Film Industries - Production

Film institutions – Production 

The production of film happens when the production company decides on the cast of the film, the location and what the film is about.
 

The five production stages are as follows:

·         Development – the development of the story this is the stage where the production of the film has just begun, scripts are written in this stage also creative groups are put together and ideas are thrown around. This process tends to take a few years depending on film, and lots of films never make it out of this stage.

Our Experience

We have emulated this stage and I can see that it is very difficult. I can see why a lot of good ideas and good scripts would stall, because they are not enough on their own to get a project off the ground. you need it to be practical. I can also see how difficult it is for everyone invested in it to agree as everyone needs to compromise, and sometimes this can make the first idea less strong.
 

 ·         Pre-production or ‘Prep’ – this is when the production crews hire a cast and a film crew to shoot the film and the shooting is in its preparation stages. This can take around 8 weeks.

Our Experience

We had a relatively short time for this stage. We are still doing the final planning. Casting was more time-consuming than I realised. Sometimes people you want aren't available at the time you want them, sometimes they can act well but don't look right, sometimes you just can't find the right person. This must happen in reality too.

·          Principle photography or ‘Principle’ – is the stage when the filming actually takes place. This is shot on location or in a special studio set; this process can take up to roughly 10 weeks if it is feature length.

Our Experience

We will be beginning this soon. We have a main filming day and then other shorter time slots for locations nearer school / pick ups.

·         Post production or ‘Post’ – in this 4^thstage the editing for the film takes place for both picture and sound they also add visual effects and any music is made up and added to the film. Marketing is completed in this section, they would also produce material with will promote the film. This section can take up to 12 weeks.

Our Experience

We will have around four weeks to edit. This sounds like a long time but isn't because we won't have the full length of the lessons, and this is work that is difficult to take home as we don't have the package. It's also important that we woek together. Real films edit the dailies, whereas we will be editing after most of our filming has happened.


·         Distribution – this final stage involves the company showing the public the final product, put in cinemas etc, so it is distributed to its target audience. This process happens throughout 6 to 12 months depending on the success of the film and the demand.

Examples of production companies: 

1. Pixar 
2.  Universal studios
3.  Paramount Pictures
4.  New Line Cinema

Matthew Vaughn produced the film ‘Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels’ directed by Guy Richie. This film fits our chosen film genre and his other film ‘Snatch’ fits it as well. His productions are very much our desired style as they are very British and this helps us understand how our piece could work as we will not be using American slang and their accents. 

There are many jobs produced from the production part of a film a producer, Executive Producer, Director,  a Production Manager, Production Coordinator, Associate Producer/Production, Associate Producer/Post,  Unit Manager, First Assistant Director (First AD), Second Assistant Director (Second AD), Production Assistant, Script Supervisor, Unit Production Manager, and Stunt Coordinator.

Film institutions – Distribution 

Carrying on from the final stage of film production distribution can be for a long period of time as some films can be distributed throughout other countries and they can gross billions as interest is high, so exposure can be prolonged. 

Warner Brothers, Lions Gate Entertainment and DreamWorks are all examples of distribution companies that are there to market the films and promote them increasing the interest from the public and boosting sales. They can decide the release date of the film to DVD and they build up media interest. 

Our production company would be low budget and independent production company as the film we intend to make is that kind of film it would also need to be produced in a very British way.

Examples:

‘Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels’

Produced by: Matthew Vaughn

Distributed by: PolyGram Filmed Entertainment

Box office (worldwide): $25,297,569

 

‘Ocean’s Eleven’

Produced by: Jerry Weintraub

Distributed by: Warner Bros

Box office (worldwide): $450,717,150

 

Film institutions – Marketing and Promotion

Magazine covers 

Promotion of film can happen through magazines and newspapers, the actors and actresses can be interviewed in these which build publicity especially if the film has yet to be released. If an actor is on the cover of a magazine it makes everyone aware even if not reading that magazine that that particular actor has a film coming up and this is publicizing it. People tend to want to read about it and this makes them more inclined to see the film. 

Interviews 

Also interviewing is good for film publicity as actors can speak about the film and are specially asked about it on broadcasted shows. This helps to built up more interest and the viewer is more likely to want to the see the film.