01/08/2024
Filmmaking
Filmmaking or film production is the process by which a motion picture is produced. Filmmaking involves a number of complex and discrete stages, beginning with an initial story, idea, or commission. Production then continues through screenwriting, casting, pre-production, shooting, sound recording, post-production, and screening the finished product before an audience, which may result in a film release and exhibition. The process is nonlinear, as the director typically shoots the script out of sequence, repeats shots as needed, and puts them together through editing later. Filmmaking occurs in a variety of economic, social, and political contexts around the world, and uses a variety of technologies and cinematic techniques to make theatrical films, episodic films for television and streaming platforms, music videos, and promotional and educational films.
Although filmmaking originally involved the use of film, most film productions are now digital.
Today, filmmaking refers to the process of crafting an audio-visual story commercially for distribution or broadcast.
Film production consists of five major stages:
Development: Ideas for the film are created, rights to existing intellectual properties are purchased, etc., and the screenplay is written. Financing for the project is sought and obtained.
Pre-production: Arrangements and preparations are made for the shoot, such as hiring cast and film crew, selecting locations, and constructing sets.
Production: The raw footage and other elements of the film are recorded during the film shoot, including principal photography.
Post-production: The images, sound, and visual effects of the recorded film are edited and combined into a finished product.
Distribution: The completed film is distributed, marketed, and screened in cinemas or released to home video to be viewed.