Film Industry - Rachel

Production - Development

A project producer thinks of a story line and teams up with a writer which they then make a brief outline of each scene in paragraphs. This contains limited dialog and stage directions briefly understanding each scene and meaning of the film. However, this can take up to months as the script would need to be re-written. After this is complete, the producer and writer would create a brief presentation to show investors and if it is successful, they go ahead and start developing the film.

Pre-Production

Every film production is designed carefully. The film production is visualised by film illustrators and concepts artists. The production budget is finalised and the production insurance is organised. The producer then hires a filming crew to get together and discuss how they are going to go about filming.

Production

Production is when the film is actually filmed created and shot. The crew arrive on set and start to set up the scene while the actors are sent to hair and make up. Actors rehearse the script with the directors and the filming crew make sure everything is up and running so the can start quickly and efficiently. Then the co-director would call everyone to let them know filming is about to start.
Distribution

When the industry put a film together, they need to do everything they can to make sure they make a good profit out of their investment. It's also to understand how the viewers can watch the films. Directors and actors normally gain attention from distributors. When someone is interested, they make a deal. If the movie is successful, they'll manage to put them from the cinema to DVD, to pay-to-view or internet release, then on television.

Marketing

Films are promoted through trailers that are shown in the cinema, TV and also shown before another movie on DVD. There are also film posters and film websites, branded cinema gifts and merchandise, propaganda and fast food packages. Another way they can use promotion is to tour around different countries and cities for premieres. This is when the actors, producers and directors show up for radio, TV shows and host a premiere to promote their movie. Sometimes the director allow a pre show which allows a selected amount from the target audience to watch the film before the actual release date.

Exhibition

Exhibition is about how the audience see the film. This is based around the majority of the viewers best interest. They would consider the best viewing time, cost etc. For example, most people enjoy going to the cinema on the weekends, so they would inform the cinemas to show the film during that time. Also including the preference  in technology. This would include things such as 3D shows or 2D shows

Film Industry

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.

Information on producing a film

Producing

There are many stages to producing a movie, this involves many people to do many different jobs in the time that they have. The first step is to come up with the idea itself, without a story there can be no film. At first you do not need to know every little detail of the story but just have a general concept of things, when you have this you can start to develop your idea into a film. When this is all sorted out you must lay out your story into 4 sections: beginning, middle, climax, solution/end. this is key so that your film is correctly structured and also easy for the viewer to follow. Once all the ideas and concepts are clear to everyone you can then sketch out your ideas on a story board. This will allow you to show what shots and movements you would like in your film. After this you can actually start to think about what the film may actually look like. You should always spend some time on what you want the 'look and feel' of the movie to be, for example 'matrix' has a yellow-green tone throughout the film. This enhanced the feeling of being 'digitalised' which fits exactly to the type of film it is.

You can then start to get a crew together, they will help you with everything and very important when making a film. It would be hard to do everything by yourself. Some of the roles include: director producer, camera men, sound and lighting men and editor. You will then need to cast your movie, you can hire anybody that suits the role you are creating. You can then start looking for a location to film in. This will be according to what your storyline is- it is generally better to find a natural setting rather than to spend your time to build a set.
After you have gathered your equipment and tested it you are ready to start filming!
When you are done filming all the shots you need for your film, you can go to your computer and start the editing process. This is very important and will allow you to create the movie you had in mind. Here is where you can also cut any shots you don't want and add all the effects and sound you need for your film to be a success.

Film Industry (Marketing): Alicia Cumberbatch

MARKETING STRATEGIES:

Trailers-

Starting up to a year before the release of a major studio movie, distributors run movie trailers that are meticulously edited and audience-tested.

This gives moviegoers a taste of the laughs, special effects and plot twists of the upcoming release, while leaving them wanting more. It's an art form that's usually handled by special trailer production houses.

Websites-

The movie studio will create an official Web site for the film which will is usually unveiled around the same time as the trailers, typical movie Web sites allow visitors to view multiple versions of the trailer, watch behind-the-scenes interviews and mini-documentaries, read plot synopses, download cell-phone ringtones and desktop wallpaper, play games, chat in forums and even pre-order tickets. 

For example the film Runner Runner has a website already and is not due to be released until October 4th.

Press Coverage-

As the release date of the film draws closer, movie marketers try to get early favorable press coverage in newspapers, magazines and on entertainment TV shows. The main movie publicity tactic is something called a press junket. At a press junket, journalists, entertainment reporters and movie critics are flown out to a special location for a day or weekend of interviews with the stars and creators of the film.

An example of a publicity tactic is shown below:

Vin Diesel appeared on the Johnathon Ross Show, promoting the film he acted in, Fast and Furious 6.

Group photo