Mastering Stripboards: Tips for Efficient Production Planning with Prescene

For assistant directors, line producers, and production managers, the venerable stripboard (or shooting schedule) is an indispensable tool. It’s essentially the blueprint of “when and where” every scene of a script will be filmed, with those colored strips famously representing each scene on a board or digital timeline. Creating a stripboard and updating it through production is a complex dance of logistics, time management, and contingency planning. Prescene’s automated scene breakdown features can give you a head start in this process, turning script analysis into production intelligence. In this post, we’ll share tips on how to master stripboards by using Prescene to plan an efficient shoot. From the initial breakdown to the final scheduling tweaks, AI can help ensure your production planning is thorough, smart, and ready for action.

Tip 1: Start with a Comprehensive AI Breakdown

Before you even think about the schedule, you need a detailed breakdown of every scene. Prescene’s automated script breakdown will parse your script and list out the key elements per scene: locations, INT/EXT, day/night, characters, props, vehicles, VFX, and so on (Prescene) (Prescene).

How to use it: Once you upload your script to Prescene and get the breakdown report, review it carefully with your production team. This becomes the foundation of your stripboard. Ensure that:

• Every scene is accounted for and numbered correctly. The AI typically captures scene headings, but double-check none are missed, especially if you have atypical formatting.
• All crucial details are noted. For example, the breakdown might note “Scene 7: INT. KITCHEN – DAY. Characters: John, Maya. Props: Broken plate, Knife.” If you know there’s also a dog in the scene or a special effect (like simulated rain outside the window), make sure it’s captured. You can often customize or add columns in Prescene’s breakdown interface (Prescene) to include such specifics (e.g., an “Animals” column or “Special FX” column).
• Time to day match: Check that day/night and INT/EXT are correctly identified (How to Create a Shooting Schedule (Free Template Included) | Wrapbook), as these will affect how you schedule (e.g., you might want to group all night scenes together). Prescene is usually accurate here, but glance through, especially if your script has trickier scenes (like a scene that starts interior then goes exterior – maybe it lists it as INT/EXT).

Having this breakdown in an Excel export (which Prescene provides (Prescene)) is incredibly helpful. You now have a spreadsheet of scenes and requirements that you can sort and manipulate as needed for scheduling.

Tip 2: Use Custom Columns for Department Needs

Every production has its own quirks. Prescene’s breakdown allows custom columns (Prescene), which you should utilize to tailor the data for each department:

• If you’re a props master, add a column to note any special props or set dressings. Prescene may list props within scene descriptions, but highlighting the key ones in a dedicated column (e.g., “gun, 1960s telephone, blood packet”) ensures you see at a glance which scenes have special prop needs.
• For the wardrobe department, you might have a column for costume changes or notes like “John in uniform” or “Maya in wedding dress (stunt duplicate needed)”.
• Makeup/Hair could have a column if there are prosthetics or special looks (e.g., “Scene 30: aging makeup on John”).
• Stunts/FX should definitely be flagged. Perhaps a “Stunt/FX” column where Prescene (or you manually) note “fight scene” or “green screen background”.

By customizing these columns in the breakdown, when it comes time to schedule, you can consider these factors. For example, you might not want to shoot two heavy stunt scenes back-to-back to give the team a breather, or conversely, cluster them when the stunt coordinator is on set. With clearly labeled breakdown info, you can sort or filter scenes in your spreadsheet by these needs.

Tip 3: Group Scenes for Scheduling with AI Insights

Now for the actual stripboard scheduling. Traditionally, you’d group scenes by location, cast, day/night, etc., to minimize company moves and actor hold times. Prescene’s breakdown can be sorted by any column to help identify these clusters.

• Sort by Location: Use the breakdown to list all scenes by location. Prescene lists the location as given in the scene header (e.g., “ABANDONED WAREHOUSE” or “JOHN’S HOUSE – KITCHEN”). Group those. If two locations are effectively the same place in real life (e.g., “House – Kitchen” and “House – Bedroom” might be filmed at the same physical house), you can mark them as one location for scheduling purposes. The AI won’t know your filming plan, so add a “Shoot Location” column to group set pieces that will be filmed in one place. For example, mark both “House – Kitchen” and “House – Bedroom” scenes with “Smith Residence Set” as the shoot location. This way, you can easily filter all scenes in “Smith Residence Set” and schedule them together.
• Filter by Day/Night: Once grouped by location, check day/night splits (How to Create a Shooting Schedule (Free Template Included) | Wrapbook). You might want to schedule all the day scenes at a location together and all the nights together (since lighting setups differ vastly). Prescene’s breakdown will show D/N, so sequence accordingly on your stripboard (maybe use different color strips for day vs night for visual clarity, a common practice).
• Cluster by Cast Availability: The breakdown lists which characters (hence actors) are in each scene (How to Create a Shooting Schedule (Free Template Included) | Wrapbook). You can create a quick reference matrix of which actors are needed on which days by tentatively mapping scenes to days. Prescene doesn’t automatically schedule days, but once you group scenes, you can do a rough assignment of scenes to shooting days (perhaps in that spreadsheet or directly in scheduling software). Look at the cast columns – if an actor is in scenes slated for Day 3 and Day 7 only, you might be able to consolidate their work to fewer days if possible, saving on their contract days. AI breakdown ensures you didn’t overlook a one-line appearance of that actor in some other scene, which might otherwise cause a costly extra day.
• Consider Scene Length and Page Count: Prescene can give an approximate page count per scene (by analyzing scene start and end). This helps estimate how long each scene might take to shoot (e.g., a 0.5 page scene vs a 5 page scene). Traditionally, 1 page ~ 1 minute of screen time and might be a couple hours of shooting, though it varies. Use these lengths to balance your days. Don’t load a single day with 10 pages of intense scenes and another with 2 pages of simple scenes – unless other factors dictate. The breakdown and perhaps the AI coverage report can highlight which scenes are lengthy or complex. One useful metric: scenes with a lot of elements (many cast, special effects) often take longer than their page count suggests. If Prescene’s breakdown shows Scene 50 has 8 characters, a fight, and a complex location, allocate more time for it.

