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Creating Mood Boards for Filmmaking

Jun 12, 2024

Creating Mood Boards for Filmmaking

Introduction

  • Mood boards and treatments are crucial in pre-production for DPs and cinematographers.
  • This guide covers creating mood boards, the apps used, and their importance in filmmaking.
  • Not using mood boards is a disservice to oneself as a filmmaker.

What is a Mood Board?

  • A mood board is a visual display of a project's look and feel using color palettes, pictures, and videos.
  • Helps provide a visual reference for everyone involved in the project.
  • Essential to be descriptive and dial in on the vision.

Reasons to Create a Mood Board

  1. To get the job:

    • Mood boards act as a resume for DPs, helping them get hired.
    • DPs present their treatment based on the project rundown.
    • Competing DPs present treatments, and the best one gets the job.
  2. After being hired as a DP:

    • Collaborate with the director to define the project's look and feel.
    • Find inspirational images together to guide the project's visual style.
  3. For personal projects or specs:

    • Helps in working the creative muscle.
    • Essential for brand deals to show the envisioned execution.
    • Acts as a reference on set to ensure all shots and ideas are included.

Recommended Apps for Creating Mood Boards

  • Frameset: Great for commercial projects, offers motion visuals.
  • Shotdeck: Focuses on film and TV references.
  • Canva: Versatile with templates, textures, shapes, fonts, and more.
  • Other options: Milanote, Notion, Pinterest.

Workflow Using Frameset and Canva

  1. Using Frameset: Search for inspirational photos

    • Example: Search for “roller skating” for relevant images.
    • Create a set from selected images to tell a story.
  2. Building the Deck in Canva:

    • Title Page: Main picture and project/client title.
    • Technical Details: Camera, lenses, and support equipment.
    • Project Description: Brief overview of the project.
    • Shot Choices and Angles: Descriptions and visuals of key shots.
    • Color Tone and Mood: Visuals of the intended color scheme.
    • Location Shots: Visual references for locations to show clarity.
  3. Additional Elements: (if needed)

    • Lighting Grid: For planned setups and interviews.
    • Storyboard: For detailed planning with the director.
    • Presentation Style: Keep it simple but aesthetically pleasing.

Final Tips

  • Invest time in making mood boards; they clarify the vision and improve collaboration.
  • Mood boards should aesthetically please and clearly convey your vision to the team.
  • Continuous learning and practice will help refine your mood board creation process.

Acknowledgments and Conclusion

  • Shoutout to Erin, a cinematographer who inspired and taught the importance of mood boards.
  • Encouragement for viewers to ask questions and engage with the content.
  • Call to action: Like, share, and subscribe for more content.