Development
The Project producer begins gathering ideas for the film/play until the screenplay is completed. It's around this time that the producer sells the idea to raise funds.
Financing
The producers secure financiers for the project, often by networking in Los Angeles of all places. Producers may also travel to festivals to attract investors.
Pre-Production
Once funding is secured, the project can get truly underway. Actors hired, sets built, locations scouted, storyboards drawn, schedules planned etc.
Production
Filming commences under the watchful eye of the director, bringing the script to life with the actors and the crew. This is where lighting, cinematography, directing, sound recording all play a vital unanimous role in fulfilling the vision of the producers, writers and directors.
Post-Production
After all the main footage has been recorded, the editor begins stitching all the footage together into a cohesive piece of film. The colours are corrected, special effects may be added, additional footage and sounds are recorded. At this point the composer begins creating an original soundtrack for the project.
Distribution
After the project has been advertised through the use of teasers, trailers, posters and TV Spots, the film is finally distributed. For a large production this will be sold to Cinemas across the world and later into DVDs. Smaller productions will instead be sold to various streaming services such as Amazon or Netflix.
Job Roles
Director
The creative lead of the project, a director has the creative vision of the entire project. They are in-charge of imagining the script in a visual form, working with the producers and writers to fulfil their vision. They instruct the crew and the actors during Production the best out of them, as-well as working with the editor during post-production. A Director needs confidence, leadership and resourcefulness for when stuff goes wrong.
Editor
The Editor is the unofficial head of post-production, in-charge of taking all the footage recorded during Production and putting it all together to make a single product. Working closely with the Director, the editor separates all the usable clips from the unusable, maintains continuity by putting all the footage in the right order and shortens every clip to keep the necessary pacing. An Editor is someone with technical knowledge, patience and determination.
Cinematographor
Known as the Director of Photography, they work closely with the Director to figure out the overall look and feel of a project. They'll both figure out how to achieve that look through lighting, camera angles and movement. The Cinematographers are in-charge of blocking the shots and discussing any special camera movements with the Director and make sure that every shot is usable. Once production has finished, the Cinematographer works with the colourist to keep the look and feel of the film consistent with the directors initial vision. The Cinematographer need an understanding of the original vision and be able to execute said vision with the director, requiring teamwork skills, knowledge on colour theory and framing.
Screenwriter
Before any project can enter Production or even Pre-Production, there needs an initial script to start with, and idea and story to tell. This comes from the Screenwriter, who creates the screenplay to be turned into a film or piece of TV. Once a first draft haas been completed, the Screenwriter will work with the Producers, Directors, Cinematographers and Actors to redraft the script and plan out how to bring it to life. Screenwriters are often freelance, going from studio to studio to pitch their work. A Screenwriter must have originality, creativity and trust in the crew to make their scripts work.
Model maker
Whenever a Production requires miniatures of any description, they will often be built in house by Model Makers instead of being bought. Often used in Stop-Motion, these can be made of clay, wood, plastic or even metal. These miniature wonders are then trusted to either the animators to bring to life frame by frame, or are filmed live in some way. A Model maker can also be involved with making 3D Models for use inside a computer, which will be used in CGI animations. Both instances require great patience, creativity and delicacy.
Animator
Used in a Stop Motion scene of a production, the animator is tasked with manually and very delicately moving a subject a tiny amount, taking a picture of it, then repeating over an over again to create the illusion of movement. For most shots, the camera will be locked perfectly still to remove any jerkiness from the shot. However, if the scene requires the camera to move, then it will be placed on a track or crane and will also have to move a tiny amount every single frame. For this profession you need patience, delicate movements and consistency.
Factors that influence a Production
Budget
Perhaps the single biggest factor that can influence a project is the size of the budget. The amount of money available to spend on a production dramatically changes the process in which it is made and what it will contain. A smaller budget means possibly hiring less actors, having a shorter production block, finding cheaper locations etc.
