Understanding Filmmaking

The Filmmaking Process:

1. The Idea

Souces of Influence: Can be found everywhere! Newspapers, books, conversations, etc

The Producer: Makes the idea into a reality

The Director: Visualises the script, puts it on screen

The Writer: Defines the idea, creates characters and the plot

Treatment: One page description of the characters and plot, aka- 'the treatment'

The Pitch: Meeting explaining all information about the film to financers, get money to make the film

2. Developing Finance

Pitching th Project: Using the 'treatment,' pitch and persuasion skills, producer gets cash for the script

Production Companies: Approach film production companies to get money, not always successful

Sales, Distribution, Broadcast: Offer companies the future fim and broadcast rights in exchange for money

Public Investments: Apply to a public funding body (eg, UK Film Council) for a grant

Private Finance: Pitch to provate investors for their support and money

Tying Down the Writer: Making a deal with the writer to get support in making the film

3. Script Development

Synopsis: Writer and producer agree on key ideas for the film

Step Outline: Created for the writers to plan out the film step-by-step

Drafts: Simple version of the script, part of the writers fee is conditional on delivery of the first draft

Revisions: The drafts are sent to the investors who have their own ideas

Final Draft: Everyone is happy, it is locked off and becomes a final draft, writer gets paid

Sales Treatment: Final stage: creating a sales treatment (advert for potential investors)

4. Packaging

What is Packaging? Turning the script into a commercial proposition ready for financing

The Cast: Attaching well known stars to the film, association- more commercial

Heads of Department: Respected, successful heads carry out discussions with financiers

Detailed Budget/Production Schedule: Film business plan- how much will it cost to make?

Finance Plan/Recoupment Schedule: How are they going to make the money needed? From where? How to pay it all back?

The Complete Package: Made into a viable, commercial product, find out what everyone thinks of it

5. Financing
The Market: Producers travel to financers all over the world, get money to make the film
Investment: People/companies invest, lawyers make contracts to seal the deal
Pre-Sales: Make money by selling the rights even if the film hasn't been made yet
Banks/GAP Funding: Departments in banks specialise in films and offer loans
Completion Bonds: (aka, insurance for the production) most investors insist on having this
Green Light: Finance and insurance is secure

6. Pre-Production
Kick-Off Meeting: Heads of department hired, shooting script circulated and production begins
Casting: Identifying actors for the roles in the film, long process
Story Boarding: Blueprints of the film, each shot is planned in advance
Production Design: Production director plans how everything will look, people are hired to make the parts
Special Effects Planning: Effects shots planned in detail, long process
The Production Unit: The important people including the production manager and line producer

7. The Shoot
First Day of Principal Photography: Key moment- shooting begins and funding is released
Camera: Camera department responsible for all the footage
Lighting and Sound: Once this is set up, shooting can begin
Acting: Actors create emotion which is filmed in order to draw the audience into the film
Special Physical Effects: Special effects created and filmed, minimal risk of injury
Chain of Command: Film production is run very precisely, fall behind- investors may step in

8. Post Production
Rough Cut: Editor makes footage into scenes, creates narrative sequence
Post Production Sound: Sound department create sound for the audio track and every scene
Digital Effects and Titles: Digital effects are added, titles and credits are created
Grade and Colour: Final stage of the picture edit, colour adjusted
Final Mix:After picture lock, sound mixer sets final levels
Final Cut: Everything (filming/editing) is finished

9. Sales
Selling the Product: Sales agent hire, film is sold to distributors
The Trailer:Way of selling the film/gaining awareness of the film, make people go and watch it
Sales Toolkit: Producer and sales agent collect everything needed to sell to distributors
Taking the Film to Market: Large market, producer go to great lengths to attract attention to the film
Screenings: High profile screening at a major film festival attracts attention
Sale: Can now negotiate good deals with distributors

10. Marketing
Marketing Team: People hired who specialise in film promotion
The Audience: 'Test screens' run- appeal to the films audience?
Advertising: Potential audience targeted with posters, trailers, TV spots,
Press and Media Coverage: TV, radio, magazines, newspapers create positive word of mouth
Internet/New Marketing Models: Niche marketing now possible, development of technology
Selling the Film to Exhibitions: Distributor negotiate deals with cinemas to screen the film

11. Exhibition
Premier: High profile, star studded, launch with an explosion to the media
UK Cinemas: More that 3,500 screens in the UK
Prints and Logistics: Exhibitors supplied with film prints
Box Office Performance: How well/badly the film did, money is made from ticket sales
Revenues: Exhibitors take their share, distributors recoup marketing costs
Recoupment: Financers recover their investment, distributors take their share

12. Other Windows
Hospitality: Hotel channels/in-flight entertainment- add millions to the film revenue
DVD and Video: More spent on DVDs than cinema tickets- make up for poor box office figures
Broadcast: Shown on television channels for money and film rights
Game of the Film: Computer games made about the film
Profit? All helps to make a profit, creative people get their rewards
The End? Final income is never known, re-releases, sequels