Short Film Production Plan

1. Project Overview

Element	Detail
Film Title	Trials of the Earth
Runtime	40 minutes
Genre	Period Drama
Rating Target	PG-13
Logline	A young woman's journey of love, survival and strength in the late 1800s Mississippi Delta, where she must overcome floods, fires, wild beasts, and family tragedy while building a new life in a lumber camp.

Key Creative Personnel	Name	Status
Director	Jeremy Clark	Hired
Producers	Jeremy Clark, Marshall Mckinney	Hired
Cinematographer	Jeremy Clark	Hired
Production Designers	Jeremy Clark, Marshall Mckinney	Hired
Casting Director	Jeremy Clark, Marshall Mckinney	Hired
Editor	Jeremy Clark	Hired
Sound Designers	Jeremy Clark, Pierce Martin	(In negotiation w/Pierce)
Makeup Artist/Hair Stylist	Jeremy Clark	Hired
Visual Effects Supervisor	Jeremy Clark	Hired
Production Manager	Amy Clark	Hired
Social Media Marketer	Amy Clark	Hired
Voiceover	Morgan Freeman	To be hired (he wrote the foreward to the book)

2. Script Breakdown

A. Scene Analysis

Scene Type	Count	Special Requirements*	Notes
Day Scenes	75	Period lighting, natural sunlight	Majority of scenes take place during daylight
Night Scenes	15	Period-appropriate lighting (lanterns, fires)	Limited artificial light sources for period authenticity
Interior Scenes	45	Period set dressing, practical lighting	Primarily boarding house and camp interiors
Exterior Scenes	45	Weather effects, natural lighting	Large portion involves river and camp exteriors

* Note: Since all visual assets will be AI-generated, these are not constraints.

B. Character Breakdown

Character	Actor	Age Range	Special Skills*	Costume Changes	Accent/Dialect	Key Scenes
Mary Hamilton	AI	17-25, 70	Cooking, physical labor, horseback riding	10-12 changes, aging progression	Southern accent	Throughout all acts
Frank Hamilton	AI	30-38	Horseback riding, manual labor	8-10 changes	British accent	Acts 1-4
Nina	AI	6	None required	3-4 changes	Child Southern accent	Acts 2-3
Frankie	AI	3	None required	3-4 changes	Child Southern accent	Acts 1-4
Leslie	AI	Infant	None required	2-3 changes	N/A	Act 1
Mary's Mother	AI	Mid-40s	None required	3-4 changes	Southern accent	Act 1
Jane	AI	14	None required	3-4 changes	Southern accent	Act 1
Lucy	AI	15	None required	3-4 changes	Southern accent	Act 1
Clay Pickering	AI	40s	None required	2-3 changes	Southern aristocrat	Acts 3-4
Mr. Gray	AI	50s	None required	4-5 changes	Southern accent	Acts 2-4
Charlie Flynn	AI	33	None required	2-3 changes	Southern accent	Act 1
Sue	AI	20s	Cooking, domestic work	2-3 changes	Southern Black dialect of period	Act 1
Jordy	AI	18	Cooking, kitchen work	3-4 changes	Southern accent	Acts 2-4
Burl	AI	30s	Physical labor, horseback riding	3-4 changes	Southern Black dialect of period	Acts 2-4
Steamer Captain	AI	50s	None required	1 change	Southern accent	Act 1
Elderly Mary	AI	70	None required	2 changes	Aged Southern accent	Epilogue
Granddaughter	AI	20s	None required	1 change	1930s Southern accent	Epilogue

* Note: Since all visual assets will be AI-generated, virtual actors will be taught necessary skills.