Time
Another major influence that can seriously hinder a production is the mere passage of time itself. Time is money, and if money is limited then time for Pre-production, post production and production itself is limited also.
Safety
Even with all the money in the world, everything in a production has to meet general health and safety standards. From filming locations to the transport to the stunts of even the food for the staff. Everything has to be planned and executed in a safe and reliable way.
Space
If the production takes place indoors, then the size of the set has to be accounted for. The stage has to able to be constructed inside, with room for the audience and the actors to get on and off quickly and without physical pain, as that goes against the safety.
Location
The location of the production can cause problems. What's the ease of access?
Is the location prone to flooding?
What do the neighbours think of your existence?
All these things can cause problems.
Date
A less obvious factor, the date can still influence a production. Obvious dates to avoid are Holidays like New Years Day, Christmas Day or Easter Sunday, but also other days depending on the Project itself. For example, filming an action scene filled with explosions and deaths is unsuitable for remembrance Sunday or D-day.
Making Money
1st Method
•The main ways any piece of media makes money can be split into 3 factors. The 1st is by budgeting whatever is being made. The cheaper you can make it, the less it has to make to break even and start generating a profit.
2nd Method
•The 2nd way to make money is by advertising. This is the act of telling the world what you’ve made and convincing them to give it a watch. Aside from making adverts, this can be achieved with posters, trailers, teasers or any way to get people talking about it. The more people who know about the product, the more people are likely to see it.
3rd Method
•The final and most obvious way is by selling the product to either Cinemas, Theatres, Television or Streaming. This allows what you’ve made to be seen by many people, an every person who sees it (legally) will contribute to it’s overall success.
What Costs are involved?
Actors
The most fundamental factor of any production is the involvement of actors. Without any actors to act on stage or screen, the audience may struggle to be invested in the scene. Actors of course vary in price, but an actor with an established successful background will always be expensive. Taking a risk on a newcomer will be cheaper to employ, but could prove harder to work with due to less experience.
Space
Whether the Production takes place inside a studio, or outside on someones land, you have to pay for permission to use said space. It's as simple as that.
Transport
Transporting Actors, Crew and Equipment is an essential cost to pay. If not, then the actors would stay in their homes, the crew stuck in a studio on the equipment still in the vault it was booked from. And all these transport costs need to be returns, for obvious reasons.
Equipment
Speaking of equipment, it's quite an important thing to consider. Without any equipment you'd be unable to light the scene, record the audio, place the camera or even have a camera in the 1st place, so it's all a bit pointless.
Post-Production
After all the hard work writing, planning and filming the project, you now need to edit it all together. You have a choice of 3 possible options.
1. You pay for an editor who'll do all the hard work for you.
2. You pay for an editing software and save some money by editing it all yourself, which will take some time.
3. You save all the money spent on post-Production by finding a free editing software and doing it all yourself, which will take a-lot of time.
Advertising
Finally, the project is finished and it's finally time to make some money, except it's not. The product may be finished, but no-one knows of it's existence aside from those who helped make it. You need to sell it, which is achieved through advertising. Through trailers, teasers, posters and fake controversies. These will hopefully get some people interested in what been made, or not, it's no guarantee. There is a possible chance you spend your entire life earnings on advertising to thousands of people, yet no-one actually wants to see it. In that case however, you probably made a big mistake somewhere.
LO5
Risk Assessment - Theatre
Wires on the floor
Overflowing Bins
Gaps on 2nd Floor
Hole in Green Room ceiling
Water on the floor
Bags everywhere
Inappropriately placed light switch in Green Room
Overly crowded
Professional Conduct
Be respectful to those around you
Take care of props, set items and the Theatre itself
Take responsibility for yourself and your belongings
Demonstrate a professional attitude
Help and support other members
Be open to change.
To further my knowledge in maintaining safety in a workspace, I have completed the Makerspace Health and Safety Assessment.