The Stages of Production
In this chapter you will learn:
- What the production process looks like from start to finish.
A film does not begin on a screen.
It begins as an idea, is developed in stages, and involves collaboration with numerous other people.
These stages are similar, regardless of which category a film project falls into (fiction, nonfiction, experimental, or beyond).
Development
Your film begins with a thought bouncing around inside your head. It zooms from left to right and transforms into an idea searching for a way out.
Eventually, it escapes onto a page, but it isn’t satisfied to stay there.
Preproduction
With the help of some friends, you coax it forward, slowly but surely.
Production
Then, it leaps off the page and stands before a camera that captures it, one piece at a time.
Post Production
Those pieces are diligently put together, and the film starts to feel whole.
Slowly, it can see, hear, and breathe.
Distribution
Then it begins to dance on its own on a giant screen, where it plays forever and ever for an audience that cheers and applauds and demands more.
As a filmmaker, it is your job to shape your ideas as you enter each stage. You must be able to adapt to the unique set of logistics your film requires. Films may differ in terms of content and form, but the steps taken to bring them to the screen always follow the same five stages.
Development
Development is when you refine an idea into a viable film. This stage will include conducting essential research, having many conversations, experimenting with techniques, and, above all, writing and rewriting.
Preproduction
Preproduction is when you gather all the logistical and creative elements required to make the film. This stage includes everything from hiring crew and securing locations to making creative decisions about the shot design, casting, wardrobe, and everything in between.
Production
Production is generally the shortest stage of the process. This stage includes the physical production of the project (i.e., the shoot itself).
Be sure to shoot everything you require. It can be very difficult, if not impossible, to shoot additional material later.
Postproduction
Postproduction is when you edit the material you gathered during production. This stage requires a lot of polishing and reworking of those materials before you have a film worth screening.
Distribution
Distribution can take many different forms, from theatrical screenings to streaming online. What is important is that you are finished and must now find your project’s intended audience.
The scope of every idea is scalable up and down. Customize your project depending on your resources and time.
Be realistic about the challenges you face, and be clever about how to utilize the tools at your disposal.
The real test of any project is when it is screened for an audience. The ultimate goal is to give your audience an impactful and immersive experience.
Your film might be personal, but its true value is in how communal it becomes.
