Film production

Scene 1: - The idea  

• Remakes: Dont Be Afraid Of The Dark was remade in 2011 from the original film which was made in 1973 by John Newland. The remade version includes a different cast and and a better quality film due too more high end technology making the remake a bigger successes. 
• Real life events: 127 Hours is a film based on the real life events of Aron Ralston, who became trapped in Blue Canyon in eastern wayne county when a boulder trapped his hand/arm there and became stuck in the same place for 127hrs, after eventually cutting off his own arm with a cheap, blunt pocket knife. This film was released on September 4th 2010. 
• Original ideas: Love Actually was an original film idea and was released on 14th November 2003 in the US. 
• Adaptations: The girl with the dragon tattoo was a book ('Men who hate women' in 2005) too movie film adaptation that was released in 2009. The film captures the chilling atmosphere of the novel and fully conveys the tense atmosphere. 
• The producer: Film producers are constantly looking for the next big film idea that can generate money and be an original piece or a good adaptation that will be better than the last. For example, Walt Disney 
• The director:  A director can visualize  a script and make it become  reality, for example, a famous film director is Tim Burton
• The writer: The writer defines and clarifies the whole idea such as the plot and the main characters and turns it into something meaningful. A famous writer is Christopher Nolan.   
• Treatment: The writer will then write a treatment and which is a one piece description of the plot and the characters involved. For example, Christopher Nolan wrote a treatment for The Dark Night 
• Pitch: The pitch contains all of the information the producer needs in order too sell the idea to financiers to commission a script for the production. 

Scene 2:- Development Finance  

• Pitching the project: 

The producer uses the treatment and pitch, plus his/her powers of persuasion to get money too develop a script  

• Production companies:  

The producer approaches film production companies for development money but, they could have projects of their own. 

• Sales, distribution ,broadcast:  

The producer can offer the future sales and broadcast rights too the film in the return of money too develop the film 

• Public investment:  

The producer can also apply to a public funding body, such as the UK film council, for a film development grant 

• Private Finance: 

The producer can also pitch their film to private investors with the hope that they will invest in their project. 

• Tying down the writer: 

The producer can now use the development money too tie down the writer to develop the script.  


Scene 3- Script development: 

• Synopsis: 

Firstly, the the writer produces a synopsis and then he/she and the producer agree or not on the key scenes and events in the film. 

• Step outline: 

There are as many ways of writing as there are writers, so most writers prefer too make a step outline to plan their script first. (the step outline contains short written descriptions of all the scenes that will eventually make up the script) 

• Drafting: 

Creating a draft can be the hardest part of scene writing. The draft don't contain just dialogue but also the events and actions on screen and even the transitions between each of the scenes. 

• Revisions: 

Once the producer and writer are happy, they then send off the draft to the financiers, all of whom will have their own ideas too input. 

• Final draft: 

 When everyone is happy with the script, it is then locked off and becomes the final draft and then the writer gets payed. 

• Sales treatment: 

The final stage of the script development processes is the creation of a sales treatment for it. 

Scene 4- Packaging:  

• What is packaging?: 

This is when the producer and director must package the script into a full commercial proposition ready for the financing. 

• The cast: 

Well known stars is crucial for gaining funding for a film and creating better publicity by attracting the box office too fund them (e.g a film with Leanardo DiCaprio would generate more funding due too him being a very well known actor) 

• The heads of department: 

Commercially successful heads of department carry a considerable amount of power in the industry with knowledgeable financiers. In this, these include: The editor, the production designer, the director of photography, and 'the package' (the producers main assistant) 

• Detailed budget and production schedule: 

To turn the film into a proper business proposition, the producer must know how much it will cost too create the film. The producer then gains help from a line producer too supervise the budget, approve purchases, hire the crew and too make sure all the departments are doing their part properly and within the budget. 

• Finance plan and recoupment schedule:  

Potential film investors want too know how the producer plans too raise the money too fund the production and how they plan too pay them back. This includes the fianance plan and recoupment schedule. 

• The 'complete' package: 

Now that the producer has 'packaged' the film into a viable commercial piece, the producer now needs too present this too potential funders too get the money too make the film. 

Scene 5- Financing: 

• The market: 

The producer now has too complete the hardest part o film making which is attracting the investment too create the film but the director may be able too help out in this stage if he is well known within the industry. 

• Investment: 

The main potential sources of investment are Private Finance and Co-Productions. 

• Pre-Sales: 

Another way in which the producer can raise money is from 'pre-sales' which is selling the rights too the film before it has even been made.   

• Banks and cap funding:  

Some departments of banks specialize in the area of film funding by investing in commercial projects and also offer loans too them.

• Completion bonds:

The vast majority of financers decide too have a completion bond before they decide too invest and then this is the insurance for the production. 

• 'Green light':

Once all the essential findings and insurance is secured and dealt with, the film/productio gets the 'green light'- the go ahead.

Scene 6- pre-production:

• The kick-off meeting:

Once all of the heads of department are hired, the shooting script can then be calculated and pre-production can begin as sooon as possible.

• Casting:

Next, the casting director (with the director and producer) begins the long processes of identfying and casting the chosen actors. And on average, a film takes up around 30 cast memebers.

• Storyboard:

Storyboards are considered blue prints for a film, where every single shot is planned in advance by the director and the director of photography and its all done with the help of a storybord artist.

• Production design:

The prodcuction designer plans each and every aspect of how the film will look, and then hires people too create, design and build each part.

• Special effects planning:

Effects shots are planned much more in depth than normal shots and so can take months too design and build. The person who does all of this is the visual effets supervisor.

