I just finished another film and spent three days on truck unpack doing a bunch of activities. It occurred to me I may not have covered this part of making a film- the dismount. Since the end of one show is (in a way) the beginning of prep for the next, this is important work. Let’s go through the list.
Archive
The first thing I do is duplicate the entire console folder from the film and copy it to my flash drive, put it into the show folder, and make sure there is a copy in the cloud. We are first, last and always the keeper of the data. That means keeping the data in a way that if someone asks you a question about what the look was for a certain scene from the film, you can answer the question several months to a year later. Since I create a color bible spreadsheet, the show folder gets that as well as the obvious truck pack, locations and stages drawings and paperwork. I also take a copy of every Call sheet in case I need them to cross reference and find a particular scene or setup.
Delete Duplicates
Next, I go through the show file archive I leave on my console and delete the duplicate copies of each day’s show files, leaving just the last save of each day. Don’t overfill your console hard drive- ever.
Showfile Cleanup
I believe all professional programmers work with a template. As I stated a moment ago, the end of a show is also prep for the next, and that means going through all the show data of effects, presets, palettes, groups, cue lists and submasters to decide which things you should keep and which should be deleted. Also take time to go through everything in case you could move it around to organize it better. Organization is a habit much more than it is a singular accomplishment. Make sure your new template file is as good as you can make it.
Clean
Working in the desert, there is a lot to clean at end of run. I first vacuum (or spray with compressed air for the items I can’t vacuum), wipe down with a dry cloth, then a damp cloth with some Simple Green, then wipe down with another dry cloth every piece of my gear and anything the Gaffer and BB want me to clean. All consoles get opened up, cleaned, and repaired if needed. Remember that end of run is the end of your gear being insured by Production. Now is the time to make sure everything works correctly and if it isn’t- get your Lost and Damaged paperwork filled out.
Firmware, Function, Factory Reset
I never update anything mid-run unless there is a problem so significant I’m willing to roll the dice. So end of show is when I update all my consoles, laptops, and each fixture my Gaffer and Best Boy own. I then do a full function test of each piece gear to make sure we don’t miss anything that needs to go in for repair. Lastly, I factory reset each light. Factory resets are a programmers best friend, since it makes sure you are starting from a known point.
Science Experiments (If Time Allows)
My favorite time to try out new gear and/or new system levels setups is on truck unpack. This is a perfect time as I’m testing everything to show if there is something wrong with the new gear or its settings. I can catch problems and either find the answer or know that it’s not ready to be put on the next show. This show, I tested a new network switch (and two different firmwares since they updated it mid-unpack) as well as a new light I was interested in. This time is invaluable and yields huge long term benefits for me.
That’s my process. If you have any additional things you do after you complete a film, I’d love to hear them. Hit me in the comments.
Photo by John Moeses Bauan on Unsplash