Tip 4: Leverage AI for Risk Management in Scheduling

A good shooting schedule anticipates what could go wrong or change. Here’s how AI breakdown helps:

• Weather or Light Dependencies: Filter scenes by EXT and day/night. You know all EXTs need weather planning. If you have a sequence of exterior scenes marked Day, consider scheduling them with some cushion days or alternate indoor cover sets, in case of weather issues. The breakdown gives you the full list of exteriors to plan around. Similarly, if shooting day-for-night or vice versa, note those.
• Complex Scenes Identification: Some scenes are just tougher (stunts, crowds, complex camera moves). Prescene’s breakdown might not label complexity outright, but you can infer some: many characters = crowd scene, presence of vehicles or FX = complex, etc. Additionally, you as AD or PM know from the script content. Mark these scenes in your plan (maybe asterisks or a note “High complexity”). A tip is to not schedule two high-complexity scenes back-to-back on the same day if possible. Use AI breakdown to spot if, say, Scene 12 and 13 are both huge even if short on page count, and consider separating them in the schedule.
• Resource Allocation: The breakdown’s integrated view of requirements helps ensure resources (equipment, special team personnel) are lined up. For example, if scenes with a special camera rig (crane or drone) are scattered, maybe group them so you rent that rig for one contiguous period. Use the notes column to mark “drone” or “steadicam” for scenes needing them. Then, as you schedule, cluster those marks. This optimizes equipment rentals and crew scheduling, saving money. The AI won’t do that clustering for you, but by having all needs clearly listed, you as the planner can make informed decisions.

Tip 5: Communicate with Departments Using AI Reports

Once you’ve got a preliminary stripboard (shooting schedule draft), use Prescene’s breakdown output to back up your plan in department meetings:

• Share Customized Breakdowns: Perhaps create department-specific reports from the AI data. For example, filter and share with the costume designer a list of scenes per shooting day with characters and any special notes (so they can track costume continuity and changes per day). Because Prescene ensures no scene is missed, they can trust that list.
• Daily Call Sheet Prep: Closer to production, the breakdown remains handy. It’s essentially the foundation of daily call sheets. Many ADs rewrite breakdown info into call sheet scene descriptions (like scene synopsis, required props, etc.). With Prescene’s data, you can copy relevant bits directly, reducing oversight. It might even integrate with scheduling software to pre-fill scene details.
• Adjusting on the Fly: If a schedule change happens (it will!), you can quickly consult the breakdown for ramifications. Example: If Day 5’s scenes get moved to Day 7 due to rain, check what elements Day 7 now has via breakdown – is there any conflict, like the horse needed in those scenes wasn’t supposed to be on set Day 7? The breakdown will show where the horse (if listed) appears. This helps catch potential issues of rescheduling. Essentially, any time you reshuffle, glance at the detailed requirements of affected scenes to ensure you still have the needed resources on the new day.

Tip 6: Iterate and Refine with AI Verification

After you draft the stripboard, you can cross-verify it against the Prescene breakdown:

• Go through each planned shooting day and cross-check: do we have all the scenes accounted for? (Use scene numbers from breakdown as a checklist).
• Ensure that, for each day’s set of scenes, the combined requirements are feasible. For example, breakdown shows Scenes 14 and 16 both need actor X who is now on Day 6 schedule – good; or if actor Y is in Scene 20 also scheduled Day 6 and in Scene 22 on Day 7, and actor Y has limited availability, maybe move things accordingly now rather than later conflict.
• The breakdown can also hint at possible order of shooting on the day. ADs often plan the day’s sequence by logistics (e.g., all shots in the kitchen then move to the living room). The breakdown listing location for each scene helps you order them logically. It might even show interior/exterior order if you’re doing a “split day” (daytime exteriors then interior night etc). Plan that flow and mark it.

Finally, maintain your breakdown data alongside the stripboard throughout production. As changes occur, update your breakdown sheet with actuals (like what was shot, any changes in elements). Prescene’s breakdown, in combination with human updates, effectively becomes a living production Bible. By wrap, you’ll have a fully annotated breakdown reflecting what was done, which is useful for post-production or if pick-ups are needed (you’ll easily recall which scenes had what).

In conclusion, mastering stripboards with Prescene is about marrying technology with AD savvy. The AI provides a rock-solid foundation of information – you bring the human judgment to optimize the schedule. With every detail at your fingertips and these tips in mind, you can create shooting schedules that are efficient, minimize surprises, and keep the entire crew on the same page. Happy scheduling, and may your shoot days be smooth and ahead of time!