• The prodcution unit:

The first assistant director, the production manager and the line director all make up the key logistic triangle of the production ad each having individual roles.


Scene 7- The shoot:

• The first day of the principal photograpghy:

This is the key moment in the film production as the shooting begins and the funding is released.

• Camera:

The camera department is responsible for getting all of the footage that the direcot and editor need for getting together the story.

• Lighting and sound:

Once the lighting and sound have been set up and hair and makeup have been fully checked, the shooting may begin. 

• Acting: 

The actors are the only people within the film that the public eye will see, so have a lot of responsibility too make the film a huge success. In order for this too happen, the actors need too convice the audience that they beieve that what happening isnt acting, but real life, and that they are not surrounded by film/set crew.

• Special physical effect: 

Every sepcial effect is carefully constructed and it must be filmed with a minimum risk too the crew and cast.

• Chain of command:

All film productions are run with military precision and if they fall behind schedule, the financers and insurers may step in.

Scene 8- Post production:

• Rough cut:

As the processed footage comes in, the editor then assembles it into scenes and then creates a narrative sequence for the film.

• Post production sound:

Once the picture is locked, the sound department then works on the audio track laying, editing every sound and creating it all.

• Digital effects and titles:

Digital effects are added by specialist effects compositors and the titles and credits are then added in a compositing suite. 

• Grade and color:

The final stage of the picture editing is to adjust the color and establish all the fine aesthetics of the film.

• Final mix:

After the picture lock, the rough sound mix is sent off to a dubbing theatre where the sound mixer then sets the final levels.

• Final cut:

After the final cut, the film reaches full lock and is now finished, and ready for duplication.

Scene 9- Sales:

• Selling the product:

To help sell the film too distributors, the producer secures the services of a sales agent who is a specialist in film sales.

• The trailer:

To help sell the film, a trailer is made too show busy film buyers the most marketable aspects of the whole film.

• Sales tool kit:

The sales agent and the producer collect everything they will need to sell the film to the distributors

• Taking the film to the market:

The market is saturated with films so the producer must go to great lengths to attract public attention and marketing attention to the film.

• Screenings:

A high profile screening at a high end film festival can be a great way for generating heat around a film.

• Deals:

The producer now has a hot product and can negotiate good deals with many distributors from around the world.


Scene 10- Marketing:

• The marketing team:

In order to help sell the film to distributors, the producer secures the services of a sales agent who is a specialist in film sales. They then processes through different marketing methods, which is divided into 2 different groups: 'Above the line' and 'Below the line"- Above the line includes TV spots, trailers and poster campaigns. Below the line marketing methods are more subtle by using such things as indirect forms of publicity involving press coverage, merchandising and product tie-ins.

• The audience:

Knowing and understanding your audience is essential, and the marketing team runs test screenings too view how the film is received.

• Advertising:

The potential audience for the film is targeted with cinema trailers, posters, TV spots and other marketing materials.

• Press and coverage:

Radio, television, magazines and newspapers can all help to create a positive word of mouth about a film. Also, film journalists can help too sell a film with good reports and reviews on it.

• The internet and new marketing models:

The birth of digital media and the internet has flooded the world with information but also made niche marketing possible by being able to aim their project at relevant audiences who are most likely to be interested in what they are trying to sell, rather than just wasting/spending loads of money of advertisement to people who are just going to ignore it.

• Selling the film to exhibitors:

In order to get the film to audiences, the distributors must negotiate a deal with the cinemas to screen their production. A cinema programmer will watch all of the films available and then plan their exhibition schedule; They are the key decision makers in the exhibition world. 

Scene 11- Marketing:

• The premier:

A high-profile, star-filled film premier is used too launch the film to the public with a vast amount of media coverage. This is why fame rally helps too sell films because stars already have loyal fan bases following their careers already; this is why casting the right actor/actress is so important.

• UK cinemas:

The UK alone has over 3,500 cinema screens, although we do not own them all or show only British films. Cinemas are the most important market for films and a success at a box office can guarantee increased revenue in the subsequent 'windows' (for example, DVD sales and rentals)

• Prints and logistics:

Distributors supply the exhibitors with prints of the film, so, the more screens that the film is showed on; the more prints are needed. 

• Box office performance:

Data from film attendance is collected continuously and it is then used by the cinemas to decide which films they will cancel and which films they will prolong. Also, is a film is under performing, they then cannot afford to risk loosing valuable income by waiting for a film to become more popular.

• Revenues:

The exhibitors take their share of the box office receipts and of which the distributors recoup their marketing costs. Also, the box office gross is just a starting point for what everyone involved will make from the film.

• Recoupment:

Once the distributors have been paid, the financers can then recover their investments as they had been laid out in the recoupment schedule. 

Scene 12:

• Hospitality:

Hospitality sales for in-flight entertainment and hotel channels can bring in millions in additional revenue.

• DVD and video:

The UK audiences spend more on DVD's than cinema tickets, so therefore a success on DVD can be a compensate for a box office failure.

• Broadcast:

Television is the final source of revenue and the rights are sold separately for pay-tv showings and terrestrial broadcast.

• The game of the film:

The rights for computer games and other product licenses can be extremely lucrative sources for revenue. There is a huge on growing popularity on video games and is even seen as a threat on the future of the film industry.

• Profit:

Once the film has made a profit, the key creative people and the producer can gain their rewards.

• The end:

The final income from a film is never known because the distribution of the film continues for years and years and it may even be re-released in the near future.