3. Production Schedule

Production Time Estimation Basis:

• 40-minute final runtime

• One-year total production timeline

• Effects integrated into main asset production

• Streamlined pre-production and assembly phases

Phase	Duration	Activities	Deliverables
Pre-Production	10 weeks	- Script finalization - Style development - Historical research - AI pipeline testing - Prompt engineering R&D - Test scene development	- Final script - Style guide - Historical reference library - Proven AI workflows - Base prompt library - Test scenes
AI Asset Production	20 weeks	- Character development - Environment creation - Scene generation - Integrated effects - Iteration and refinement	- Character assets - Environment library - Scene components - Effect sequences - Quality benchmarks
Scene Assembly	14 weeks	- Scene composition - Transition development - Effect integration - Quality control - Iteration cycles	- Assembled scenes - Working transitions - Effect sequences - Review materials
Post-Production	8 weeks	- Final assembly - Color grading - Sound design - Music integration - Final review	- Final cut - Color grade - Sound mix - Completed film

Weekly Breakdown of AI Asset Production Phase

Weeks	Focus	Activities	Expected Output
1-5	Character Development	- Main character designs - Consistency testing - Expression ranges - Aging progressions	Core character asset library
6-10	Environment Creation	- Location development - Weather systems - Time period accuracy - Lighting studies	Environment asset library
11-15	Primary Scene Generation	- Key scene development - Character integration - Environmental effects - Initial sequences	Core scene components
16-20	Integration & Refinement	- Effect integration - Quality improvements - Consistency checks - Final iterations	Final assets

Total Production Timeline: 52 weeks (12 months)

Key Efficiency Gains:

• Effects integrated into main asset production phase

• Streamlined pre-production with focused R&D

• Concurrent development of related assets

• Optimized post-production workflow

• Regular milestone reviews to maintain progress

Scene-Based Production Schedule (34 Weeks Core Production)

AI Asset Production (20 weeks) + Scene Assembly (14 weeks)
Note: Many assets will be reusable across scenes, allowing for parallel development

Weeks	Focus	Scenes/Components	Key Challenges	Deliverables
1-3	Opening Crisis (Act 1, Part A)	- River landing scenes - Steamboat sequences - Dawn atmosphere - Dock arrival	- Water effects - Period steamboat - Morning mist - Emotional performances	- River environment assets - Steamboat models - Character establishment shots
4-6	Jonesboro Setup (Act 1, Part B)	- Boarding house scenes - Kitchen sequences - Bank confrontation - Town environments	- Period architecture - Interior details - Multiple characters - Town atmosphere	- Building assets - Interior sets - Character interactions
7-9	Frank's Arrival & Romance (Act 1, Part C)	- First meeting - Dinner service - Mother's counsel - Romantic moments	- Character chemistry - Period social customs - Emotional nuance - Interior lighting	- Character relationship scenes - Domestic environment assets - Emotional beats
10-12	Delta Journey (Act 2, Part A)	- River crossing - Ferry sequences - Wildlife encounters - Delta wilderness	- Water movement - Period transportation - Natural environments - Wildlife integration	- River crossing assets - Wildlife elements - Delta environments
13-15	Camp Life (Act 2, Parts B & C)	- Camp establishment - Work sequences - Community scenes - Daily life	- Period work details - Multiple character groups - Camp atmosphere - Activity coordination	- Camp environment assets - Work sequence shots - Community interactions
16-18	Storm & Crisis (Act 3, Parts A & B)	- Storm approach - Flood preparation - Initial crisis - Weather effects	- Weather systems - Water effects - Dramatic tension - Environmental threats	- Storm effect assets - Crisis sequences - Weather transitions
19-21	Flood Sequence (Act 3, Part C)	- Major flooding - Holly tree scenes - Nina's tragedy - Rescue attempts	- Complex water effects - Emotional climax - Multiple character drama - Environmental chaos	- Flood effect assets - Dramatic sequences - Emotional moments
22-24	Resolution (Act 4, Parts A & B)	- Aftermath scenes - Rebuilding sequences - Pickering confrontation - Community recovery	- Post-flood environment - Recovery activity - Character evolution - Emotional resolution	- Recovery scenes - Character resolution - Environmental transition
25-27	Epilogue & Transitions (Act 4, Parts C & D)	- Time passage - 1936 sequences - Final reflections - Writing scenes	- Period transition - Aging effects - Tone shift - Historical accuracy	- 1936 environment assets - Aged character assets - Final sequences
28-31	Scene Integration	- Act transitions - Scene flow - Continuity checks - Pacing adjustments	- Smooth transitions - Narrative flow - Style consistency - Quality control	- Connected sequences - Transition effects - Flow adjustments
32-34	Final Assembly	- Scene refinement - Effect integration - Quality enhancement - Final reviews	- Overall consistency - Effect finalization - Detail enhancement - Final quality checks	- Completed sequences - Final transitions - Ready for post

