There are many different processes to the distribution and the exhibition to the film business. All in all, there are 12 processes that help a the distribution and exhibition techniques of making a movie successful. The name of the processes are:
1) The Idea
2) Development Finance
3) Script Development
4) Packaging
5) Finance
6) Pre-production
7) The Shoot
8) Post-production
9) Sales
10) Marketing
11) Exhibition
12) Other Windows
1) THE IDEA
This is the first part of the making process of a movie because without an idea you don't have a movie. There must be a source of inspiration for the idea to have developed in the first place. This source of inspiration could have been from anywhere but one of many ways an idea could have come from is to think of a remake. Remaking something adds a level of security to the production and therefore makes it easier to define the market. This is helpful as it can attract financial backing more easily but the risk is that audiences might not respond to the idea very well as they wont want to see something they have seen before. Ideas can also derive from real life events but this means that the idea must be interesting and to do this you must be a good film maker and be able to find good stories easily. The last way, obviously, is finding the original idea from a conversation you might have had or a dream you might have had but these ideas must be protected. Film producers often take out error and ommissions insurance so that the don't get prosecuted for libel, slander, breach of copyright and the like. Once you have pitched your idea to the film crew, it is the producers that are always interested in the idea, if they weren't they wouldn't be making the movies that we have today. Once a producer has found the idea, it is their job to turn this idea into reality and be able to make the movie successful.
2) DEVELOPMENT FINANCE
This process involves pitching an idea to the film company which is ready to make the movie in which you are trying to sell. If the film company decides to invest in the idea that you have pitched to them, they then have to finance the everything by borrowing money from other places (this would link to the small independant film companies) or by using what money they have and making sure that they get a good amount of money out of it at the end (big film companies).
3) SCRIPT DEVELOPMENT
This would include making the script based on the idea that you have given to the investors (the film company which has decided to make your movie). First of all they would make a step outline, this will be done by making a series of storyboards and having an idea about what the characters can say depending on the genre of the film. Next, they must go over and what they have put into the storyboard and then put this into a first draft. This first draft will then be sent to the producers and the rest of the crew to see whether they like the storyline. Afterall, they are invloved in the process as well! When everyone is happy with the script, it is then sent to the producers so that they can write a synopsis to then send this out to potential investors.
4) PACKAGING
This is when the producer estimates a rough budget which can then be sent onto the film companies. As this is only a rough estimation, we can then roughly estimate any above-the-line talent. This includes: the Director, the Actors and any key creative personel. Once they have decided who they want to cast and which film makers to use, it is then taken to the heads of department to make sure that this is financially realistic and can therefore be made. After this, schedules are then made to ensure that they don't waste any time doing something that should be done or shouldn't be done. This schedules include the financial and recoupment schedules and the production and detailed budget scedule.
5) FINANCING
In this part of the film business of distribution and exhibition finance has to be thought aboutwhen making a film. They must go out into the market to find investors that will help finance the movie. Once they have found an investor, who could be anyone in the world, investment begins and meetings with the investors to sort out the financing of the movie are made and attended to. The producer can also organise making money from pre-sales, this could be in the form of merchandise such as posters and little toys from the movies. Then, the banks are invloved to work out funding for the movie and then it goes into a faze which is called the completion bond. Completion bonds aren't inluded with the majuor film companies because the major companies that help finance these movies like to take the financial risk, but independant film companies such as Warp need this as this means that if they run out of money they are going to get money from insurance companies. Then the movie is ready to undergo film production.
6) PRE-PRODUCTION
This is when all the casting and meetings are arranged to think of who they want to cast and where they want to film the movie they are making. This also includes any part of the movie which needs any special effects that could then be edited in after the movie has been filmed. This will be done because it makes it easier and quicker when they edit the whole movie at the end of the shooting of the movie. Storyboarding will be done so that there is more knowledge into what the crew want the movie to look like and what they want to happen. Production design will also be included here so that they can show to the rest of the crew what the movie will look like and what they want the movie to look like. It is then taken to the production unit where they make up the key logistic triangle so that realistically, the movie can be done.
7) THE SHOOT
This part includes all the filming of the movie. This will include all of the cast and crew to ensure that the movie is a success because if it isn't then the movie won't sell properly and therefore will make the movie a disaster and the film companies will be angry because they have just wasted there money in making a movie which didn't sell effectively.
