ABSTRACT
The very first step the production manager (PM) must take to evaluate a project's overall size and scope is completing a thorough breakdown of the finished screenplay. With an initial "first-glance" reading of a screenplay, an experienced producer or PM can get a good estimate of the size of a production—that is, how long the shooting period, how many necessary cast members, how much required travel, how expensive the props and sets, and much more. However, a reliable budget estimate can be calculated only after the screenplay has been broken down professionally. All various breakdowns are channeled back to the PM. These too become the basis for time estimates, scheduling, and cost budgeting. After all the information has been obtained and all the questions answered—which, in many instances, is possible only after further location scouting, surveying, and on-site research—the script breakdown sheets will be complete. The PM's next step is the creation of the shooting schedule.
