Film Industry Process

Hannah Knipe

ProducerProducers prepare and then supervise the making of a film before presenting the product to a financing entity or a film distributor. They might be employed by a film studio or be independent, yet either way they helm the creative people as well as the accounting personnel.

Unless the film is supposed to be based on an original script, the producer has to find an appropriate screenwriter. If an existing script is considered flawed, they are able to order a new version or make the decision to hire a script doctor.

Producers can't always personally supervise all parts of their production. The reasons are many. For example some producers run a company which also deals with film distribution. Also cast and film crew often work at different times and places and certain films even require a second unit. Consequently it is normal that the main producer will appoint executive producers, line producers or unit production managers who represent the main producer's interests.

Among other things the producer has the last word on whether sounds or music have to be changed or scenes have to be looped. But even if the shooting has officially been finished, the producers can still demand that additional scenes are filmed after all.

Director• A film director is a person who directs the making of a film. Generally, a film director controls a film's

artistic and dramatic aspects, and visualizes the script while guiding the technical crew and actors in the fulfillment of that vision.

• Film directors create an "overall vision" through which a film gets eventually "born”. Realizing this vision includes to oversee "the cinematography and the technical aspects" as well as directing the shooting timetable and meeting deadlines. This means organizing "the array of people working under him on how to best capture his artistic vision for the film”. This requires "good leadership and motivational skills" as well as "the ability to stay calm in stressful situations”. Moreover it is necessary to have "an artistic eye to frame shots" and to give precise feedback to cast and crew. Subsequently excellent communication skills are a must.

• Since he depends on a successful cooperation of a lot of different creative individuals with possibly strongly contradicting artistic ideals and visions, he also needs "to be a diplomat" in order mediate whenever necessary. Thus he makes sure all assembled talent "blends into a single consciousness”. The set of varying challenges he has to tackle have been described as "a multi-dimensional jigsaw puzzle with egos and weather thrown in for good measure”. It adds to the pressure that the success of a film can influence when and how they will work again. Always omnipresent are the boundaries of his budget. He might also have to ensure an intended age rating. Theoretically the director has "to answer only to executive producers”. Still a "real-life brawl" between a film director and an actor can possibly cause that the film director gets fired if the actor is a major film star. Even so, "from the first day of brainstorming to the final release" directors often spend more working hours on films than "any actor, technician, or editor" and consequently the profession can be "physically, mentally, and emotionally draining”. It has been said that "20-hour days are not unusual”.

Marketing• Marketing is the most important role in the film production process.

The producer and director try to get as many well known cast members as they can to make the film become a hit.

• By having well known actors and actresses in their films, then the producer will assume that people will want to see the film even more. For example, with the ‘Iron Man’ films. Because the producer has used Robert Downey Jr. as the main character, females and also males, feel more attracted to that film as he is a well known and brilliant actor.

• The main target audience that I have found that directors try to aim for is the 15-30 age band. This is because at these ages, people like to watch horror, action, comedies and romantic films. By choosing one of those genres, you have a higher possibility of getting more money at the box office.

BudgetsThere are mnay different ways to fund and budget:Television, British films would go to TV Channels such as BBC, Channel 4 ITV etc.

Indie (indepenedent films) would look to having between 5-10 invest into there film to enabling them to get the funding they need for the film.

Foreign investment, where companies will get funding from a different country.

Regions, companies will get fundiong for there films from specific company regions.

Hollywood, this is where the big well known films go to the US Stduios such as Disney, Universal and Warner Bros to get there funding.

The budget is divided into 2. The catergories are above the line and below the line, such as scriptwriters, cast, team, directors, actors, researchers, cast and crew.

Below the line it pays for the people who put the shoots together, schedules, design, shots each day, make up artists and production teams.

Pre-Production• In filmmaking and video production, pre-production formally begins

once a project has been green lit. At this stage, finalizing preparations for production go into effect. Financing will generally be confirmed and many of the key elements such as principal cast members, director and cinematographer are set. By the end of  pre-production, the screenplay is hopefully finalized and satisfactory to all the financiers and other stakeholders.

• During pre-production, the script is broken down into individual scenes and all the locations, props, cast members, costumes, special effects and visual effects are identified. An extremely detailed schedule is produced and arrangements are made for the necessary elements to be available to the film-makers at the appropriate times. Sets are constructed, the crew is hired, financial arrangements are put in place and a start date for the beginning of principal photography is set.

Production• 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.

•  A typical day's shooting begins with the crew arriving on the set/location by their call time. Actors usually have their own separate call times. Since set construction, dressing and lighting can take many hours or even days, they are often set up in advance.

• The grip, electric and production design crews are typically a step ahead of the camera and sound departments: for efficiency's sake, while a scene is being filmed, they are already preparing the next one.

• While the crew prepare their equipment, the actors are changing into their costumes and attend the hair and make-up departments. The actors rehearse the script and blocking with the director, and the camera and sound crews rehearse with them and make final tweaks. Finally, the action is shot in as many takes as the director wishes.

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").

Reviews• Reviews are the most important thing to the film making

process. This is because the actors and film making crew are then either praised or slated for their efforts in the making of the film.

•  Also, a star rating is what the companies look out for. If it has a high star rating, the the film will be more likely to be seen by many people.