4. Budget Breakdown

A. Above-the-Line Costs

Category	Amount	Status	Notes
Story Rights	$25,000	FUNDED	Based on Mary Mann Hamilton's autobiography
Screenplay	$75,000	FUNDED	Including revisions
Principal 1	$300,000	PENDING	Director, Co-Producer, AI Director, Cinematographer, Prompt Engineer, Editor, Sound Designer, Marketing
Principal 2	$200,000	PENDING	First Assistant Director, Co-Producer, Writer, Marketing
Voiceover	$100,000	PENDING	Morgan Freeman
Above-the-Line SUBTOTAL	$600,000	PENDING	of $700,000 total

B. Below-the-Line Costs

Department	Estimated Cost	Key Items
Production Manager	$100,000	PENDING	Amy Clark (half time)
Social Media Marketing Manager	$50,000	PENDING	Posting throughout production process
Sound Design	$15,000	PENDING	Pierce Martin (musical score, composition, sound effects)
Production Interns	$35,000	PENDING	Production assistants
Film Mastering	$10,000	PENDING	Hed Hi Media (Charleston, SC)
Trailer Production	$25,000	FUNDED	Initial research, design and editing for 2 minute trailer
Equipment	$15,000	PENDING	Desktops for fast rendering/video editing, Hardware (Drives)
Subscriptions & Software	$35,000	PENDING	Runway, Midjourney, Hailuo, Luma, Elleven Labs, Adobe Creative Cloud, Envato, Typography, Dropbox, Monday Board, Figma, Mural, ChatGPT, Rev, Zoom, UserTesting
Research Travel	$10,000	PENDING	Travel to Arkansas, Mississippi for on-site research where Mary Hamilton lived
Collaboration Travel	$10,000	PENDING	Travel back and forth between Charleston & Raleigh for principal creatives
Test Screening Research	$5,000	PENDING	Online Iterative testing of produced content
Marketing	$10,000	PENDING	Film contest entrance fees, Travel to film festivals and speaking engagements
Legal	$10,000	PENDING	Contingency for legal purposes
Healthcare Stipend	$50,000	PENDING	For principal creatives only
Below-the-Line SUBTOTAL	$355,000	PENDING	of $380,000 total

5. Location Requirements

A. Primary Locations

Location	Physical Requirements	Time Period	Technical Needs	Permits/Insurance
Mississippi River Setting	N/A - AI Generated	1880s	Water effects, period boats, mist generation	N/A - AI Based Film
Jonesboro Boarding House	N/A - AI Generated	1880s	Period interior/exterior, practical lighting setup	N/A - AI Based Film
Timber Camp	N/A - AI Generated	1880s	Multiple buildings, work areas, camp layout	N/A - AI Based Film
Holly Tree Hill	N/A - AI Generated	1880s	Elevated terrain, large tree, flood effects	N/A - AI Based Film

