The Last Slice - Production Breakdown

The Last Slice was the first collaborative production I worked on during my first year at university. As part of the assignment, our team was challenged to create an original three-minute short film that would establish an emotional connection with its audience.

We chose to centre our story around a surprisingly familiar dilemma: who gets the last slice of pizza? It is a situation that many groups of friends have experienced, yet it is rarely explored as the focus of a story. By taking this everyday scenario and building a narrative around it, we aimed to create a short film that was both relatable and entertaining.

In this blog post, I'll take you through our entire production process, from the initial concept and pre-production planning to filming and post-production. I'll also discuss my primary responsibilities within the project, reflecting on my role, the challenges I faced, and the valuable lessons I learned throughout the experience.

The Preproduction Process

Before we began the pre-production paperwork, our group first decided on the roles and responsibilities each team member would take on throughout the project. I was selected to be both the Production Manager and the Assistant Director, meaning I was responsible for ensuring the production remained organised, efficient, and on schedule.

As the Production Manager, I oversaw the logistical side of the project, including creating production schedules, organising paperwork, coordinating resources, and ensuring the production stayed on track from pre-production through to filming. Alongside this, my role as Assistant Director involved managing the set during production, keeping the filming schedule on time, coordinating communication between departments, and supporting the director so they could focus on the creative aspects of the film. Taking on both roles required strong organisation, communication, and problem-solving skills, as I was responsible for helping the entire production run as smoothly as possible.

Once our roles had been assigned, each team member began working on their individual responsibilities, such as scriptwriting, cinematography, and production management. Throughout the pre-production process, we held weekly meetings to review our progress, discuss the development of our paperwork, and provide constructive feedback to one another. These meetings ensured that everyone remained aligned and allowed us to continually refine our work to the highest possible standard.

After completing the script, our next priority was location scouting. Finding suitable filming locations was essential, as it enabled us to create an accurate shot list based on the available space and practical considerations. We decided to film on our university campus, as it provided accessible locations while allowing us to keep production costs to a minimum.

Once our locations had been confirmed, we began producing the remaining pre-production documents, including the shot list, location risk assessments, and permission requests for filming. At the same time, we started casting actors for the project. Fortunately, members of our crew had existing connections with performers who were happy to volunteer their time, making the casting process much more straightforward.

With all of our pre-production work completed, including the script, production paperwork, location permissions, risk assessments, shot list, props, and casting, we were fully prepared to move into the production phase. The thorough planning process meant that everyone understood their roles and responsibilities before arriving on set, allowing filming to run as efficiently as possible. By dedicating time to organising every aspect of the project beforehand, we were able to approach the shoot with confidence and focus on bringing our creative vision for The Last Slice to life.

The Production Process

Following the completion of our pre-production work, we felt well prepared to begin filming. The time we had invested in planning meant that everyone understood their responsibilities, and we had contingency plans in place to deal with any unexpected challenges. We scheduled two filming days, with an additional spare day reserved in case any scenes required reshooting or we needed to capture extra footage.

Before filming began, we carefully divided the script across the two production days to create a realistic and manageable schedule. On the first day, we prepared the set by positioning the camera, setting up the lighting, and completing final safety checks to ensure the filming environment was suitable for both the cast and crew. We then reviewed the call sheet to confirm the shooting order before welcoming our actors to the set. After introducing them to the crew, we provided a safety briefing and explained the filming schedule. As the cast had already received the script in advance, they arrived well prepared, allowing production to begin efficiently.

The first day of filming ran extremely smoothly. Whenever we felt a shot could be improved, we captured additional takes to provide greater flexibility during editing. Thanks to the team's preparation and organisation, we progressed ahead of schedule and were able to film several scenes that had originally been planned for the second day. This gave us extra time later in the production should any scenes need to be revisited.

At the end of the day, we packed away all of the equipment and returned it to a secure location before it was taken back to the university's loan store. We also transferred the footage onto our computers and carefully reviewed each shot to ensure the quality met our expectations. Fortunately, we were pleased with the results and found that no reshoots were required.

Our second filming day was even more efficient, as several scenes had already been completed ahead of schedule. With fewer scenes remaining, we were able to work at a comfortable pace while maintaining a high standard of production. Once filming had wrapped, we uploaded and reviewed the remaining footage to confirm that everything had been captured successfully. Finally, we created multiple backups of all the footage across different storage devices to safeguard the project before moving into the post-production stage.

The Post-Production stage

Following the completion of principal photography, we moved into the post-production stage, where the footage was assembled into the final edit. Unfortunately, I was unable to contribute as much to this phase of the project as I had hoped due to personal circumstances that were affecting my day-to-day life. Despite this, I remained involved where possible by attending our weekly review sessions during lectures.

These sessions provided an opportunity for each group to present their latest edit and receive constructive feedback from both our lecturers and peers. The feedback we received was invaluable, helping us identify areas for improvement and refine the overall quality of the film. Our team carefully considered the suggestions and implemented the necessary changes throughout the editing process.

Conclusion

Looking back on the project, I am incredibly proud of what our team achieved. As our first collaborative film at university, The Last Slice provided us with valuable experience across every stage of the filmmaking process, from initial planning and production to post-production. It strengthened my understanding of my roles as Production Manager and Assistant Director, while also highlighting the importance of communication, teamwork, and thorough preparation. Overall, I am very pleased with the final outcome and believe the project gave us a strong foundation for future productions.