1. Making a film takes many years and involves hundreds of people from the initial idea through development, production, distribution, and generating income after release. 2. A producer is responsible for obtaining financing to develop the script and produce the film by pitching the idea and packaging the film to attract investors, financiers, and distributors. 3. Once funded, production begins with hiring heads of departments, casting actors, planning shots, building sets and designing visual effects, and ultimately filming the movie.

1. By Harry Jenner

2. Making a film takes years and involves hundreds of
people but when starting a film all you need is a
brilliant idea from one person. The person with the idea
then goes to a producer to make their idea reality. A
director then redrafts the story to make it suitable for
the screen. A writer then makes the story more
interesting and turns it into something tangible. The
writer will then make the story long enough and
interesting enough for a film. There is then a pitch that
contains all the information the producer needs in
order to sell the idea.

3. The producer uses her power of persuasion to get
money for the development of a script . The producer
then finds film production companies for development
money, but they have no projects of their own. The
producer can offer the future sales and broadcast
rights to the film in return for money for the script.
The producer can also get money form public funding.
The producer can even pitch private investors.

4. First the writer and the producer wave to agree on
key scenes and events in the film. Most writers then
create a step outline to plan their script. The writer
then drafts out the story. When the producer and the
writer agree the draft will be sent to the financiers.
When everyone is happy it is locked off and becomes a
final draft. Then the writer is paid. The final stage of
the script development process is the creation of the
sales treatment.

5. The producer and director must now make the script
into a full commercial proposition ready for financing.
They then try to find well known stars to make the
project more commercial. The producer must then find
out how expensive the film will cost to make. Investors
need to know how the money will be raised. The
producer packages the film to see what people think of
it.

6. The producer may have to travel round the world to find
a financier. The financier then draw up contracts with the
producer to seal the deal. The producer can also sell the
film before its been made to raise money. Banks and
insurance companies can also offer loans. Once the essential
funding and insurance is secured. The film gets a “green
light” and the producer gets drunk.

7. Once all of the heads of department are hired they decide
which actors will be playing which character. There are
also story boards made for the film. The production
designer plans how the film will look and hires people to
design and build each part. Effects shots are planned more
because they need a lot longer to design and build. The
producer and the production manager make up the key
logistic triangle of the production.

8. This is when the shooting starts. Then camera department is
then in charge of getting all the footage that the director
and editor need to tell the story. Once all the lighting,
sound are set up and hair and make-up have been checked the
shot can begin. The actor must use emotional techniques to
draw the audience into it. The special effects must be safe
with a minimum risk of injury. If the film productions fall
behind schedule the financiers and insures may step in.

9. As the film is shot the editor has to assemble the scenes to
create a narrative sequence before the sound department
add sound effects and music. The digital effects are then
added by specialist effect compositors. Finally the film is
edited and different colours are experimented with to see
which creates the best effect. Rough sound mix goes to a
dubbing theatre where the sound mixer sets the final
levels. The film is now finished and ready for duplication.

10. To help the producer sell the film she secures the
services of a sales agent, a specialist in film sales. The film
then needs a trailer to advertise it. The producer and the
sales agent then collect everything they need to sell the
film. The producer must go to great lengths to attract
peoples attention one of the best ways to do this is by
putting the film at a high profile screening. The producer
can now negotiate good deals with distributors around
the world.

11. The producer hires sales agents to help her sell the film to
distributors. To know what your audience likes the
marketing team run test screenings to see how the film is
received. Posters, trailers, TV spots, radio, newspapers the
internet and other marketing materials are used to help
attract attention and so that people know what type of
film they are watching before they watch it. The film also
can be shown at the cinema by paying them to screen it.

12. A high-profile premier is used to launch the film to public
with an explosion of media coverage. The UK has more than
3,500 cinema screens. Distributors supply the exhibitors
with prints of the film. The more screens the films is shown
on, the more prints are needed. The exhibitors take their
share of the box office receipts, after the distributors
recoup their marketing costs. The investors and
distributors are paid or given their investments.

13. Other ways the film producers can make money is by playing
their film in flight entertainment, selling DVDs, broadcasting
on TV and even creating a computer game of the film. After the
producer has made as much money as she can she then pays all
the people who have helped make the film. Other ways to
increase the income after then film is made is to make sequels
and special editions.