UNDERSTANDING FILM MAKING

By Ross Dennison

THE 12 STAGES FOR MAKING A FILM Making a film takes years and involves hundred of people ,But all films starting with a moment of inspiration .When someone thinks that would make a create film

1 the idea 2 Development finance 3 script development 4 Packaging 5 financing 6 pre production 7 the shoot 8 post production 9 sales 10 marketing 11 exhibition 12 other windows

You need these 12 stages to makes and produce a film.

1.THE IDEA Inspiration: Inspiration is all around us in newspapers and in books.Producer: wherever the idea comes from. It is the producer who decides to make this great idea into a reality.Director: T he Director can visualise a script and make it a reality. They know how to take a story and putt it into the screen.The Writer: The writer defines and clarifies the idea, the plot and the main characters . Treatment :The writer will then write a treatment , A one page description of the main story. Pitch: A Pitch contains all the info the producer needs in order to sell the idea to financiers.

2.DEVELOPMENT AND FINANCE Pitching the project: The producers uses the treatment and pitch, plus her power of persuasion , to get money to develop the script.Production companies: The producer approves film production companies for development money, but they have projects of there of there own.Sales Distributions Broadcast :The Producer can offer the future sales and broadcast rights to the film in return for money to develop the script .Public investments :The Producer can also apply to public funding body such The UK film council for a development grant.Private finance: The Producer can even pitch the film to private investors in the hope that they will support the project.

3.SCRIPT DEVELOPMENT Synopsis: First, The writer produces a synopsis , And he and the producer agree , or not, on the key scenes and big events in the film. Step outline : there are many ways of writing as there are writers, but most writers create a step outline to plan their script.Drafts: Part of the writers fee is conditional on delivery of the first draft. This can be the hardest part of film writing.Revisions: once the writer and producer are happy, the draft is sent to the financers.Final draft: When everyone is happy with the script , it is locked off and becomes a final draft. Then the writer gets paid.Sales treatment: The final stage of the script development process is the creation of a sales treatment.

4.PACKAGING With the script complete, the director and producer decide how they want to film it and who they will employ to help them.

The producer and director must package the script into a full commercial proposition ready for financing. A common way to make the project more commercial is to attach well known stars to the script. Commercially successful heads of department carry considerable clout with knowledgeable financiers. The producer must know how much it will cost before turning the film into a proper business proposition. Potential investors will want to know how the producer plans to raise the money, and how she plans to pay them back. The producer packages the film into a viable commercial proposition, now they need to see what people think of it.

5.FINANCING Producers must secure enough funding to make the film to the highest standard possible.

Financiers can be anywhere in the world and if the producers want to make enough money, they must travel.Private individuals. Production companies and public bodies all invest in films. The producer’s lawyer draws up contracts to seal the deals. Producers can also make money from pre-sales, selling the rights to film before it has even been made. There are departments of banks that specialise in film finance. Most financiers insist that a completion bond is in place before they agree to invest. It is insurance for the production.When all the insurance and funding is secured, the film gets the ‘green light’ and the producer celebrates.

6.PRE-PRODUCTION With the financing secured, the full cast and crew are hired and detailed preparation for the shoot begins

Once all the heads of department are hired, the shooting script is circulated and pre-production begins.The casting Directing , with the director and producer begins the long process of identifying and casting the actors. Story boarding. Storyboards are the blueprints for the film where every shot is planned in advanced by the director and the DOP

7.TH3 SHOOT..

Film making can be a constant struggle to keep it on schedule and budget.

Shooting begins, funding is released.The camera department is responsible for getting all the footage that the director and editor need to tell the story.Lighting, sound, hair and makeup must be done before the shot can be taken.Actors must create an emotional world and draw the audience into it. Every special effect is carefully constructed and must be filmed with minimum risk of injury to cast and crew. Film productions are run with military precision. If they fall behind schedule the financiers and insurers may step in.

8. POST PRODUCTION

Post production usually starts during the shoot.

As the processed footage comes in, the editor assembles it into scenes and creates a narrative sequence for the film. Once the picture is locked, the sound department works on the audio track laying, creating and editing every sound. Digital effects, titles and credits are added. Picture and colour are adjusted.Rough sound mix goes into dubbing theatre where sound mixer sets final levels. After final lock the film reaches full lock and is now finished and ready for duplication.

9. SALES

The producer sells the film but not outright to the public, she needs a distributor.

To help sell the film to the distributor, the producer secures the services of a sales agent. A trailer is made to advertise the film. The producer and sales agent collect everything they will need to sell the film to the distributors. Producers go to great lengths to attract attention to the product. High-profile screening at one of the top film festivals can be great for selling the film. The producer can now negotiate good deals with distributors around the world.

10.MARKETING

As finishing touches are being made, the distributors plan their strategy and begin to market It.

The marketing team runs test screening to see how the film is received from the audience.Potential audience for the film is targeted by posters, cinema trailers, T.V spots and other marketing materials. T.V, newspapers and magazines all help spread word about the film. Digital media and internet has flooded the world with information but has also made niche marketing possible. To get the audience to see the trailers, distributors must negotiate a deal with cinemas to screen it.

11.EXIBITION Cinema exhibitions is still the primary channel for films to reach

their audience high profile star studded premiere is used to launch the film to the public with an explosion of media coverage.

The UK has more than 3500 cinema screens although not all are British owned or show British films.

The exhibitors take their share of the box office receipts after which the distributors recoup their marketing costs.

Once the distributors have been paid the financiers can recover their investments as laid out in the recoupment schedule.

12. OTHER WIDOWS

A successful run in the cinema makes the film a sought -after product, which can then be sold through other more lucrative channels.

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

UK audiences spend more on DVDS than on cinema tickets so success on DVD can compensate for box office failure.Television is the final source of revenue rights are sold separately for pay TV showings and terrestrial broadcast.Once the film has made a profit the producer and key creative people can reap their rewards or so the theory goes.The final income from a film is never known distribution continues in perpetuity and it may even be re-released in the future.

THANKS FOR WATCHING. YOLO 2K12