Film production involves several major stages:
1. Development — the first stage in which the ideas for the film are created, rights to
books/plays are bought etc., and the screenplay is written. Financing for the project has to
be sought and green lit.
2. Pre-production—Preparations are made for the shoot, in which cast and film crew are
hired, locations are selected, and sets are built.
3. Production— the raw elements for the film are recorded during the film shoot.
4. Post-Production—the images sound, and visual effects of the recorded film are edited.
5. Distribution—the finished film is distributed and screened in cinemas and/or released
on DVD.
Development
In this stage, the project's producer selects a story, which may come from a book or
a play or another film or a true story or an original idea, etc. After identifying a theme or
underlying message, the producer works with writers to prepare a synopsis. Next they
produce a step outline, which breaks the story down into one-paragraph scenes that
concentrate on dramatic structure. Then, they prepare a treatment, a 25-to-30-page
description of the story, its mood, and characters. This usually has little dialogue and stage
direction, but often contains drawings that help visualize key points. Next,
a screenwriter writes a screenplay over a period of several months. A film distributor may be
contacted at an early stage to assess the likely market and potential financial success of the
film. Hollywood distributors adopt a hard-headed business approach and consider factors
such as the film genre, the target audience, the historical success of similar films, the actors
who might appear in the film, and potential directors. All these factors imply a certain appeal
of the film to a possible audience. Not all films make a profit from the theatrical release alone,
so film companies take DVD sales and worldwide distribution rights into account.
Pre-production
In pre-production, every step of actually creating the film is carefully designed and
planned. The production company is created and a production office established. The film is
pre-visualized by the director, and may be storyboarded with the help
of illustrators and concept artists. A production budget is drawn up to plan expenditures for
the film. For major productions, insurance is procured to protect against accidents.
Storyboard is a visualizing method that creates a blueprint of what the shot sequence
should be. The visual images are drawn or made by programs such as Photoshop. There may
also be a written caption as needed for each shot. The director is primarily responsible for the
storytelling, creative decisions and acting of the film. The unit production manager manages
the production budget and production schedule. They also report, on behalf of the production
office, to the studio executives or financiers of the film.
In production, the video production/film is created and shot. More crew will be
recruited at this stage, such as the property master, script supervisor, assistant directors,
stills photographer, picture editor, and sound editors. These are just the most common roles
in filmmaking; the production office will be free to create any unique blend of roles to suit the
various responsibilities possible during the production of a film.
Post-production
Here the video/film is assembled by the video/film editor. The shot film material is
edited. The production sound (dialogue) is also edited; music tracks and songs are composed
and recorded if a film is sought to have a score; sound effects are designed and recorded. Any
computer-graphic visual effects are digitally added. Finally, all sound elements are mixed into
"stems", which are then married to picture, and the film is fully completed ("locked").
Distribution
This is the final stage, where the film is released to cinemas or, occasionally, to consumer
media (DVD, VCD, VHS, Blu-ray) or direct download from a provider. The film is duplicated as
required and distributed to cinemas for exhibition (screening). Press kits, posters, and other
advertising materials are published and the film is advertised and promoted. Film
distributors usually release a film with a launch party, press release, interviews with the
press, press preview screenings, and film festival screenings. Most films have a website. The
film plays at selected cinemas and the DVD typically is released a few months later. The
distribution rights for the film and DVD are also usually sold for worldwide distribution. The
distributor and the production company share profits.
Filmmaking also takes place outside of the mainstream and is commonly
called independent filmmaking. Since the introduction of DV technology, the means of
production have become more democratized. Filmmakers can conceivably shoot and edit a
film, create and edit the sound and music, and mix the final cut on a home computer.
However, while the means of production may be democratized, financing, traditional
distribution and marketing remain difficult to accomplish outside the traditional system. In
the past, most independent filmmakers have relied on film festivals to get their films noticed
and sold for distribution. However, the Internet has allowed for relatively inexpensive
distribution of independent films. As a result several companies have emerged to assist
filmmakers in getting independent movies seen and sold via mainstream internet
marketplaces, oftentimes adjacent to popular Hollywood titles. With internet movie
distribution, independent filmmakers who fail to garner a traditional distribution deal now
have the ability to reach global audiences.
The distribution of a film (or movie) is the process through which a movie is made available
to watch for an audience by a film distributor.
