The Film Industry - Key Roles, The Production Process & Film Concepts (Main Task)

WE MUST ALWAYS REMEMBER THAT THE FILM INDUSTRY’S MAIN AIM IS TO MAKE A PROFIT!

 SO, WHAT ARE THE KEY ROLES OF PRODUCTION AND WHAT DO THESE PEOPLE DO?

•  Screenwriter - Original concept (or adaptation)
• Screenplay
• Producer -  Finds projects that will be lucrative and attract investors
• Supervises production – manages cast & crew
• Ensures a profit is made

• Director -  Brings the vision to life – i.e. decides what the audience will see or hear
• Production Designer -  Designs and constructs sets, props, costume (and assists with the special effects of the film)

The above roles make the most money!

• Distributor -  Buys the film from the producer
• Designs marketing campaign
• Decides on release date
• Gets the film to theatres
• Theatre Owner -  Rents the film from the distributor
• Shows the film
• Makes money from the Box Office

 Stages of Film Production

vThe project is ‘pitched’ - ideas  presented to producers, who will hopefully be persuaded  that the film will make money

vScript treatment – detailed synopsis with storylines, character sketches, generic conventions, budget and storyboard of key scenes.

  vFinancing – investors and backers are contacted, then the funding is secured

vScript completed – cast & crew hired – sets, props, costumes designed and constructed

vProduction – all scenes are filmed

 vEditor produces ‘rough cut’ - scenes  are edited into the correct order

v‘Final Edit’ – editor and producer/director decide on final use of shots, pace e.t.c.

 vSound effects and music are added

vPost-production- Special effects added into the ‘Final Edit’

 vDistributor ‘positions’ film – decisions are made on who the target audience is and how to attract them to the film

vRelease date decided: will the target audience be available? (e.g. children’s films in the school holidays). Will there be too much competition?

 vMarketing – posters, trailers, ‘junkies’ (premieres, interviews), websites, tie-ins(e.g. Happy Meals), merchandise, previews, festivals e.t.c.

vExhibitor (the cinema) decides which films will make money – hires the reels of the film and then shows the audience.

Film Concepts – Originality and Familiarity

WHAT DO THESE WORDS MEAN?

• Originality - this is a unique / your own idea (concept)

•  Familiarity - this means the audience’s expectations of the genre are being fulfilled (e.g. in comedy we expect a lot of jokes/ subtle insults between the characters)

 The Balance between Originality and Familiarity
 ØAudiences like to have expectations fulfilled - for that reason they often choose films that look similar to other films that they’ve enjoyed (same genre, star e.t.c)

But also…

 ØIf there’s not enough originality and it’s all familiar, then the audience will get bored.

ØTherefore, all films should have a unique selling point (U.S.P.)

ØAll films will also follow universal ‘narratemes’

Universal ‘Narratemes’

üThese are the 31 plot events that are most likely to happen in every story, and therefore will also apply to many films around the globe, which was first discovered by Vladimir Propp, a well known structuralist.

I now know the importance of each role in the production process and the stages of production for my main task.