Precon Process

Before you call "Action!", you sit down with the director, cinematographer, sound department, and production designer—this is the precon process, and it determines whether your shoot will run smoothly or if you'll be improvising on set like in a B-movie. These preparatory conferences typically take place 2–4 weeks before principal photography begins and are not for the impatient.

The cinematographer brings their ideas about the look: which focal lengths, which lighting conditions, which movement patterns? You coordinate with the director—not the other way around. The director has a vision, and your job in precon is to make it realistic or offer alternatives. Production design presents mockups, color palettes, set designs; sound raises concerns (reverb in large rooms, external noise). No one improvises solutions later that would have cost 50,000 Euros if they could have been clarified in precon. That is the real purpose: resolving conflicts before the shoot, not on set.

In practice, such discussions happen in several rounds. First precon: overall vision, style, tonality. Second precon: concrete scene-by-scene planning with storyboards or previz. Third precon (often called technical): equipment check, crew roles, timing. With smaller projects, this condenses into half a day; on larger productions, it's spread over weeks. The script is your reference point—every scene is discussed.

What is often underestimated: Precon is also a learning moment for all departments. You quickly notice where the production designer and the director have been talking past each other, where sound disagrees with the musical direction. Better conflicts early than nasty surprises on set. After precon, every department should know what the others are doing, what compromises are necessary, and where the limits of possibility lie—this is called aligned production, and it saves time, money, and nerves.