FILM MAKING

Film Making:

Filmmaking is the process of making a film, from an initial story idea or commission, through script writing, shooting, editing, directing and distribution to an audience. Filmmaking takes place all over the world in a huge range of economic, social, and political contexts, and using a variety of technologies and techniques.

Typically, it involves a large number of people, and takes from a few months to several years to complete, although it may take longer if there are production issues, and the record for the longest production time for a major motion picture is The Thief and the Cobbler's 28 years development.



Stages:

Film production occurs in five stages

  • Development-- The script is written and drafted into a workable blueprint for a film.

  • Pre-production-- Preparations are made for the shoot, in which cast and crew are hired, locations are selected, and sets are built.

  • Production-- The raw elements for the finished film are recorded.

  • Post-Production-- The film is edited; production sound is concurrently edited, music tracks are composed, performed and recorded, if a film is sought to have a score; sound effects are designed and recorded; and any other computer-graphic 'visual' effects are digitally added, all sound elements are mixed "stems" then the stems are mixed then married to picture and the film is fully completed ("locked").

  • Sales and distribution-- The film is screened for potential buyers, is picked up by a distributor and reaches its cinema and/or home media audience.

Development:

In this stage, the project's producer finds a story, which may come from a book, play, another film, a true story, original idea, etc. After identifying a theme or underlying message, the producer works with writers to prepare a synopsis. Next they produce a step outline, which breaks the story down into one-paragraph scenes that concentrate on dramatic structure. Then, they prepare a treatment, a 25 to 30 page description of the story, its mood, and characters. This usually has little dialogue and stage direction, but often contains drawings that help visualize key points. Another way is to produce a scriptment once a synopsis is produced.