Production companies are responsible for the overall production of a film. They provide funding, help choose talent like directors and actors, and oversee the filmmaking process. If a film succeeds or fails, the production company receives the profits or blame. Once complete, the film is distributed by distribution companies who market and license the film to theaters. The revenue generated is shared between the production company, distribution company, and theaters, with the largest portion going to the production company who initiated the project.

1. Film Industry
David Dizon

2. Production Company
Production companies help with the making of the film. They
help with the funding, scripting, casting and choose the
producers as well as the directors. Production companies are
the ones that look over the film when it’s at its early stages of
making. They are in charge of recruiting talented actors that fit
the roles of the characters well, they are in charge of finding a
skilled director and they are also in charge of all the financial
businesses (budgets).

3. Production Company
Production companies are ultimately in charge of the whole film
and they are the ones who get all the rewards for it (financial
income and recognition). However, they are also the ones
responsible if anything goes wrong. If an injury occurs to one of
the actors or the movie isn’t a success they get the blame for it.

4. Example
 A film that has been produced by a big name company which
also fits our specific genre is Shaun of the Dead. Shaun of
the Dead was produced by Universal Pictures and were
given a £4 million budget. In the UK, Shaun took £1.6 million
at 366 cinemas on its opening weekend and got £6.4 million
by mid-May (it was released on the 29th of March 2004). In its
opening weekend in the US, Shaun earned $3.3
million, taking eighth place at the box office despite a limited
release to only 607 theatres. The film has earned
$30,039,392 (£18,725,476) worldwide in box office receipts
since its release.

5. Examples of production
companies:
 Paramount Pictures
Paramount Pictures Corporation is a film and television production/distribution company,
consistently ranked as one of the largest movie studios. It was founded in 1912.
 Summit Entertainment
Summit Entertainment is an American film studio and was founded in 1991.
 Universal Pictures
Universal Pictures is an American motion picture studio, owned by Comcast, and one of
the six major movie studios. It is one of the longest-lived motion picture studios to be
located outside of Hollywood. It was founded in 1912.
 DreamWork Studios
DreamWork is an American film studio which develops, produces, and distributes films,
video games and television programming. It has produced or distributed more than ten
films with box-office grosses totalling more than $100 million each. It was founded 1994.

6. The Production Process
Pre-production
Planning, scripting and storyboarding.
Production
Actual shooting and recording.
Post-production
Everything between production and creating the final
master copy.

7. Distribution
Film distributors are companies that are responsible for marketing
a film. These are the steps of what distribution companies do:
 The film is completed and is sent to the studio where they then
make a licensing agreement with a distribution company.
 Distribution companies determine how many copies of the film is
to be made.
 They also show the movie to buyers representing the theatres.
 The buyers negotiate with the distribution company on which
movies they wish to lease and the terms of the agreement.
 The prints of the movie are sent before the opening day.
 The theatre shows the movie for a specified number weeks (the
amount of time the theatre and the distribution company have
agreed upon).
 When the agreement has ended, they send it back to the
distribution company and pay for the leasing agreement.

8. Distribution
 The distributors also have another important job and that is to
put the film into DVDs and video rental websites such as
LoveFilm. Distributors are also the ones who are responsible
for the making of the trailers. Trailers are very important as it
will be the first time the public will see a glimpse of the movie.
It is essential to make a good first impression as it will
determine if the public will pay to see the film.

9. This is a simple flow diagram
showing the basic process of the film
industry. At the beginning the
producers are the ones in charge of
all the activities needed to get a final
master copy done. It is then passed
onto a distributing company, they
negotiate with buyers which will
determine when theatres will have
the opening screening date and how
many weeks it will be screened on
theatres. It will be made public and
customers will come in to watch the
movie. The revenue received from
the customers will go to the theatres
that screened the movie, however
only a small portion of the whole
revenue will be given out to them.
This goes for the distribution
companies too. The majority of the
revenue will go to the producers.

10. Examples of film distribution
companies:
 Paramount Pictures
An example of a film that has been distributed by Paramount Pictures is
Friday the 13th.
 20th Century Fox
An example of a film that has been distributed by 20th Century Fox is The
Omen.
 Touchstone Pictures
An example of a film that has been distributed by Touchstone Pictures is The
Village.

11. Movie Marketing
Movie marketing also known as Film promotion is the stage where
promotion for the upcoming movie is initiated. There are various
techniques in which the film’s marketing department can do. They can
promote their movie by having individual interviews with the main
actor/actress of the film on popular TV shows like The Jonathan Ross
Show. They can also have posters designed and release news about
the film on the internet (Social Networking Sites e.g. Twitter). Promoting
through social networking sites is a good idea because they are popular
among all generations, both young and old. The people in charge of
marketing are also responsible for sequels, soundtrack, merchandise
(action figures or clothing materials) and video games. By doing this, it
could help bring in extra money.