B. Location Infrastructure Requirements

Element	Description	Technical Specs	Notes
Power Requirements	N/A - AI Generated	Period-appropriate lighting simulation	Focus on natural light, fire light, and period lighting sources
Water Access	N/A - AI Generated	River, flood, and rain effect systems	Multiple water simulation requirements
Environmental Control	N/A - AI Generated	Weather and atmospheric effects	Various seasonal and weather conditions needed
Set Access	N/A - AI Generated	Digital environment creation	Multiple period-appropriate settings

6. Equipment Requirements

A. Primary Technical Equipment

Category	Requirements	Duration	Notes
AI Image Generation	High-performance computing systems	Full production	For generating period-accurate visuals
Rendering Systems	Advanced GPU clusters	Full production	For complex water and weather effects
Storage Systems	High-capacity storage arrays	Full production	For raw renders and completed scenes
Network Infrastructure	High-speed data networks	Full production	For team collaboration and file transfer

B. Specialized Effect Requirements

Effect Type	Technical Requirements	Software Needs	Notes
Water Effects	Fluid simulation capabilities	Advanced physics engines	River, flood, rain systems
Weather Systems	Atmospheric rendering	Environmental engines	Storms, mist, seasonal changes
Period Details	Historical reference processing	Style transfer systems	1880s accuracy in all elements
Character Animation	Advanced AI motion systems	Character generation engines	Period-appropriate movement and behavior

7. Crew Requirements

A. Technical Team

Position	Role Description	Skills Required	Duration
AI Director	Overall visual direction and style management	AI systems, historical accuracy, visual storytelling	Full production
Prompt Engineers	Scene and character generation	AI image generation, historical knowledge	Full production
Technical Directors	Effect system management	VFX, environmental systems	Full production
Period Consultants	Historical accuracy verification	1880s expertise, Delta history	Pre-production through principal

B. Creative Team

Position	Role Description	Skills Required	Duration
Story Director	Narrative flow and character development	Storytelling, period drama expertise	Full production
Visual Development	Style and look development	Period art, environmental design	Pre-production through principal
Historical Researcher	Period accuracy verification	1880s social/cultural expertise	Pre-production through principal
Script Supervisor	Continuity and narrative consistency	Story structure, historical accuracy	Full production

8. Safety & Compliance

A. Digital Asset Safety

Category	Requirements	Implementation	Monitoring
Data Security	Secure storage and transmission	Encrypted systems, secure servers	Regular security audits
Asset Protection	Backup and redundancy	Multiple backup locations	Daily verification
Access Control	Team permission management	Role-based access systems	Access logs and reviews
Version Control	Asset versioning and tracking	Version control software	Change documentation

B. Content Compliance

Element	Requirement	Standard	Verification Process
Historical Accuracy	Period-appropriate content	1880s Delta reference materials	Historical consultant review
Cultural Sensitivity	Appropriate representation	Cultural consultation guidelines	Cultural advisor review
Rating Compliance	PG-13 target rating	MPAA guidelines	Content review board
Accessibility	Inclusive viewing options	Industry accessibility standards	Accessibility consultant review

9. Insurance Requirements

Type	Coverage	Provider	Notes
Errors & Omissions	Standard E&O coverage	TBD	Required for distribution
General Liability	N/A - AI Based Film	N/A	Traditional production insurance not required
Digital Asset Insurance	Data loss/corruption coverage	TBD	Covers AI-generated assets
Cyber Liability	Digital security coverage	TBD	Protects against data breaches

10. Legal & Clearances

Category	Requirements	Status	Notes
Source Material Rights	Mary Mann Hamilton autobiography rights	Secured	Notorized authorization from Hamilton Family Trust legal representative available upon request
AI Image Rights	Commercial usage rights for AI-generated content	Secured	All AI tools used allow commecial usage rights
Music Rights	Period-appropriate music clearances	Secured	Music will either be traditional (public domain) or custom made
Historical References	Factual representation rights	In research	Historical accuracy verification

