Learn from an Assistant Director with over 20 years of experience on 100+ films!

Receive exclusive handouts including a sample One-Liner Schedule and accompanying script!

Every successful film shoot starts with a great schedule, and that’s exactly what you’ll learn in this webinar. You’ll discover how to use Movie Magic Scheduling (MMS) to plan your shoot from start to finish, including importing your script, breaking down scenes, building stripboards, creating efficient shooting schedules, and generating reports for every department. By the end of this exclusive Stage 32 webinar, you’ll have the confidence and tools to keep your production on track, on budget, and running smoothly!

Many productions run into unnecessary headaches simply because they skip or mismanage steps. Scripts get imported incorrectly, props or costumes get overlooked, and schedules can leave actors or crew waiting around. These errors cost time, money, and credibility. This webinar will show you how to avoid these pitfalls and use MMS to keep every part of your production organized and efficient.

Your host Michael Bishop is a first assistant director with over two decades of experience, working on 100+ films including TRON: Legacy, Dawn of the Planet of the Apes, and Smallville. A member of the Directors Guild of Canada, Michael brings real-world expertise and practical tips you won’t find anywhere else.

In this interactive webinar, you’ll walk through every step of Movie Magic Scheduling, from script preparation to stripboard creation, department coordination, and final reporting. You’ll leave knowing how to organize your production efficiently, avoid costly mistakes, and create a schedule that works for everyone on set.

PLUS! You Will Receive the following handouts:

• Sample One-Liner Schedule

• Accompanying Script

Praise for Michael

"Michael is the real deal. He was so generous with his knowledge and time. I can't wait to take his next webinar!" - Edith R.

"I learned a lot from this webinar, he was incredibly prepared and very practical in his approach. Thank you Michael!" - Sam T.

Introduction to Movie Magic Scheduling (MMS6)

• Understand the role of MMS in professional film production.

• Learn the interface: stripboard, breakdown sheets, categories, and reports.

Preparing The Script For Import & Importing

• Ensure script formatting in Final Draft follows industry standards 

• Removing unnecessary notes or non-standard formatting 

• Assigning  scene numbers in Final Draft 

• Importing the script

• Verifying content transfers correctly   

Breaking Down The Script

• Opening each scene in Breakdown Sheets.

• Identifying and tagging all elements:

• Color-coding strips by scene type (day/night, interior/exterior, etc.).

Organizing Elements

• Buildubg an Elements List so every tagged item is tracked globally.

• Cross-checking that recurring props, costumes, or cast are consistently tagged.

• Linking elements to specific breakdown sheets for accuracy.

Creating The Stripboard

• Generating the stripboard from breakdown sheets.

• Arranging strips logically to reflect production realities:

• Adjusting for stunts, effects, and other production-heavy days.

Building The Shooting Schedule

• Establishing shooting days and page counts per day.

• Balancing production efficiency vs. creative flow.

• Inputting day breaks and reorder strips into the shooting sequence.

• Inserting banners for company moves, days off, or major production events.

Reports And Exports

• Generating reports:

• Day-out-of-Days (DOOD) for cast.

• Elements breakdowns for each department.

• Shooting schedule for production team.

• Exporting schedule to PDF for sharing with crew.

Q&A With Michael

• Filmmakers, producers, and assistant directors who want to professionalize their scheduling skills

• Anyone working in production management who wants to avoid costly mistakes on set

• Writers and directors who want to understand MMS to make their productions run smoothly

Praise for Michael

"Michael is the real deal. He was so generous with his knowledge and time. I can't wait to take his next webinar!" - Edith R.

"I learned a lot from this webinar, he was incredibly prepared and very practical in his approach. Thank you Michael!" - Sam T.