To have any success in producing or releasing a film you need to have a business plan or strategy, There are a number of steps to do this, the first and most obvious being the idea!
1. The Idea,
-The Idea primarily needs sources of information as thesed are the most valuable commodity in the film business. Protecting your idea is also very crucial and film producers also take out ommissions insurance which cover them if they are sued for libel, slander, breach of copyright and the like.
- The producer is also a vital part of the idea, as this is the person who decides to make this great idea in to reality. These people are often the driving force behind the whole film along with the financial side of things!
- The Director, This person can visualise a script and make it reality, They know how to take a story and put it on the scene. These people work very closely with the Producers.
- The Writer, defines and clarifys the idea, the plot and the main characteristics, and turns it into something tangible.
- Treatment, The writer will then write a treatment a one page description of the story and characteristics of the film. This is a description of the key events and people in the film. This should also give the reader a good idea of what the film is about.
- Pitch, A pitch contains all the information needed in order to sell the odea to francises to commission a script. The pitch should include a few simple rules...
1. one-liner ( A one sentense description of the film)
2. Genre
3. Market
4. People attatched
5. Rough Budget
6. Brief Synopsis
2. Development finance
Film finance is an aspect of film production that occurs during the development stage prior to pre-production, and is concerned with determining the potential value of a proposed film. In the United States, the value is typically based on a forecast of revenues over a ten- to 15-year period, beginning with theatrical release, and including DVD sales, and release to cable broadcast television networks both domestic and international and inflight airline licensing.
The Main ways of financing are
- government grants;
- tax schemes;
- private equity and hedge funds
- debt finance; and
- equity finance.
3. The Script Development Once the finance side of things are stable or guarenteed, you can start planning a script for the play.
Firstly you need the Synopsis, The writter produces this and he and she producer agree (or not) on the key scenes and events in the film.
Secondly, The step outline! there are as many ways of writting as there are writters, but most create a step outline to create their script. These are just short written descriptions of the scene, which will eventually come together to make a script.
Thirdly drafts are needed, part of the writters fee is conditional on delivery of the forst draft. THIS CAN BE THE HARDEST PART OF THE SCREEN WRITTING! This doesn;t just contain dialouge, but every little thing from actions and events that will be seen on screen.
Following this is Revisions, Once the writter and producer are happy, The draft is sent to the financers, all of whom have their own ideas...The writters here have to tell a story visually, This is a very unique and specialist discipline.
Next, The Final Draft! When everyone is happy with the script it is locked off and the writter gets paid.
Finally Sales Treatment This is the final stage of the script development process- the creation of sales. This is desingned to sell the film to potential financers. This is an advert fro the script and uses more emotive language than the writers original synopsis.
Packaging
What is packaging? the rough budget - The producer takes the sales treatment and final draft script and come us with a rough budget! it is a budget of how much funding the writter can expect for the script.
The cast - one common way to make the project more commercial is to attactch well knows starts to the script.
The Heads of department - The respected commercially successful heads of department carry considerable clout with financers. A top editor can transform a film, the priduction designer is incrediblly important for the visual appearance of the film and the director of photography is equally important, they give the film as distinctive look that will sell the film.
Detailed budget and production scheme - to turn the business into a proper production proposition, the producer must know how much it will actually cost to make.
Financial plan and recoument schedule- potential investors will want to know how the producer plans to raise the money and how she plans to pay them back.
The complete package - the producer has packaged the film to a viable commercial proposition, now is the time to see what people think of it.
Financing
Financing is an expensive business and the producer must secure enough funding to make the film to the highest possible standard.
Number one - The market, financers can be anywhere in the world, they don;t have to be local. to secure the investment she needs to make the film, The producer must travel to get the best deal.
Investment - Private individuals, production companies and private bodies all invest in films. The producers lawyers draws up contractions to seal deals.
Pre-Sales - The producer can also raise money from pre sales selling the rights to teh film before it has even been sold.
