Film Production

Film Production from reigatemedia

Idea and Development

Management

Scheduling

Decided by the First Assistant Director in tandem with the Director. Only the director knows how long he or she will take to pull off a movie, and according to this, the schedule is drawn. A schedule outlines the basics: Where do we meet? What do we do? Who has to show up? And When do they have to show up?

Budgeting

Based on all the other factors, a full detailed production budget is drawn up. Big budget studios can afford to overrun their budgets, independent filmmakers cannot. Underestimating the budget is one of the greatest causes of production failure, and it is usually the result of the inability of the filmmaker to acknowledge reality. The responsibility of preparing the budget lies with the Production Manager. 

Production Management

Production Management is the running of day to day operations of a movie. The person on whom this responsibility is thrust is the Production Manager.

Meetings

Meetings are the most time-consuming parts of pre-production. People from every department have to meet

Administration

Legal and accounting

Every production must have a solid legal foundation. At the end of the day all debits and credits will flow through certified accountants, who will minutely inspect every detail. These are checks and balances that are in place to ensure everyone’s doing their job, and no money is being wasted or robbed

Permits

Permits will have to be obtained from locations, individuals, agencies, governmental organizations, private organizations, and so on. These are legitimate documents valid in the eyes of the law; usually prepared by the legal team, and enforced by the production team

Writing

Screenplay/Script

Before this happens, scene numbers are etched in stone, and then never changed. If more scenes are added, they are given new numbers or letters (like 3a, for a new scene between 3 and 4, and so on); this draft will be scrutinized in minute detail by many individuals

Breakdowns

A script is ‘broken down’ into the following documents: Location breakdown; Cast breakdown; Crew breakdown; Scene breakdown; Effects breakdown (if any). A breakdown is just a list of items of that particular type, organized, sorted, studied and tabulated for easy understanding and review

Research

At every stage of the production, the research ‘team’ finds and distills information to ‘scannable’ form for the director or writer, especially where detail is necessary

Previs or Storyboarding

Storyboarding is the art of drawing or rendering frames as visualized by the director; usually done by a storyboard artist. When it is done on computer, you call it Previz, or pre-visualization taking the form of still frames, presentations, motion, 3D animations etc.

Shooting Script 

Numbered list of shots, with a description of the framing and other details such as focal length and camera movement 

Pre-Production

Casting

Casting directors find actors who match directors specifications and hold auditions

Locations

Contact film location scouts who find candidates for your location

Script Breakdown

A move producer identifies every item needed for movie’s shoots including location, props and effects

Tech Scout

Purpose is for the director to visit every location with the heads of department and precisely explain what each shot will entail: where the camera will be; details of camera movement; what the actors will be doing; and what the look of the scene must be

Timetabling by the first Assistant Director

1st AD uses directors shot list to draw up schedule for each day of the shoot. Schedules shots in order of lighting or camera set ups

Production Design

Production designer designs and oversees the production of set pieces and arranges the procurement of anything that needs to be purchased; plants, furniture etc. costume designer does the same

Production

Rehearsals

Blocking the shot-walk the actors through the shots and determine what they do in relation to the camera. Directors viewfinders around to refine and tweak shots; choosing focal length, camera placement, actor’s marks etc. Changes can still be made without loss of time and money

Setting up shots

Director tells cinematographer where to put the camera, which lens to use and details of camera movement

Checking the take

The director reviews the takes on the video monitor and tweaked and repeated until satisfied. Reviewing is taken into the editing room where every single detail is noticed and possibly improved

Post Production

Editing

Editing all the materials that were gathered during shooting, thus assembling it into a fluent, consistent film. This is also time to insert the overlay of adjustments and effects that creates the full cinematic experience you have envisioned. Going through the footage, cutting and re-arranging it, discarding what is not needed and making sure that what remains tells the story clearly. Color corrections are made and sometimes a narration is added. This is the time to title the film.

Sound Mixing

Involves adding any necessary sound effects, setting the level of each soundtrack and making the soundtrack as seamless as possible 

Music

Hire a composer and direct him/her on when a music cue must stop and start; instruments to hear; whether it should be happy or sad; and its speed.

Test Screenings

When you have first cut of movie, including music, test screening with small number of people who feedback what was good and bad, deciding what needs to be improved or cut.