STAGES OF FILMMAKING- How The Films Are Made

4 Stages of Filmmaking is the basic every filmmaker should know. Do you know what goes behind in making a film? Let me tell you that there is a huge process gone into making every film.

The whole process is been segmented into different stages. So in this blog, I will tell you about the process and the stages of filmmaking.

STAGES OF FILMMAKING

1. Development Stage of Filmmaking
2. Pre-production stage of Filmmaking
3. Production stage of Filmmaking
4. Post Production stage of Filmmaking
5. Conclusion
6. FAQs

DEVELOPMENT STAGE OF FILMMAKING

As you all know that script is the most essential thing in filmmaking. So the first thing in the Developmental stages of filmmaking is to have a good script on board.

So the first thing is to find a good script, well it’s not as simple as it sounds. A  good script can really move you but a bad script will give you a feeling that the time loss you are living would never be given back.

Regardless of where the script comes from you would like to tell a good story. At the end filmmaking is storytelling. The job of writing the story is of a Film writer. In order to know more about a writer and other jobs in the films industry click here : 3 Top Jobs of Film Industry

Then, you got to develop a screenplay and you got to produce the work for the writer or writers to strengthen the mood of the story and then you got to develop the characters and the dialogue. These were some of the conventions which decides a film genre. To know more : Film Genres

In this stage of Filmmaking, you have to breakdown the script what that means is to go through each scene of the script and make a list of things that would be needed for each shot.

This will go to your package and will help you to decide your budget, production schedule, crew , and many more things. The Producer performs all these things.

JUDGING THE STORY

Some producers would also contact the Distributors to know the financial potential of the project

Every Distributor has a set criteria designed in their mind to bring out the maximum churn of money on their investments.

The Distributors will look at what is popular at the moment and will compare that with recent trends and with similar projects in the past and who were the directors, actors, crew on that project, and compare with who would be suitable for your project.

The film genre, Target Demographic i.e the target audience, and Distribution Markets are also taken into consideration.

ARRANGEMENT OF MONEY

All the producers and the screenwriters are working on the script. They often prepare a Film Synopsis, Film Pitch, or sometimes presentation as well. As their aim is to have a business from the film. To know more click here : Business Model of Films

A Film Synopsis is a summary of what is the film about and focuses on the major points of the films.

Film presentation is normally a scene description in order and focusing on the main story points which describe every scene. Give it the simplest representation of your film.

Film presentation shows how the production notes are incorporated into the project screenplay. This helps the director and the executive director to see what all things they will require.

The Film synopsis and presentation is essential for the film pitch.

A film pitch is a verbal description of the film. The director or the screenwriter gives the pitch to the producer or studio executives in order to secure finance.

PRE-PRODUCTION STAGE OF FILMMAKING

The Pre-Production stage is where you prepare all the moving parts of your project.

Remember the pre-production shouldn’t begin until your director, cinematographer, and your cast and crew are secured. Mainly the finance side of the film should be secured.

Initially in this stage, you have to further breakdown the script into the scenes. This will help provide a storyboard for individual scenes, give location information, prop list.

Decide which cast members are to be scheduled for which scene and develop a wardrobe list. To also develop Individual and practical visual effects makeup list.

Depending on the scale of your film there are hundreds and many more choices to be made make.

        In the pre-production stage, you will need to cast an actor for every character weather they are the pedestrians, baseball game players all the waiters.

 Then assemble your crew,  these are the artists,  technicians, craftspeople who will physically make the movie, from a cinematographer to see the camera department, to an assistant director to make sure you are staying on your schedule and budget.

ARRANGING REQUIRED PROPS

Then comes establishing the look of the film. you have to figure out things like the color scheme,  the lighting plan, and when it takes place.

Unique props and costumes are needed and make sure are there Any special effects Involved, because you also need to plan for those during the shoot.

Find and Secure all the locations during the stage because you need to build film sets are shoot on an actual location. 

PRODUCTION STAGE OF FILMMAKING

PRODUCTION STAGE is also called as the execution stage of the filmmaking where all the things finalized or planned are executed

Finalizing the things like :

•  Cast and crew of the film
• Makeup test
• Costume fitting
• Locations, where some portions of the films are to be shot
• Construction of the sets  
• Different-Different props are brought and built
• The final shooting schedule
• The Budget
• The final contracts are signed with the cast and crew of the film.

THE EXECUTION PART

• The Actors also start their rehearsals for stunt, dialect, look, accent for the character that he has decided to play
• The actor reads the script and then suggests certain changes in the script
• The dop and the cinematographer takes the screen test with the real talent
• The preproduction designer also does the changes and makes the required set decided in the pre-production. If you want to learn filmmaking for free click here for the 9 Best youtube filmmaking channel list.

The shooting of the day starts with the call time given to the location manager, assistant director, Line producer, camera crew, and others. They manage and set the location with proper lighting and camera angle.

If you want to know about the location of films in India click here: 10 Best film Shooting Locations

Script revision: sometimes the director or the story writer might make some changes in the script. If there is some problem in shooting the scene

Post Production Stage Of Filmmaking

This is the last stage of the film making process where the scenes that have been shot in the production stage are rendered and then stored into the system.

The  Power of narrative cinema comes when you put those shots in an orderly manner. Suddenly they have contact and the react to us or the story.

 Cut together, these shots can give a  whole new meaning to the film and give rise to the emotions in ways only cinema can.

EDITOR

And the person whose job is to make those cuts is the editor. Like cinematographers, production designers editors must be part technician, part craftsperson. They are responsible for understanding the technology of post-production, from editing Software to integrating sound design, music, and special effects.

Their goal would be to make the cuts appear so flawless that the audience doesn’t even notice it. The whole post-production stage includes the work of the editor .

If you want to know more about EDITOR OR EDITING Click here : THE EDITORS

The stage of post-production involves:

• VFX
• AUDIO FX
• SOUND FX
• FOLEY COUND
• BG SCORE
• SOUND MIX
• COLOR GRADE 

This stage involves works of:

1. EFFECT ARTIST:   Effect artist works with storyboard and footage to add desired element which can not be shot. They add it through visual effects.
2. COMPOSITOR: Compositing is the  combining of visual elements from separate sources into single images, often to create The illusion that all those elements are part of the same scene
3. EFFECT EDITOR: Adjust the tone and pacing of effects according to the desired requirement effect in the film.
4. SOUND EDITOR: Edits the sound of the music i.e the background score and many other things
5. DIALOGUE EDITOR: The dialogue editor also edits the dialogue in the film. He takes the footage of the film and then edits it by clean up, trimming, and sync.
6. SOUND DESIGNERS: Designs the sound according to the situation. he makes the sound with different objects and instruments.

Conclusion

These were the four basic stages of filmmaking. The above knowledge in the blog is the most basic knowledge that every person needs to know about the filmmaking and its stages.

FAQs