11. DIstribution Strategy

A. Festival Circuit

Festival	Category	Submission Date	Requirements
Sundance Film Festival	Short Film	Q3 2025	World premiere status
SXSW	Short Film, Innovation	Q4 2025	AI innovation focus
Cannes International Film Festival	Short Film	Q4 2025	Period drama focus
Tribeca Film Festival	Short Film	Q4 2025	Historical focus
AI Film Festivals	Various	2025-2026	AI-generated content focus

B. Distribution Paths

Platform	Strategy	Timeline	Notes
Festival Run	Primary launch strategy	6-8 months	Build critical recognition
Streaming Platforms	Secondary distribution	Post-festival	Focus on prestige platforms
Educational Market	Historical content focus	Year 2	American History programs
Art Installations	AI/Art venue exhibition	Concurrent	Technology showcase

12. Marketing & Publicity

A. Strategic Vision

Core Concept: "Trials of the Earth" serves as both a compelling historical narrative and a landmark demonstration of generative AI's evolution in filmmaking. The marketing strategy focuses on transparency and audience engagement throughout the production process, showcasing the intersection of historical storytelling and cutting-edge technology.

Platform	Content Strategy	Frequency	Key Objectives
Project Website (trialsoftheearth.com)	- Production progress updates - Historical research insights - AI technology demonstrations - Behind-the-scenes content - Technical deep dives	3-4 posts per week	- Document AI evolution - Showcase historical accuracy - Build engaged community - Technical education
Social Media	- Visual comparisons - Technology updates - Historical facts - Process revelations	Daily	- Broad audience engagement - Technology showcase - Community building
Industry Platforms	- Technical articles - Case studies - Workflow demonstrations	Bi-weekly	- Industry credibility - Technical leadership - Innovation showcase

B. Long-Term Vision & Series Potential

Phase	Content	Technology Focus	Marketing Benefits
Short Film (Phase 1)	40-minute pilot story	Current AI capabilities baseline	Proof of concept, technology showcase
Mini-Series Development	10-part series expansion	Evolving AI capabilities	Longitudinal technology demonstration
Comparative Analysis	Scene recreations	New feature implementations	Direct technology evolution showcase
Community Engagement	Interactive content	User participation opportunities	Building engaged audience base

C. Technology Partnership Benefits

Benefit Type	Description	Implementation	Metrics
Runway Feature Showcase	Real-world application of new features	Immediate integration and demonstration	Feature adoption rates
Product Evolution	Visual documentation of capability growth	Comparative demonstrations	Quality improvement metrics
Educational Content	Tutorial and workflow content	Written and video documentation	User engagement stats
Community Building	Shared learning and experimentation	Forums and social engagement	Community growth metrics

13. Contingency Planning

A. Technical Contingencies

Risk Category	Potential Issues	Mitigation Strategy	Backup Plan
AI System Issues	Processing limitations, quality inconsistencies	Multiple system redundancy	Alternative processing methods, multiple AI tool providers
Quality Control	Output variations, style inconsistencies	Strict quality guidelines	Manual enhancement processes, Photoshop
Technology Changes	Platform updates, feature deprecation	Version control, feature tracking	Alternative technology paths
Data Security	Loss of assets, system breaches	Regular backups, security protocols	Offline storage solutions

14. Post-Production Workflow

Stage	Process	Tools	Timeline
Asset Organization	Cataloging and versioning	Asset management system	Ongoing
Scene Assembly	Sequential composition	Editing software, AI tools	6 weeks
Visual Enhancement	Style consistency, quality control	AI enhancement tools	4 weeks
Sound Design	Period-appropriate audio	Audio production suite	3 weeks

15. Delivery Requirements

Deliverable	Format	Specifications	Notes
Master File	4K Digital Master	HDR, 10-bit color, 24fps	Festival exhibition format
Streaming Version	Multiple formats	Platform-specific specs	Optimized for various platforms
Marketing Assets	Various	Multiple resolutions	Website and social media use
Documentation	Digital package	Production history, technical specs	Complete process documentation