Make A Floor Plan
As we have seen in : The cutting technique, it is preferable, or even essential to make a floor plan once you have completed your cutting technique. I invite you to read Learn how to make a decoupage Technique Part1 and Part2
The floor plan will allow you to see any errors that you could commit when writing your cutting but is also a basic extraordinary if you want to make a storyboard.
The floor plan materializes your cutting technique and the storyboard puts it in perspective. I’ll do an article on this point a bit later, but if you’re impatient you can go and read or re-read : make a short film Part1 and Part2 ;o).
I’ll repeat the example I used in the article : the clipping technique.
We took this sequence of a continuity of dialogue :
Sequence 3 : Ext – Street/ Maurice – evening
Maurice came out of his house, a small package in hand. JULIETTE, his wife, is just behind. She kisses him. George is supported on the 2cv.
Georges approaches Juliet and him kiss each other.
Juliette
Hello Georges
Georges
Hi my beautiful
Juliette
You know, there are only you who can call me like that ! Maurice told me that it seems that the factory that night there was work, and that the more you type an intern ?
Georges
Uh…Yeah, not gonna lie idle
Maurice (embarrassed)
Well, ben…we will go
Juliette
Once you get rid of the world, the next day take interns, and tomorrow it will be what ? I swear to you, it is because we need this to work otherwise I would go to see me ! There could at least you go in the day shift.
Georges
There longer know what to invent to make us goats…
Juliette
Y want to push you to leave, especially as an intern it is less expensive, this is the truth
Maurice
Well, we should go there. I’ll join you under the covers, I love you kitten
Juliette
Me too
The two friends greet Juliet and ride by car. Juliet slams the door.
And then we had transformed into a Cutting technique :
Sequence 3 : Ext – Street/ Maurice – Day
Plan 1* : Trav Av Lat Left-to-right way. “Maurice came out of his house, a package in hand, he embraces his wife ; Juliet” the end of the work on Leader Georges supported on the 2cv.
- Master (from the beginning to the end of the sequence)
Plan 2 : Fields on Juliette in the plan size of the ” hello my beautiful George : we will not lie idle)
Plan 3 : Against Fields on Georges (same Value)
Plan 4 : plan the-shoulder american on the three characters. “Well well well…we are going to go, “Juliet” me too “. Then pano Right-to-Left when Georges and Maurice ride by car.
Plan 5 plan 1 : Juliet slams the door pano right-to-left on the two friends who head to the car.
Here is the representation of all of this with a floor plan :
I do express by hand ! ;o)
As we said, this floor plan ? It not only shows the positions of the characters but also of the axis camera.
We can very well see that the map 1 and 5 (gentlemen) must be done first for two reasons :
– The plan to film the entire sequence
– The gentlemen must not be there for plans 3 and 4, otherwise the rails of the traveling will be in the fields !
For the last point I can already hear myself say (or think) : you can do it also in the last…well no !
Why ?
Little trick of assistant director ; (o) Mounting a traveling takes time, so it’s best to ride it during the time of preparation, that is to say, before starting to turn. Then during the change of plan and its installation, we can remove the line without disturbing anyone.
Another advantage to turn this plan first : as this plan is filming the whole sequence, the actors will know where to place, and you (“producer”) you can really see how the scene unfolds. You can thus adjust your ” cutting “ or ” achievement “ in function of this plan ;o)
I have read, here and there, that some young directors were doing a floor plan for each plan (one plan per page if you prefer) ! Unless you have only that to do of your days…go there ! ;o)
But frankly this is not worth it. And then you end up with a hundred (or much more) of floor plans that you’re going to have to lug around…this is not a good idea ;o)
Do it like my example, if a plan looks messy or not very clear, make a drawing next to the first. Service appointment ;o)
Last minute : Information from a user of the blog, there’s an app to make floor plans in two clicks. In addition you can move the cameras and the actors. I’m going to download it and you do an article on it soon. Apparently there is a Lite version (free) or the pro version costs 17,99 €.
I put you the links for Iphone, Ipad and android as well as a video demo (sorry in English) But just by looking at it you understand the full potential of this application ;o).
download the Iphone version Here
Download the Ipad Version here
I am also a first tuttorial (always in English ;o( )
But the images are rather informative ;o)
I always try to be as clear as possible in my explanations but if you have any questions please do not hesitate to leave me a little message.
If you liked this article, the best way to tell me that it is to click the “Like” button at the top of the article. You can also read other articles by returning to the site map by clicking on the link.
Soon,
Tom W.