1. Development — the first stage in which the ideas for the film are created, rights to
books/plays are bought etc., and the screenplay is written. Financing for the project has to
be sought and green lit.
2. Pre-production—Preparations are made for the shoot, in which cast and film crew are
hired, locations are selected, and sets are built.
3. Production— the raw elements for the film are recorded during the film shoot.
4. Post-Production—the images sound, and visual effects of the recorded film are edited.
5. Distribution—the finished film is distributed and screened in cinemas and/or released
on DVD.
Development
In this stage, the project's producer selects a story, which may come from a book or
a play or another film or a true story or an original idea, etc. After identifying a theme or
underlying message, the producer works with writers to prepare a synopsis. Next they
produce a step outline, which breaks the story down into one-paragraph scenes that
concentrate on dramatic structure. Then, they prepare a treatment, a 25-to-30-page
description of the story, its mood, and characters. This usually has little dialogue and stage
direction, but often contains drawings that help visualize key points. Next,
a screenwriter writes a screenplay over a period of several months. A film distributor may be
contacted at an early stage to assess the likely market and potential financial success of the
film. Hollywood distributors adopt a hard-headed business approach and consider factors
such as the film genre, the target audience, the historical success of similar films, the actors
who might appear in the film, and potential directors. All these factors imply a certain appeal
of the film to a possible audience. Not all films make a profit from the theatrical release alone,
so film companies take DVD sales and worldwide distribution rights into account.
Pre-production
In pre-production, every step of actually creating the film is carefully designed and
planned. The production company is created and a production office established. The film is
pre-visualized by the director, and may be storyboarded with the help
of illustrators and concept artists. A production budget is drawn up to plan expenditures for
the film. For major productions, insurance is procured to protect against accidents.
Storyboard is a visualizing method that creates a blueprint of what the shot sequence
should be. The visual images are drawn or made by programs such as Photoshop. There may
also be a written caption as needed for each shot. The director is primarily responsible for the
storytelling, creative decisions and acting of the film. The unit production manager manages
the production budget and production schedule. They also report, on behalf of the production
office, to the studio executives or financiers of the film.
In production, the video production/film is created and shot. More crew will be
recruited at this stage, such as the property master, script supervisor, assistant directors,
stills photographer, picture editor, and sound editors. These are just the most common roles
in filmmaking; the production office will be free to create any unique blend of roles to suit the
various responsibilities possible during the production of a film.
Post-production
Here the video/film is assembled by the video/film editor. The shot film material is
edited. The production sound (dialogue) is also edited; music tracks and songs are composed
and recorded if a film is sought to have a score; sound effects are designed and recorded. Any
computer-graphic visual effects are digitally added. Finally, all sound elements are mixed into
"stems", which are then married to picture, and the film is fully completed ("locked").
Distribution
This is the final stage, where the film is released to cinemas or, occasionally, to consumer
media (DVD, VCD, VHS, Blu-ray) or direct download from a provider. The film is duplicated as
required and distributed to cinemas for exhibition (screening). Press kits, posters, and other
advertising materials are published and the film is advertised and promoted. Film
distributors usually release a film with a launch party, press release, interviews with the
press, press preview screenings, and film festival screenings. Most films have a website. The
film plays at selected cinemas and the DVD typically is released a few months later. The
distribution rights for the film and DVD are also usually sold for worldwide distribution. The
distributor and the production company share profits.
Filmmaking also takes place outside of the mainstream and is commonly
called independent filmmaking. Since the introduction of DV technology, the means of
production have become more democratized. Filmmakers can conceivably shoot and edit a
film, create and edit the sound and music, and mix the final cut on a home computer.
However, while the means of production may be democratized, financing, traditional
distribution and marketing remain difficult to accomplish outside the traditional system. In
the past, most independent filmmakers have relied on film festivals to get their films noticed
and sold for distribution. However, the Internet has allowed for relatively inexpensive
distribution of independent films. As a result several companies have emerged to assist
filmmakers in getting independent movies seen and sold via mainstream internet
marketplaces, oftentimes adjacent to popular Hollywood titles. With internet movie
distribution, independent filmmakers who fail to garner a traditional distribution deal now
have the ability to reach global audiences.
The distribution of a film (or movie) is the process through which a movie is made available
to watch for an audience by a film distributor.
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