8) POST-PRODUCTION
This is when the movie has been filmed and they start on the editing of the movie. The editing of the movie can range from making the credits to adding the special effects into the movie. This will also include the rough cut of the movie which means taking out any scenes which are not usable and leaving the scenes which can be used and taking them to the editor to put all the scenes together to make the movie. When the movie has been done and all of the editing is finished, it is then taken to the duplicators and are then copied so that the movie can be exhibited to several different places. The final cut is then made after this and is then ready to be sold to the exhibitors to show their film.
9) SALES
This part of the film process is where the distributor is involved. Big film companies such as Warner Brothers will distribute their own films because they have the finances to do this as their own company. Smaller film companies such as Warp will need some sort of distributional help. The first trailer is then made for the movie so that the producer can show this to potential distributors and persuade them to distribute their movie. Once the movie has been distributed by the chosen company, the film is targeted to the audience and this is where competition is high as there are also more movies made by other companies which will bring out their own movies at the same time. Screenings of these movies are then shown in the cinema and the deal is negotiated.
10) MARKETING
This is when the film is properly sold to the exhibitors to show the movie. This involves the marketing team and good methods of advertising to make the movie well known. There are two forms of advertising, above-the-line and below-the-line advertising. Above-the-line is a more broadcast way of advertising something and therefore is published to the mass audiences. Below-the-line is more focused at the niche market and therefore it is a more specialised market. Once they have established an effective way of advertising, it is then released into the media so that it can get positive feedback. Then, there is internet marketing which helps make the film even more well known. After the marketing techniques have been used to make the film well known and have a positive reflection on cinema, it is then sold to the exhibitors.
11) EXHIBITION
This involves the premiere, the cinemas, the prinitng of the film, the box office performance, the revenue and the recoupment. Basically, it starts with the premiere of the movie where the actors walk on the red carpet and are able to see the movie for the first time since filming. After the film has been shown in the premiere it is then exhibited in the appropriate cinemas, this will then be followed on by the printing of the film where it is copied ready for sale on DVD. The box office performance and the revenue are then looked at to find out whether the film was a success and after this a recoupment meeting is made to pay the investors the money back which they put into the film.
12) OTHER WINDOWS
This will include what happens after the film has ben exhibited in the cinema. This will consist of the DVD and video of the film, the game of the film, the film that will be shown on the aeroplane etc, broadcasting it on TV, the profits and the completion of the film. Profits will only be given out to th producer when the distributor, the eshibitor and all of the investors are paid. This is because they must pay back the companies which have helped make the film first as they are the ones who bought the film in the first place.
1) The Idea
2) Development Finance
3) Script Development
4) Packaging
5) Finance
6) Pre-production
7) The Shoot
8) Post-production
9) Sales
10) Marketing
11) Exhibition
12) Other Windows
1) THE IDEA
This is the first part of the making process of a movie because without an idea you don't have a movie. There must be a source of inspiration for the idea to have developed in the first place. This source of inspiration could have been from anywhere but one of many ways an idea could have come from is to think of a remake. Remaking something adds a level of security to the production and therefore makes it easier to define the market. This is helpful as it can attract financial backing more easily but the risk is that audiences might not respond to the idea very well as they wont want to see something they have seen before. Ideas can also derive from real life events but this means that the idea must be interesting and to do this you must be a good film maker and be able to find good stories easily. The last way, obviously, is finding the original idea from a conversation you might have had or a dream you might have had but these ideas must be protected. Film producers often take out error and ommissions insurance so that the don't get prosecuted for libel, slander, breach of copyright and the like. Once you have pitched your idea to the film crew, it is the producers that are always interested in the idea, if they weren't they wouldn't be making the movies that we have today. Once a producer has found the idea, it is their job to turn this idea into reality and be able to make the movie successful.
2) DEVELOPMENT FINANCE
This process involves pitching an idea to the film company which is ready to make the movie in which you are trying to sell. If the film company decides to invest in the idea that you have pitched to them, they then have to finance the everything by borrowing money from other places (this would link to the small independant film companies) or by using what money they have and making sure that they get a good amount of money out of it at the end (big film companies).
3) SCRIPT DEVELOPMENT
This would include making the script based on the idea that you have given to the investors (the film company which has decided to make your movie). First of all they would make a step outline, this will be done by making a series of storyboards and having an idea about what the characters can say depending on the genre of the film. Next, they must go over and what they have put into the storyboard and then put this into a first draft. This first draft will then be sent to the producers and the rest of the crew to see whether they like the storyline. Afterall, they are invloved in the process as well! When everyone is happy with the script, it is then sent to the producers so that they can write a synopsis to then send this out to potential investors.
