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Crew Academy West | Movie Magic

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Course: Movie Magic

Date8th and 9th May Movie Magic Scheduling | 15th, 16th and 17th May Movie Magic Budgeting (half days)

Duration: 09:30 am – 01:30 pm

Cost: Free

Venue:  online

Tutor: Steve Clark-Hall

Course Profile:

Movie Magic Scheduling: This course is intended for those who wish to develop a good understanding of Movie Magic Scheduling.

This in-depth course is designed for people working in production, especially emerging producers, line producers, production managers, accountants, and emerging 1st ADs.  Training includes practice in breaking down a narrative script and extracting data from the script at a level of detail required to build industry-standard budgets and schedules.

Key areas to be discussed during the course:

  • Overview of the script to budget process
  • Reviewing the key principles of breaking down a script
  • Hands-on exercise marking up a short film script
  • Hands-on exercise entering the data taken from the Short Film Script
  • Design your strips to include all relevant data
  • Schedule the Short Film Script
  • Using a sample schedule for a “Major Motion Picture” do a fast Automatic Schedule – entering Day Breaks and Text banners
  • Detailed Scheduling exercise 
  • Designing and exporting reports including DOODS, STRIP BOARDS AND “FULL FAT” SCHEDULES
  • Work on an example of a Multi Territory/Multi Episodic TV Schedule 
  • Produce the Detailed Critical Assumptions Sheet that will “Drive” the budgeting process for the MMP and the Multi Territory TV Show

By the end of the course, you will have a greater understanding of the whole scheduling process and feel confident about starting to use Movie Magic Scheduling software on your own productions and develop the Critical Assumptions that can be used to drive the Budgeting process.

Movie Magic Budgeting: Introduction to MMB10 Budgeting is intended for those wishing to develop their Movie Magic Budgeting knowledge. No previous experience with MMB7 or MMB10 is required but basic computer literacy and familiarity with Film / TV production basics are assumed.

Training will use a sample schedule with practical exercises to put the manipulation of the software into practice.

Key areas to be discussed during the course:

  • Introduction to the principles of budgeting
  • Setting up Movie Magic MMB10 Programme (participants will need to have signed up for 1 month’s Free Trial of Entertainment Partners MMB10 Software prior to the course)
  • Overview of Movie Magic Budgeting tools
  • The interface between the Movie Magic Schedule and Budget (Critical Assumptions)
  • Setting up and applying and working with currencies, globals, fringes and groups
  • Entering sample Technicians and using “Short Cuts” Function
  • Setting up and using library
  • Setting up the topsheet
  • Contractual charges and tax incentives
  • Preparing for budgets cost reporting

By the end of the course, you will have a greater understanding of the whole budgeting process and feel confident about starting to use Movie Magic Budgeting software on your own productions.

Participant Profile:

This hands-on program is aimed at Film & TV Drama production personnel who wish to use Movie Magic for all sizes and types of productions.  Priority will be given to roles, such as Producers, Production crew and Assistant Directors, that are required to use the software as part of their roles.

Application Procedure:

Please apply online at this link by 12 pm on Friday 28th April 2023

For technical difficulties with the online system please email lorraine.higgins@nationaltalentacademies.ie 

Film & TV Crew Academy West courses are open to all regardless of gender, race, religion, sexual orientation, or disability.

Tutor Profile: 

Steve Clark Hall – Producer/Line Producer  

Steve is currently wrapping up a new Netflix TV series Half Bad, having completed work on series 1 of Armando Iannucci’s  Avenue 5  for HBO. His production, Peter Kosminsky’s   The State   was broadcast on C4/Nat Geo in August 2017.     

Steve set up Skyline Films in Edinburgh with his partner Mairi Bett. Steve is a long-serving UK producer and acts as a consultant for major film and TV companies, as UK co-producer, executive producer as well as developing original programming.     

Steve Clark Hall produced the Warner Bros production King Arthur – Legend of the Sword.  Steve has experience in producing a wide range of productions at different genres, budget levels and for different markets.   

Prior to that, he produced the first 4 episodes of the NBC/Carnival miniseries Dracula, based in Budapest and two Warner Bros Sherlock Holmes films (director Guy Ritchie, starring Robert Downey Jnr, and Jude Law).   

Steve has extensive experience filming outside the UK.  Recently he produced “BRITZ” the BAFTA winning 2-part mini Series Directed by Peter Kosminsky, part of which was filmed in India. He has filmed in South Africa (Regis Warnier’s Man to Man), France (Secret Lies, directed by Julian Fellows), LA (Calendar Girls, directed by Nigel Cole), Hungary (Dracula), Spain (The State) amongst other countries.