The Prolifik team has just returned from a great shoot in Corona, CA with our friends at Plain Joe Studios, and Saddleback Church. While I was on the road I received several emails about how we actually scout when on location. I figured since I still have several of our scout shots handy, I’d throw them up here and give you a look. I generally take 3 different kinds of scouting shots.

DIALOGUE COMPOSITION

This is where I determine the composition for the actual “talking head” moments of the piece. It’s important to know what these set piece locations are so that you can begin to build the additional shots around them.

LIGHTING/TEXTURE INFO

Most of the pieces we create these days include some amount of CG work in post. Whether it’s taking out power lines in a shot, or adding in fighting robots, it’s extremely important to have lighting and texture info on file. Bryan actually handles the majority of these shots since he tends to know a bit better what he will need to make visual magic.

ARTISTIC REMINDERS

Many times I will be on location the day before a shoot and see something awesome that I want to include. I could try to write down exactly what I saw in my director’s notes, but I usually find that it is much easier to have a visual reminder. Sometimes I’ll even roll video on a specific camera move I am hoping to pull off, so that I can view it again before the shoot begins.

So that’s what I do. What about you? What kind of shots do you take before a shoot to evaluate a location?