4) PACKAGING
This is when the producer estimates a rough budget which can then be sent onto the film companies. As this is only a rough estimation, we can then roughly estimate any above-the-line talent. This includes: the Director, the Actors and any key creative personel. Once they have decided who they want to cast and which film makers to use, it is then taken to the heads of department to make sure that this is financially realistic and can therefore be made. After this, schedules are then made to ensure that they don't waste any time doing something that should be done or shouldn't be done. This schedules include the financial and recoupment schedules and the production and detailed budget scedule.
5) FINANCING
In this part of the film business of distribution and exhibition finance has to be thought aboutwhen making a film. They must go out into the market to find investors that will help finance the movie. Once they have found an investor, who could be anyone in the world, investment begins and meetings with the investors to sort out the financing of the movie are made and attended to. The producer can also organise making money from pre-sales, this could be in the form of merchandise such as posters and little toys from the movies. Then, the banks are invloved to work out funding for the movie and then it goes into a faze which is called the completion bond. Completion bonds aren't inluded with the majuor film companies because the major companies that help finance these movies like to take the financial risk, but independant film companies such as Warp need this as this means that if they run out of money they are going to get money from insurance companies. Then the movie is ready to undergo film production.
6) PRE-PRODUCTION
This is when all the casting and meetings are arranged to think of who they want to cast and where they want to film the movie they are making. This also includes any part of the movie which needs any special effects that could then be edited in after the movie has been filmed. This will be done because it makes it easier and quicker when they edit the whole movie at the end of the shooting of the movie. Storyboarding will be done so that there is more knowledge into what the crew want the movie to look like and what they want to happen. Production design will also be included here so that they can show to the rest of the crew what the movie will look like and what they want the movie to look like. It is then taken to the production unit where they make up the key logistic triangle so that realistically, the movie can be done.
7) THE SHOOT
This part includes all the filming of the movie. This will include all of the cast and crew to ensure that the movie is a success because if it isn't then the movie won't sell properly and therefore will make the movie a disaster and the film companies will be angry because they have just wasted there money in making a movie which didn't sell effectively.
8) POST-PRODUCTION
This is when the movie has been filmed and they start on the editing of the movie. The editing of the movie can range from making the credits to adding the special effects into the movie. This will also include the rough cut of the movie which means taking out any scenes which are not usable and leaving the scenes which can be used and taking them to the editor to put all the scenes together to make the movie. When the movie has been done and all of the editing is finished, it is then taken to the duplicators and are then copied so that the movie can be exhibited to several different places. The final cut is then made after this and is then ready to be sold to the exhibitors to show their film.
9) SALES
This part of the film process is where the distributor is involved. Big film companies such as Warner Brothers will distribute their own films because they have the finances to do this as their own company. Smaller film companies such as Warp will need some sort of distributional help. The first trailer is then made for the movie so that the producer can show this to potential distributors and persuade them to distribute their movie. Once the movie has been distributed by the chosen company, the film is targeted to the audience and this is where competition is high as there are also more movies made by other companies which will bring out their own movies at the same time. Screenings of these movies are then shown in the cinema and the deal is negotiated.
10) MARKETING
This is when the film is properly sold to the exhibitors to show the movie. This involves the marketing team and good methods of advertising to make the movie well known. There are two forms of advertising, above-the-line and below-the-line advertising. Above-the-line is a more broadcast way of advertising something and therefore is published to the mass audiences. Below-the-line is more focused at the niche market and therefore it is a more specialised market. Once they have established an effective way of advertising, it is then released into the media so that it can get positive feedback. Then, there is internet marketing which helps make the film even more well known. After the marketing techniques have been used to make the film well known and have a positive reflection on cinema, it is then sold to the exhibitors.
11) EXHIBITION
This involves the premiere, the cinemas, the prinitng of the film, the box office performance, the revenue and the recoupment. Basically, it starts with the premiere of the movie where the actors walk on the red carpet and are able to see the movie for the first time since filming. After the film has been shown in the premiere it is then exhibited in the appropriate cinemas, this will then be followed on by the printing of the film where it is copied ready for sale on DVD. The box office performance and the revenue are then looked at to find out whether the film was a success and after this a recoupment meeting is made to pay the investors the money back which they put into the film.
12) OTHER WINDOWS
This will include what happens after the film has ben exhibited in the cinema. This will consist of the DVD and video of the film, the game of the film, the film that will be shown on the aeroplane etc, broadcasting it on TV, the profits and the completion of the film. Profits will only be given out to th producer when the distributor, the eshibitor and all of the investors are paid. This is because they must pay back the companies which have helped make the film first as they are the ones who bought the film in the first place.
No comments:
Post a Comment