enough crew/time to process all the dailies from the shoot
2. How will we work with our storage efficiently, this includes our Nearline Storage (Local storage, such as Raids in the cutting room or Media Asset Management systems) and our Long Term Storage (Archive - LTO, S3 storage etc)
3. VFX work (Pulls for VFX houses etc)
4. Transfer of data (from set to cutting room or backups)
When talking about shooting ratio, we need to consider…
1. The number of cameras shooting a scene
2. The number of camera setups planned for the day
3. The number of pages to be shot on any given shoot day
4. The estimated length of the finished project
Lets go into detail about what the terminology means.
The number of cameras shooting a scene:
In film & TV production, multi-camera shoots redefine the creative process by capturing diverse angles & perspectives simultaneously. This approach enhances efficiency, allowing directors to achieve dynamic shots and nuanced scenes, capturing reactions & reducing the need for retakes. This technique streamlines the filmmaking process, ensuring a polished final product that seamlessly weaves together different angles, contributing to a visually compelling and immersive experience.
The number of camera setups planned for the day:
A camera setup refers to the arrangement and configuration of one or more cameras for a specific shot or scene in filmmaking or tv production. It involves decisions about camera placement, angle, framing, and movement to capture the desired visual elements and convey the intended storytelling or aesthetic effect. The term encompasses various technical and creative considerations, including the choice of lenses, lighting setup, and camera movement. A well-executed camera setup is crucial for achieving the director's vision and contributing to the overall visual narrative of a film or video project. Different camera setups are used to create diverse shots and visual styles, ranging from wide establishing shots to intimate close-ups.
The number of pages to be shot on any given shoot day:
Lets go into detail about what the terminology means.
The number of cameras shooting a scene:
In film & TV production, multi-camera shoots redefine the creative process by capturing diverse angles & perspectives simultaneously. This approach enhances efficiency, allowing directors to achieve dynamic shots and nuanced scenes, capturing reactions & reducing the need for retakes. This technique streamlines the filmmaking process, ensuring a polished final product that seamlessly weaves together different angles, contributing to a visually compelling and immersive experience.
The number of camera setups planned for the day:
A camera setup refers to the arrangement and configuration of one or more cameras for a specific shot or scene in filmmaking or tv production. It involves decisions about camera placement, angle, framing, and movement to capture the desired visual elements and convey the intended storytelling or aesthetic effect. The term encompasses various technical and creative considerations, including the choice of lenses, lighting setup, and camera movement. A well-executed camera setup is crucial for achieving the director's vision and contributing to the overall visual narrative of a film or video project. Different camera setups are used to create diverse shots and visual styles, ranging from wide establishing shots to intimate close-ups.
The number of pages to be shot on any given shoot day:
Determining how many pages of the script to shoot in a day depends on various factors, including the complexity of the scenes, the available resources, and the production schedule. In the film and television industry, the number of script pages shot in a day is often referred to as the "page count" or "daily page count."
A standard guideline is to aim for shooting approximately 3 to 5 pages per day for a typical film or TV production. However, this can vary based on the specific requirements of the script, the level of detail in each scene, the number of locations, and the available budget and time.
Some days may involve shooting fewer pages, especially if scenes are complex or require extensive setup and coordination. Conversely, in certain situations, filmmakers might shoot more pages in a day, such as during dialogue-heavy scenes in controlled environments.
Ultimately, the goal is to strike a balance between maintaining a reasonable pace and ensuring that each shot meets the desired level of quality. Effective planning and coordination among the director, cinematographer, and production team are essential to achieve the right page count while staying within the constraints of the production schedule and budget.
The estimated length of the finished project:
The estimated length of a finished TV or film project plays a pivotal role in determining the shooting ratio, which is the ratio of shot footage to the final edited duration. For feature-length films, filmmakers may allow for a higher shooting ratio, as extensive editing is expected in the production process. In contrast, shorter projects like TV episodes or short films with specific runtimes require a more strategic shooting approach to avoid unnecessary footage and streamline post-production. Balancing the shooting ratio with the estimated length is essential for creative flexibility while ensuring an efficient and effective production process. This alignment demands meticulous planning, script analysis, and collaboration among the creative and technical teams to meet both creative and logistical objectives within the constraints of the project's length.
The estimated length of the finished project:
The estimated length of a finished TV or film project plays a pivotal role in determining the shooting ratio, which is the ratio of shot footage to the final edited duration. For feature-length films, filmmakers may allow for a higher shooting ratio, as extensive editing is expected in the production process. In contrast, shorter projects like TV episodes or short films with specific runtimes require a more strategic shooting approach to avoid unnecessary footage and streamline post-production. Balancing the shooting ratio with the estimated length is essential for creative flexibility while ensuring an efficient and effective production process. This alignment demands meticulous planning, script analysis, and collaboration among the creative and technical teams to meet both creative and logistical objectives within the constraints of the project's length.
Balancing all of these factors is essential for maintaining an efficient shooting ratio, as an increased number of setups and pages can lead to a higher shooting ratio, implying a greater volume of raw footage to be managed during post-production. A former student of ours jokingly referred to the fact that Directors and DOPs should have their average shooting ratio on their CV… This would make our jobs as Post Supervisors easier I think!
BUT LETS GET TO THE GOOD BIT!
To calculate the shooting ratio, you can follow the steps below:
Step 1: Determine the amount of footage shot per day per camera.
Step 2: Multiply the amount of footage shot per day per camera by the number of shoot days to get the total amount of footage shot.
Step 3: Divide the total amount of footage shot by the final picture duration. This will give you the shooting ratio for a single episode.
Step 4: Multiply the shooting ratio per episode by the total number of episodes to get the overall shooting ratio for the entire project.
Let's assume you have the following information:
Amount of Cameras: C
Filmed Hours/minutes per day : H
Number of shoot Days: D
Final picture duration per episode or film: F
Amount of episodes: E
Using the provided formula, the shooting ratio can be calculated as follows:
Shooting Ratio = (C x H x D) / (F x E)
Make sure to plug in the actual values for C, H, D, F, and E into the formula. This will give you the shooting ratio for your specific project.
BUT LETS GET TO THE GOOD BIT!
To calculate the shooting ratio, you can follow the steps below:
Step 1: Determine the amount of footage shot per day per camera.
Step 2: Multiply the amount of footage shot per day per camera by the number of shoot days to get the total amount of footage shot.
Step 3: Divide the total amount of footage shot by the final picture duration. This will give you the shooting ratio for a single episode.
Step 4: Multiply the shooting ratio per episode by the total number of episodes to get the overall shooting ratio for the entire project.
Let's assume you have the following information:
Amount of Cameras: C
Filmed Hours/minutes per day : H
Number of shoot Days: D
Final picture duration per episode or film: F
Amount of episodes: E
Using the provided formula, the shooting ratio can be calculated as follows:
Shooting Ratio = (C x H x D) / (F x E)
Make sure to plug in the actual values for C, H, D, F, and E into the formula. This will give you the shooting ratio for your specific project.
Last Updated 17/12/2020
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