5 Stages Of Film Production
Film production how the filming of a movie known in language and academic context. Although a shoot could also be a series, a short or a trailer, the name of film production indicates that it is a feature film.
On the other hand, as taught in the school’s Master in Television Production, the production phase also carried out the television industry.
Next, we will talk about each of the phases of the cinematographic shoot so that you know more and the phases that carried out in a project of these characteristics.
A directors treatment, often used in the film and television industry, is a document created by a director that outlines their unique vision for a project. Unlike a traditional film treatment which focuses more on the narrative, a director’s treatment delves into the director’s interpretation of the script, encompassing their ideas about the visual style, tone, themes, and overall approach to the material. This may include details on cinematography, color palette, lighting, sound, and editing styles, as well as insights into character development and story pacing. The director’s treatment is a pivotal tool in conveying to producers, cinematographers, and other team members how the director plans to bring the script to life on screen, ensuring everyone involved has a clear understanding of the project’s creative direction.
And who knows, maybe you will decay your professional career towards this sector! Let us begin.
These are some points which you need to know
Index of contents
- What is film production?
- The different phases of an audiovisual production
(i) Development
(ii) Pre-production
(iii) Production
(iv) Postproduction
(v) Distribution
- What skills do you need to dedicate yourself to the sector?
- Conclusion
What is film production?
Film production or filming is the whole process in which the creation of a feature film, of a movie, is included.
This is the path that you take from the time you develop an idea until the time you finish filming. Following that, the film released for marketing, either streaming platforms in cinemas.
After every movie you see, there is great effort and dedication. There are also many hours of work, as well as a large number of people dedicating their time and talent to this project so that everything goes as smoothly as possible.
Within this project, it is necessary to know the role of the production company, which is the one that starts the work itself.
Likewise, the executive producer or producers people who believe in this idea and its potential and decide to invest money and means so that it can be carried out.
We must not confuse the production company with the producer, as this figure is in charge of bringing together the human team and planning the timings so that the filming is a success.
The different phases of an audiovisual production
Mainly, during the film production process, 5 stages are carried out. However, there can be many other internals and phrases that fall into these 5 basics.
- Development
This first stage is one of the most important, as it is on which the rest of the project is based. So to speak, they are the foundation of the house. If they are not firm and have a good job behind them, it is possible that the whole subsequent project will falter. This phase includes the search and creation of ideas, the documentation, and the writing of the script.
The script, even if it is not the final one, serves as an outline of the expected final result. It is also very useful as a guide, to know where to go. Also, in this phase, they begin to look for places to record and possible locations. Funding also obtained for the project.
- Pre-production
In this second stage of production, everything necessary to start filming is prepared: staff, actors, stages, recording set, etc. This process can be long and costly, as several castings must be carried out, filming permits obtained, and a large number of Hire film equipment, among other necessary activities.
- Production
Preproduction and 5 elements for film
Pre-production and its stages are the beginning of the overall project. This is where creators can make and break the project with their creative elements and have every opportunity to explore other ways of doing things at the time of filming.
Elements and stages of pre-production.
Some elements that make up the pre-production will be listed below. In a general way, we will review each of them and find their function at this stage.
Script.
The script is the main guide, the axis where the whole project will be based to run; both the creative and technical parts.
What is the script?
Text in which the content of a film or a radio or television program is exposed, with the necessary details for its realization.
What is it for?
The script has various annotations and serves various departments or directorates. For example the headings: INT. BEDROOM – DAY
The INT. tells us that it is an interior, this gives an idea to the production design department that they have an interior and you have to do it on a set or find a location.
Also to the photography equipment, you will need certain types of lenses or lights to perform interiors or to the sound equipment that will occupy certain microphones to capture the audio indoors.
Bedroom: This is more specific to production design that will need to set that interior in the style of a bedroom. With all the corresponding props, bed, bureau, closet. etc.
Day: here it tells us how the light will behave in the scene and is indicated more than anything else for the cinematographer.
If it’s daytime you will probably have to use large HMIs or bouncers or a couple of CTOs or CTBs. And prepare the creative and technical concept to execute a scene.
Script types.
We have basically two types of script depending on the functions needed:
Literary script.
It is the script as we know it, with the headings, the description of the scenes, and the dialogues for the characters. It is intended to narrate only what can be seen and what can be heard.
You cannot write emotions or feelings, since you cannot see someone happy, but you can see someone smiling and jumping.
Technical script.
It is based on the shots and camera movements as a list. Generally, it has 4 columns that are: Plane, movement, audios, and observations. In the plane column, it comes if it is General, long, medium, etc.
In motion, if it is a travel, fixed, crane up, etc. And in sound all that heard, environmental, incidental, music.
Storyboard.
The storyboard is a storyboard and part of the literary script. What is proposed to convert the words, sentences, or paragraphs into images and draw them for a more concrete understanding?
Casting.
It is the casting selection process. It consists of doing the test where the prospects read some lines that most represent the characters on a tape.
The casting director is in charge of selecting the role that each actor will play, according to their skills and abilities.
Scouting.
Scouting is about searching for a location. They will be described in the script either in the header in the scene descriptions. The location has elements that also participate in the story directly or indirectly.
Scouting for Direct Location.
When the location has a direct effect on the narrative of the story. For instance; A character jumps from a 2-story building and falls into a trash can.
The location manager must find a place that has the elements that the script requires, which is basically a 2-story building, that has an area where it can be installed in case there is no trash can where the character will land.
Scouting for Indirect Location.
It occurs when the location has an indirect effect on the narrative of the story. For example, in a sequence, 2 characters are traveling by car and they stop at a gas station to put gas in and continue on their way.
The gas station is part of history but it does not represent a dramatic burden, so the selection of this location should not meet as many requirements as the direct one.
- Postproduction
This stage, almost reaching the end of the process, where all the details polished. The raw material obtained in the filming is edited. Music and special effects are added, cropped, scenes chosen, edited, and so on.
It can also be a long and laborious stage, in which many hours are spent and various decisions must be made.
- Distribution
The fifth and final phase is the distribution of the project, already completed. Once the job clean and the feature film finished, it’s time to launch it out into the world and let people see it and give their opinion on it.
The normal thing is that it is distributed in movie theaters or that it is uploaded to streaming platforms.
Be that as it may, it is a crucial phase and must be done well, so that the film receives the attention it deserves and reaches you as a viewer.
This phase also includes the advertising and marketing that made of the work, essential for it to reach the public.
As you already know, it is necessary to take into account the production company behind or the producers who finance the project.
The more weight and money they have, the more detailed and massive the publicity will be, so the film will reach many more people.
What skills do you need to dedicate yourself to the sector?
It is a broad sector that encompasses many types of professions: from screenwriter to director, through costume director, animation director, set director, and so on.
Props, designers, proofreaders, editors, cameras, effects specialists, actors and a large number of other professionals also enter this sector.
Depending on the specific job you want to do, you must have different skills and studies, since being a director is not the same as being an actor or proofreader, for example.
There are many possibilities, and it is best to inquire at universities and specialized schools on the subject. This way you will know with certainty what skills you need to carry out each task.
What is evident is that you must feel a great passion not only for the world of cinema but for the process that takes place during film production.
conclusion
In short, now you know what film production consists of and what its 5 main stages are. If you interested in this world, remember that the possibilities for professionalization are many.