Banks and Gap funding - There are departments of banks that specialise in films finance, they invest in commercial projects and also offer loans.
Completion Bonds- Most financers insist there is a completion bond in place before they agree to invest. This is the insurance for the project.
GREEN LIGHT!! Once all the essential funding and insurance is secured, the films gets the green light and the producer gets drunk!
Pre-Production
With the financing secured, the full cast and crew are hired and detailed preperation for the shoot begins.
The Kick off meeting - Once all the heads of department are hired, the shooting script is circulated and pre production begins in earnest.
The casting direcrtor - The casting director will need to start to shortlist actrs for all the roles required for the script.
The editor will take on the responsiblity of choosing the people that will be requied once the film moves into post preduction.
During pre-production the head of sound is responsible for hiring a team of sound recordists and boom operators.
The director of photography he has to make sure everyone is comfortable with the type of film that is being shot.
The production designer, they need to hire a team to make sure all the sets are hired.
The first AD, they are responsible for keeping the film on schedule.
The line producer is responsible for every person and issue during the making of a film.
Casting....The casting Director, with the dorector and producer begins the long process of identifying and casting the actors.
Story Boarding; These are blueprints for the film, where every shot is planned in advance by the director and the DOP.
Production Design; They plan every aspect of how the film will look, and hires people to design and build each part.
Special effects planning, effects shots are planned in much more detail, than normal shots and can take months to design.
The production unit - The first Ad, line producer and production manager make up the key logistic triangle of the production.
The Shoot
This can involve hundreds of people and is a constant struggle to keep on schedule and budget.
This includes first day of principal shooting, this is the most key moment as funding is released.
Camera department is needed, they are responsible for getting all the footage back to the story editor.
Lighting and sound- once this and hair and make up have been done and set up the shooting can begin.
Acting - in the midst of all commotion the actrs must create an emotional world and draw the audience into it.
Special Physical Effects - this is constructed carefully and must be done with minimum risk.
Chain of command- Film productions are run with military precision, if they fall behind schedule the financers and insurers may step in.
Post Prouction
This usually starts during the shoot.
This includes the rough cut, Post production sound, Digital effects and titles, Grade and colour, final mix and final cut.
Sales
Selling the product; to help sell thye film to distributors the the producer secures the services of the sales agent.
The Trailer; To help sell the film a trailer is made!
Sales toolkit - The producer and sales agent collect everything they need to sell the film to distributors.
Taking the film to market - The market is saturated with films, so the producer must go to great lengths to attract attention to their product.
Screenings - These can be great for generating heat around the film.
Deals - the producer now has a hot product and can negociate good deals with the distributors around the world.
Marketing
As the finishing touches are being made to the film post, the distributors plan their strategy and begin to market it.
The most important people in this are;
The marketing team, The audience, Advertising, Press and media coverage, the internet and new marketing models and selling the film to exibitors.
Exhibition
The premiere - A high profile star studded premiere is used to lanch the film to the public with an explosion of media coverage.
Uk cinemas - The film is then showed at cinemas, to which britain holds over 3,500.
Prints and logistics - Distributors supply the exhibitors with prints of the film. the more films the screen is shown on the more prints needed.
Box office performance - This is data about film attendences.
Revenues - The exhibitors take there share of the box office release after which the distributors recoup their marketing costs.
Recoupment - Once the distributors have been paid, the financers can recover their investments.
Other Windows
A successsful run in cinemas makes the filma sought after product, which can be sold through other channels.
Hospitality - sales for hotel channels and in flight entertainment can bring in millions to add to the revenue.
DVD and Video, Uk audiences spend more on DVD's than cinema tickets.
Broadcast - Television is the final source of revenue and rightscan be sold seperately.
Game of the Film - Rights for games and other product lisenses.
Profit - Once the film has made profit the film producer and key creative people can reap theor rewards.
The end!
