Milestone map
Milestone map
3 milestones
Execute principal photography and maintain camera log
Per production schedule (varies by project length)
Complete all planned shoot days following your production schedule. Maintain a camera log recording every take: scene number, shot number, take number, lens used, notes on performance or technical issues, and whether the take is circled (print this take for edit). Camera log must be written on-set, not reconstructed from memory.
Proof required
Submit: (1) camera log from all shoot days (photographed or scanned), (2) a production diary (minimum half page per shoot day) documenting what was achieved against the schedule and any deviations.
What gets checked
- Camera log is clearly shot-by-shot — not a summary written after filming
- Production diary identifies specific deviations from schedule and their cause — not just 'we ran late'
- Camera log shows circled takes — at least one take marked per setup
Common mistakes
- Camera log reconstructed from memory at the end of the day — inaccurate and missing takes
- Schedule deviations not documented — making post-production organisation harder
- Shoot days run significantly over schedule because coverage was not prioritised — the last shots on each day are often the weakest
Resources
Foundationstart here
Depthgo deeper
What a verifier looks for
- Check camera log is shot-by-shot with take numbers — a summary document indicates log was not maintained on-set
- Verify production diary covers all shoot days with specific deviations noted
- Ask student which scene was hardest to execute and why — inability to answer specifically suggests documentation was minimal
Ingest footage, review dailies, and prepare editing assembly
1 week (after shooting)
Ingest all footage into your editing system. Review every circled take, produce a dailies review note (one paragraph per shoot day) identifying which takes are usable and which have technical problems. Organise bins in your NLE (DaVinci Resolve or equivalent) by scene and shot number, mirroring your shot list.
Proof required
Submit: (1) screenshot of your NLE bin structure showing scene and shot organisation, (2) dailies review note (one paragraph per shoot day identifying usable takes and any technical issues).
What gets checked
- Bin structure mirrors shot list — all scenes and shots identifiable without opening clips
- Dailies review identifies specific technical problems (exposure, focus, audio) not just general quality
- Every circled take has been reviewed — no 'haven't watched this scene yet' gaps
Common mistakes
- Bins are organised by date rather than scene — assembling an edit becomes a search operation
- Dailies review skips scenes where the student feels confident — technical problems there go unnoticed until edit
- Not identifying audio problems during dailies — discovering sync or noise issues in the assembly edit is very expensive
Resources
Foundationstart here
Depthgo deeper
What a verifier looks for
- Check bin structure screenshot — bins must be organised by scene and shot, not date
- Verify dailies review covers all shoot days with specific technical notes
- Ask student to identify the single strongest take in their most important scene and explain why — inability indicates dailies were not reviewed analytically
Present footage to director or tutor review before edit begins
1 day (review session)
Present your organised footage (bin structure screenshot + key takes screened) to your director, tutor, or an experienced editor in a pre-edit review. Discuss coverage gaps, strongest takes, and any technical problems. Document the review and any changes to the editing plan.
Proof required
Submit: (1) pre-edit review record (date, reviewer, coverage gaps identified, recommended takes, changes to editing approach — minimum half page), (2) revised editing approach note if any changes were made.
What gets checked
- Pre-edit review identifies specific coverage gaps — not 'coverage looks good'
- Strongest takes are named by shot number — not by vague description
- Review happens before the assembly edit begins — not during it
Common mistakes
- Pre-edit review skipped because 'I know what I have' — coverage gaps discovered only in the assembly edit
- Review is a general discussion rather than a structured look at specific scenes
- Review record is not produced because review was informal
Resources
Foundationstart here
What a verifier looks for
- Confirm review was completed before assembly edit began — not during or after
- Check coverage gaps are named specifically by scene — 'some scenes could be better' is not a gap analysis
- Ask student which scene has the weakest coverage and what their editing plan is for it — inability to answer indicates review was not done analytically
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