Flow Chart of Film Production

The Idea
Sources of Inspiration Development Finances
Films can be based on real life events e.g. Paranormal Activity in the US and Calendar Pitching the Project
Girls for the UK. Remakes of existing films e.g. King Kong in the US and Oliver Twist for
the UK. Adaptations of a book e.g. Harry Potter for the UK and Lord of The Rings for the The producer uses the treatment and pitch plus their powers of persuasion
US. Also original ideas e.g. Green Zone for the US and Hot Fuzz for the UK. to get money to develop a script.

Producers Production Companies

Producers are always looking for a good idea for a film. Once they have thought of a The producer approaches film production companies for development
good idea then they must make this a reality by taking the project further and then money, but they have projects of their own.
getting it made and released.
Sales, Distribution, Broadcast
Director
The producer can offer the future sales and broadcast rights to the film in
Start The director will work with the producer to have the film made. If the director is a well- return for money to develop the script.
known one then this can help attract a good writer. Chris Columbus for Harry Potter, UK,
Public Investment
and Peter Jackson for King Kong, US.
The producer can also apply to a public funding body such as the UK film
Writer
council for a development grant.
In many cases the writer can have an idea for the film and might already have a script
Private Finance
written. The writer defines and clarifies the idea, the plot and the main characters and
turns it into something tangible. Steve Kloves for Harry Potter, UK, and Peter Jackson, The producer can even pitch the film to private investors, in hope that they
Fran Walsh and, Philippa Boyens for King Kong, US. will support the project.
Treatment Tying down the writer
The writer will then write a treatment, a one page description of the main story and The producer can even pitch the film to private investors, in hope that they
characters of the film. will support the project.
Pitch

A pitch contains all the information the producer needs in order to sell the idea to
financiers to commission a script.
 Financing
Script Development
Packaging The market
Synopsis
What is packaging Financers can be anywhere in the world so the producer must
The writer will first write a synopsis and then go to the travel to secure any investment deals.
The producer and director must now package the script into
producer and they will agree or disagree on the key events
a full commercial proposition ready for financing. Investment
and scenes in the film.
The cast Private individuals, production companies and public bodies all
Step Outline
invest in films; the producer’s lawyer draws up contracts to seal
One common way to make the project more commercial is
There are as many ways of writing as there are writers, but the deals.
to attach well known stars to the script.
most writers create a step outline to plan their script.
Pre-sales
The heads of department
Drafts
The producer can also raise money from pre-sales, selling the
Respected, commercially successful heads of department
Part of the writer’s fee is conditional on delivery of the rights to the film before it has even been made.
carry considerable clout with knowledgeable financers.
first draft. This can be the hardest part of screenwriting.
Banks and gap funding
Detailed budget and production schedule
Revisions
There are departments of banks that specialise in film finance.
To turn the film into a proper business proposition, the
Once the writer and producer are happy, the draft is sent They invest in commercial projects, and also offer loans.
producer must know how much it will actually cost to make.
to the financers, all of whom will have their own ideas.
Completion bonds
Finance plan and recoupment schedule
Final Draft
Most financers insist that a completion bond is in place before
Potential investors will want to know how the producer plans
When everyone is happy with the script, it is locked off and they agree to invest, this is insurance for the production.
to raise the money and how they will pay them back.
becomes a final draft. Then the writer gets paid.
Green light
The ‘complete’ package
Sales Treatment
Once the entire essential funding and insurance is secured, the
The producer has packaged the film into a viable commercial
The final stage of the script development process is the film gets the green light and the producer will celebrate.
proposition, now its time to see what people think of it.
creation of a sales treatment.
 Pre-production
The shoot
Post-production
The kick-off meeting
First day of principal photography
Rough cut
Once all the heads of department are hired, the shooting
This is the key moment in the film production, shooting
script is circulated and pre-production begins in earnest. As the processed footage comes in, the editor assembles it
begins, funding is released, and the producer breaths a huge
into scenes and creates a narrative sequence for the film.
Casting sigh of relief.
Post-production sound
The casting director, with the director and producer, begins Camera
the long process of identifying and casting the actors. Once the picture is locked, the sound department works on
The camera department is responsible for getting all the
the audio track laying, creating and editing every sound.
Storyboarding footage that the director and editor need to tell the story.
Digital effects and titles
Storyboards are the blueprints for the film, where every shot Lighting and sound
is planned in advance by the director and director of Digital are added by specialist effects compositors, and titles
Once the lighting and sound are set up and hair and make-up
photography. and credits are added in a compositing suite.
have been checked, the shot can begin.
Production design Grade and colour
Acting
The production designer plans every aspect of how the film The final stage of the picture edit is to adjust the colour and
In the midst of all the commotion, the actors must create an
will look, and hires people to design and build each part. to establish the fine aesthetic of the film.
emotional world and draw the audience into it.
Special effects planning Final mix
Special physical effects
Effects shots are planned in much more detail than normal After picture lock, the rough sound mix goes to a dubbing
Every special effect is carefully constructed and must be
shots, and can take months to design and build. theatre where the sound mixer sets the final levels.
filmed with minimum risk of injury to cast and crew.
The production unit Final cut
Chain of command
The first assistant director, the line producer, and the After the final cut the film reaches full lock. It is now finished
Film productions are run with military precision, if they fall
production manager make up the key logistic triangle of the and ready for duplication. But who gets the final cut?
behind schedule, the financers and insurers may step in.
production.
 Marketing Exhibition
Sales The marketing team The premiere

Selling the product To help sell the film to the distributors, the producer secures A high-profile, star-studded premiere is used to launch the
the services of a sales agent, a specialist in film sales. film to the public with an explosion of media coverage.
To help sell the film to the distributors, the producer secures
the services of a sales agent, a specialist in film sales. The audience UK cinemas

The trailer Knowing the audience is essential, and the marketing team The UK has more than 3,500 cinema screens, although not all
runs test screenings to see how the film is received. are British owned, or show British films.
To help sell the film, a trailer is made to show busy film
buyers the most marketable aspects of the film. Advertising Prints and logistics

Sales toolkit The potential audience for the film is targeted with posters, Distributors supply the exhibitors with prints of the film. The
cinema trailers, TV spots and other marketing materials. more screens the film is shown on, the more prints are
The producer and the sales agent collect everything they will
needed.
need to sell the film to distributors. Press and media coverage
Box office performance
Taking the film to market Television, radio, newspapers and magazines can all help
create positive word-of-mouth about the film. Distributors supply the exhibitors with prints of the film. The
The market is saturated with films, so the producer must go
more screens the film is shown on, the more prints are
to great lengths to attract attention to their product. The internet and new marketing models needed.
Screenings The birth of digital media and the internet has flooded the Revenues
world with information, but also made niche marketing
A high-profile screening at one of the top film festivals can be
possible. The exhibitors take their share of the box office receipts,
great for generating heat around a film.
after which the distributors recoup their marketing costs.
Selling the film to exhibitors
Deals
Recoupment
In order to get the film to audiences, the distributor must
The producer now has a hot product, and can negotiate good
negotiate a deal with the cinemas to screen it. Once the distributors have been paid, the financers can
deals with distributors around the world.
recover their investments, as laid out in the recoupment
schedule.
 Other windows
Hospitality

hospitality sales for hotel channels and in-flight

DVD and video

UK audiences spend more on DVD’s than on cinema tickets,

Broadcast

Television is the final source of revenue, rights are sold

The game of the film

Profit

Once the film has made a profit, the producer and key
creative people can reap their rewards, or so the theory
goes.

The end

The final income of a film is never known, distribution