The different production stages of film making include development, pre-production, production, post-production, distribution, marketing, and exhibition. In development, financing is secured and budgets are created. Pre-production involves finalizing plans, locations, and casting. Production is when filming occurs. Post-production is when editing, visual effects, and sound design are added. Films are then distributed through various methods like service deals, investors, or major distributors. Marketing utilizes social media, trailers, and festivals to promote the film. Finally, exhibition screens the film publicly in movie theaters.

1. The Different Production Stages of
Film Making

2. Development
The development stage is the most costly part of making a film. First you need to find Financiers. Financers may be private or from an
industry. This is more difficult for independent companies because they are less well known so more of a risk for the investor.
Most development budgets will include the following:
- Script payment fees agreed under the terms of a step deal or option deal
- Producer's fee
- Location scouting and camera tests
- Creating a budget/schedule
- Script readings with cast
- Script editor
- Cost of duplicating scripts and postage
- Cost of developing concept for website
- Production of key art work
- Office overheads usually no more than 15% of the budget
- Producer's legal costs
- Research expenses
Sources of finding;
Many film production companies have their own development departments. The money used to fund these can come from sources such
as, private investment, share offerings, European government money and profit from previous projects. And distributors who will take
back the money they gave to you when the film is finished with an agreed profit. The British Film Institute (BFI) also funds movies.

3. Pre-production
Pre-production begins once a project has been greenlit. At this stage,
finalizing preparations for production go into effect. Financing would have
been sorted as well as cast members, director and cinematographer. Pre-
production ends when the planning ends and the film starts being created. By
the end of pre-production, the screenplay is complete.
During pre-production, the script is broken down into individual scenes,
storyboards and all the locations, props, cast members, costumes, special
effects and visual effects are all identified.
Even though the writer may still be working on it, the screenplay almost
complete.

4. Production
In production, the film itself is shot. More crew will be recruited
at this stage, such as the property master, script supervisor,
assistant directors, stills photographer, picture editor, and sound
editors. At the end of the day, the director approves the next
day's shooting schedule. Call sheets are distributed to the cast
and crew to tell them when and where to turn up the next
shooting day. Later on, the director, producer, and other
members will review their work.

5. Post-Production
At this stage the film is assembled by the film editor.
The shot film material is edited. The production sound
(dialogue) is also edited; music tracks and songs are
composed, sound effects are designed and recorded.
Any computer-graphic visual effects are digitally added.

6. Distribution
There are many ways to distribute films. Booking ad space in
newspapers and magazines has become very costly which makes it
difficult for a small budget of a independent company.
Another way is a service deal. In a service deal, the filmmaker hires a
specialist who takes over the distribution process for a fee - Preview
screenings are set up for cinema booking agents and then specialists
are booked. Advertising and publicity campaigns are designed and
launched, and the money is returned to the filmmaker less the money
spent.
Investors is another way that films are funded. With investors they can
re-cut, re-do parts and do whatever they want without consulting the
director so this can be a down side. It is also hard for independent
companies to get investors because they are seen as a risk because
they don’t have a huge audience.
There is also distributors such as 20th Century Fox who distribute films.

7. Marketing
Marketing is very important in film, without marketing the film there is
no point in making it because it wont reach the audience. There are
many ways to market a film.
There are many apps that can be useful; Buffer allows you to share
your videos and blogs through all your social media. Hootsuite is
another app used to post onto Twitter and Facebook and monitor the
responses. Social media such as Facebook and Twitter are really useful
when marketing because they allow you to reach a wide audience fast,
and for free.
Film festival can create awareness of the film which will lead to a sale.
Trailers are another way of marketing films which all companies will
do.
Street marketing is another method. Sometimes part of a companies
marketing campaign will be to dress up as a character from the movie
(known as gorilla advertising) or hand out leaflets.
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8. Exhibition
Exhibition is the retail branch of the film industry. It involves
their public screening, usually for paying customers at
screenings like the movie theatre.
Companies exhibit their film through cinemas.
3.7 million tickets were sold every week in the UK in 2006.
Exhibitors in the UK are split between the dominant
multiplexes and arthouse cinemas. The main players in the UK
are Cineworld, Odeon Cinemas, Showcase, and Vue
Entertainment. Although the multiplexes specialise in
Hollywood fodder, many independent filmmakers have
successfully exhibited their film and got their movie screened.