IDEA

Sources of inspiration
- Real life events, remakes, original ideas.
- Newspapers, books, plays, films.
Producer
Makes the great idea into a reality
Director
Helps producer, into developing idea into
something that can be filmed.
Writer
Defines & clarifies the idea.
Treatment
Description of key events and people in film
Pitch
Contains all the information producer needs in order
to sell the idea to financiers to commission a script genre,
market, brief synopsis, rough budget.

DEVELOPMENT
FINANCE

Pitching The Project

The producer uses the treatment and pitch + persuasion to get money to develop
script.
Production Companies
The producer approaches the film production companies for development money.
In return the company asks for the right to take the outcome of the development
process to be involved in making the film. Sales, distribution & broadcast 
producer offer rights to the future sales and broadcast in return for money to
develop script.
Sales
Ask for rights to sell film to distribution companies.
 Broadcast
Rights to show film on certain TV channels.
Distribution
Right to distribute film to cinema owners.
Public Investment
Producer applying to public funding body (UK Film Council) for a development
grant.
Private Finance
The producer pitching to private investors hoping they will support project. Tying
down Writer using development money, producer can tie down writer to develop
project.
 
 SCRIPT DEVELOPMENT 
 
Synopsis
The writer produces a synopsis. The writer and producer then work together to
agree on key scenes, events etc in film.
Step outline
Writer produces step outlines of each scene to plan script.
Drafts
Writer produces first draft of film, containing actions, events, dialogue, transitions
etc.
Revisions
Draft sent to financers, all of whom have their own ideas. If writer is stuck, they
contact script editor is helps overcome problems in scrip
Final Draft
Once director, producer and writer are happy with script, it becomes a final draft.
Writer then gets paid.
 Sales Treatment
Final stage, creation of a sales treatment advert for script, focuses on key selling
points of story.
 
 PACKAGE 
 
Package
Includes final draft script, sales treatment, and a rough budget roughly 
how much funding that can be secured for script.
 The Cast
To make project more commercial, well known stars need to be attached to
script. Producers contact actors via their agents.
The Heads of Department (HOD)
Includes a director of photography, production designer, editor.
 Detailed budget and Production Schedule
Producer must know how much it will cost to make the film. Production schedule is
how long it will take to shoot and finish.
 Finance plan and recoupment schedule
Finance plan is how the producer plans to raise finance for film. Recoupment
schedule is an estimate of how the film will make money e.g. merchandise, DVD,
broadcast etc.
The Complete Package
The packaged film has a final draft script, a sales treatment, a list of attached stars,
HODs, detailed budget, production schedule, finance plan and a recoupment
schedule. The package is presented to potential funders to get money for film.
 
FINANCE 

The Market
To attract an investment, the producer must travel to find financers.
Investment
Private financers willing to invest in film project:
- Co-productions: A number of production companies joining to invest in
Project 
- Public investment sources of public money for production funding.
Pre-sales
Producer can raise money from pre-sales by selling rights to the film before
It has even been made
Banks and Gap Funding
Departments of banks specialize in film finance. Gap funding may also be offered by
banks. These cover a shortfall between the money raised so far and the total budget.
Completion Bonds
Insurance for the production
Green Light
Once essential funding and insurance is secured, film gets green light.
 

PRE-PRODUCTION 
 
The Kick-off
Meeting once HODs are hired, shooting script is circulated 
Casting
Casting director, with director and producer, identifies and casts actors.
Storyboarding
Director and director of photography produce a storyboard of each
shot in film.
Production Design
Plans every aspect of how the film will look. Hire people to design
and build the set.
Special effects planning
Discusses with director of  photography what effects are
needed how these can be achieved though physical effects or digitally in post
production.
The Production Unit
line producer, 1st ad (deals with crew, makes sure their time etc), production
manager, make up the logistic triangle of production.
 
THE SHOOT 
 
Five main teams  
Special effects team, camera team, actors/cast, chain of command, lighting and
sound team.
 
POST-PRODUCTION 
Selling The Product
Producer secures services of a sales agent (a specialist in film sales) to help sell the
film to distributors.
The Trailer
Shows most marketable aspects of film, to busy film buyers.
Sales Toolkit
Producer and sales agent collect everything they need to sell film to distributors 
sales pack, sales report, DVD, trailer.
Taking the Film to Market
Producer goes to great lengths to attract attention of market.
Screenings
Going to a high-profile screening can be great for generating heat around a film.
Deals
Negotiating good deals with distributors around the world, after producer has good
product.
 

MARKETING 

The Marketing Team

A team who will market the film to the public.
The Audience
Marketing team runs test screenings to see how film is received.
Advertising
Potential audience for film is targeted using posters, cinema trailers, TV spot 
Press and Media Coverage
Positive word of mouth, newspapers, radio, TV. Getting product endorsed by a third
party.
The Internet and New Marketing Models
Internet & digital media. Give new opportunities for distributors to market
their product In a more targeted and cost-efficient ways.
Selling the Film to Exhibitors
Distributors negotiate with cinema to screen the films.
 
EXHIBITION 

The Premiere
Used to launch film to public with an explosion of media coverage.
Fame helps to sell films.
Prints and Logistics
Distributors supply the exhibitors with prints of film. The more screens the film
shown on, the more prints needed.
Box Office Performance
Data about film attendance is collected continuously and used by cinemas to decide
which films to cancel and which to prolong.
Revenues
Exhibitors take their share of the box office receipts. Distributors then recoup
marketing costs.
Recoupment
Once distributors have been paid up, the financers can recover their investments.