Film Production

Film Production is the process of making a film.

The stages of film production are as followed:

Development - This is simply the process of 'finding' a story. Ideas for films come from a variety of sources, they can range from novels, real life events to computer game adaptations. Once you've got an idea you'll need someone to write a pitch for you which you take to a film producer in an attempt to get some funding to make your film. Even at this very early stage you need a very clear idea of who you're aiming the film at so you can include elements that will appeal to them.

Pre-production - Once you've got funding you establish your budget and can begin to get a film crew together., you can storyboard the script. You also need to break the script down into individual scenes and identify all the locations, props, cast members, costumes, special effects and visual effects needed.

Production - This is simply the process of 'making' the film. Provided you've done your job properly in the pre-production stage making the film should be quite straight forward. 'Film' is  very expensive and difficult to store so an increasing the number of film makers using digital cameras is a good way to save money.

Post-production - During this stage you take all of the 'film' you've shot and give it to a film editor. They will then begin putting it together. Special effects will be added, a soundtrack will be added, any missing dialogue will be re-recorded and added resulting in a 'rough cut'. This will be shown to the director and a test audience who will offer feedback. Often this causes scenes to be filmed and added/removed.

Key roles:

Writer - A screenplay writer, screenwriter for short, scriptwriter or scenarist is a writer who practices the craft of screenwriting, writing screenplays on which mass media such as films, television programs, comics or video games are based. These are needed for a film as the writers are the origin of the film as they are the person with the idea.

Producer - Film producers fill a variety of roles depending upon the type of producer. Either employed by a production company or independent, producers plan and coordinate various aspects of film production, such as selecting script, coordinating writing, directing and editing, and arranging financing. Without a producer, the film wouldn't have a budget to stand by, the film wouldn't have editors who specialize in that type of editing (E.g a romantic editor wouldn't be able to do an action as well as someone who specializes in action films).

Casting Director - The casting director is the person who is responsible for assigning roles in the film. Without someone to do this, the film could have a lot of potential but never become a big hit because it doesn't have A list stars or the right A list stars. A list stars are extremely good to have on a cast as when the film is being advertised people will see that for example Will Smith is in the film so they will watch it for that reason alone.

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. The director is needed for the sole reason that he wants the film to look good and be as perfect as it can be.

Film Finance - Film finance is an aspect of film production that occurs during the development stage prior to pre-production, and is concerned with determining the potential value of a proposed film. They need to decide how much money that the film will cost to make as well as advertisement. And have an estimate on how much money the film will make.

Camera Operator - A camera operator, sometimes informally called a cameraman or a camerawoman, is a professional operator of a film or video camera. In film-making, the person designing the lighting is the cinematographer or director of photography, who is also informally called a "cameraman" though it is a different job.

Editor - On its most fundamental level, film editing is the art, technique, and practice of assembling shots into a coherent sequence. The job of an editor is not simply to mechanically put pieces of a film together, cut off film slates, or edit dialogue scenes. Without editors films that we see today wouldn't be as smooth and as entertaining. This is because they create transitions between scene after scene which go along with the film along with SFX.

Production Designer - In film and television, a production designer is the person responsible for the physical overall look of a filmed event such as a TV program, video game, music video, or advertisement. Production designers have a key creative role in the creation of motion pictures and television. If they wasn't involved in the creation of the film it wouldn't be as creative as the other films are today.

Marketing - Film marketing can also be known as film promoting. It is the practice of advertising a film to get the film 'hyped up'. This stage usually happens alongside with film distribution. Like I said before, if the film has a well known A list star the advertisement side of the film should be much more efficient and much easier in a way.

Exhibition - This is the actual showing of the films when it has been advertised and its finally ready to be released. This can be done firstly in cinemas and then moved onto DVD's and online. How the audience can see the film pretty much, so online, in premieres and box office is a valid choice too.