PRODUCTION:
The production
process has 3 main stages which are:
1.
Pre-production: this includes planning,
scripting and storyboarding, production budget is finalised etc
2.
Production: the actual shooting/recording
3.
Post-production: this is everything between
production and creating the final piece such as editing.
The making of children's book into animated movies:
The first step of producing
a film is to write a script. Once
script page is created they pass it on to a group where they begin to
make a storyboard. The artists imagine how the words will transform into
actions and pictures. They then do a series of sketches bringing the story to
life through a comic book. Once this is
all done the producers and directors need to approve of what has been done, in
order for the drawings to be digitally photographed and strung together to
create a story reel. After this
temporary music, dialogue and sound effects are put in place so that the movie
is in this form for about 18 months.
When the story reel is underway, it is then moved onto the development
department where they begin to plan the way the film is going to look,
developing the style, tone, colour and
overall artistic approach to each and every sequence is key. In this section
even the tiniest thing is taken into account from the major characters to the
smallest of props. This is all done by the development artists through
thousands of drawings, paintings, blueprints, sculptures and models so by the
end they have a fantasy world and characters ready to tell the story.
Once the storyboards are drawn, the characters and sets are designed the next
step is to find the voices for each character and then begin to record the
lines. Unlike casting for real characters and for real action movies, casting for
just the voices of the characters is done in a whole new format. For example
those who do the casting , cast with their ears and not their eyes this is due
to the reason that they are not bothered how he or she looks, as the physical
character is already on the computer. Once the actors are chosen there first
recorded before the animation begins and they are also usually videotaped
performing their roles this is to help provide references for the next phases
of production.
From all of the hundreds of drawings, modelers begin to construct a digital
model a sort of clay model in the computer. Modelers start with this wire frame
sculpture that's called armature, the
armature will be able to give the animator the ability to move the 3D-figure in
whatever way is necessary. After
modelling and before animation comes the
'rigging' process. This is where the modelling department comes in and they
determine how the character must move such as the bones, muscles, fat and how
realistic or 'cartoony' their actions must be in the film.
After all of this is completed animators start to bring to life the characters
in the computer, they articulate the thousands of controls that were create
during the character-rigging phase so that each character is synchronized to the
voice performance. This makes the characters look like themselves, but not
quite as this is just the animation and the scene isn’t quite finished yet.
Surfacing artists add the colours and textures to these elements making the
surfaces look smooth, shiny, fuzzy, dirt and soft etc. Surfacing artists are
used as sometimes characters need to be customized for a specific shot such as
looking dripping wet and so on.
After the camera moves have been set and the characters have been animated the
next step is effects. For example when the wind is blowing leaves this is
designed and animated by the effect artists. Sound designers create and record
sound effects and foley to create the textures and layers of sound that enrich
the story. Foley artists create sound effects that are specific to each movie
such s glass breaking, doors opening/closing and so on.
Echo: the dialogue, music and sound effects are assembled on the sound mixing
stage. Audio levels, equalization, perspectives and treatments are added as
tracks and mixed into the final version of the movie.
DISTRIBUTION:
Depending on the distribution company they decide how many
copies (prints) of the film too make. The distribution company then shows the
movie (screening) to prospective buyers representing the theatres. The buyers
then negotiate with the distribution company on which movies they wish to lease
and the terms of the lease agreement. Then the prints are sent to the
theatres a few days before the opening
day.
Another way it can be distributed is by a home entertainment
release which is when the movie is available on DVD-video or Blu-ray Disc.
Standard release - cinema to DVD to pay to view and finally
to television.
Simultaneous release - the film is released on multiple
media at the same time.
Some distributors choose to release their films on certain
days as opposed to others for various reasons such as, they don’t want their
film release to clash with another, they may not want their film to be released
on important days as there movie may not be taken notice of.
MARKETING:
Different types of marketing are:
·
Cinemas - trailers, film posters and standees.
·
Internet - advertised through film websites,
film previews, film shots
·
Print - paid newspapers, magazines
·
Merchandising -promotional give away propaganda
·
Promotional tours - directors, actors, producer
appear for TV, radio and interviews all across the country.
·
Test the film on the target audience.
·
Trailers
- these can go on both TV or online through ads on websites or simply can be
viewed on websites where movies are the main thing and through youtube.
·
Bus ads and other ads on the streets - these are
mainly placed at bus stops or as seen on buses themselves so that people can
get a view of them.
·
Other mass media - other forms that movies can
be advertised is through movie magazines or any other magazines.
·
Others - other ways of movies being advertised
can be through food products such as McDonalds, Subway and so on.
Films are sold to different audiences for example an
animated movie can be sold to the younger audience such as children through
food products such s McDonalds a sits very famous with younger kids. For the older audience it can be done through
magazines which are very popular depending on the age group.
Diversity marketing - is another strategy of marketing this
strategy takes into account the different diversities in a culture in terms of
belief, expectations, tastes and needs.
EXHIBITION:
The film value chain:
Development -->Financing -->Pre-sales -->Production -->Sales & Licensing -->Distribution --> Exploitation
Exhibition is the final stage of film production:
It's all about how the audience see the film, is there a
preference in cinema due to facilities, distance, proximity, a preferred
viewing time maybe midday due to small crowds or large crowds at night, choice
in viewing a preference of technology
Imax, 3D or normal 2D.
