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Mooc on Documentary (Theory and Production)

Module 27:
Overview of the Production Process
Academic script:

“Only the person who has made the movie knows what
goes into the decisions that result in any piece of work.
They can be anything from budget requirement to divine
inspiration…..Making movies is a complex technical and
emotional process. It’s art. It’s commerce. It’s
heartbreaking and it’s fun. It’s a great way to live.” –
Sidney Lumet in his preface to his book Making Movies

Introduction
Making films, any film, is an engagement that is arduous
and intoxicating at the same time. Perhaps no other
vocation demands as many skills and sensibilities as film
making does. Being a filmmaker is a bit like playing God
because the filmmaker creates an alternate universe – a
world that either he/she believes in, or a world that
he/she has been asked to create.
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Whatever be the intent of the filmmaker, whatever be

the genre of film that he/she deals with, every film has to
pass through the following five stages:
 Development — The first stage in which the ideas
for the film are created, rights to books/plays are bought
etc., and the screenplay is written. Financing for the
project has to be sought after the development of the
screenplay and the green signal obtained from the
producer. .
 Pre-production—Preparations are made for the
shoot, in which cast and film crew are hired, contracts
signed with them, locations are selected and sets are
built.
 Production—The raw elements for the film are
recorded during the film shoot.
 Post-production—The images, sound, and visual
effects of the recorded film are edited.
 Distribution—The finished film is distributed and
screened in cinemas, sent to festivals or telecast on
television or released to home video. Now a days, the
option of uploading on YouTube or Netflix is also there.
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Genres of cinema/ television

Although the five steps mentioned above are applicable
for all genres of cinema, for each genre, the scale of
production, the requirement of crew and the approach to
filmmaking are different. Here is an overview of some of
the major genres and their production requirement:
 Feature films: Feature films are meant to be
commerically released in halls. These are anywhere
between 90 minutes to three hours long. The budget for
a feature film can be as high as 50 crores and as low as
50 lakhs. The cast and crew for a feature film easily run
into one hundred or more. It is shot over months and
takes at least two years to complete from idea to release.
Sometimes feature films do not get a distributor and
cannot be released even years after the completion. The
promotion of a feature film before release is done for a
prolonged period both online, on television and through
other activities.
 Short films: Short films are like the debutant actor
or director’s calling card. Anybody with a great idea, a
DSLR camera and a Mac Book Pro or an Adobe Premiere
software can produce a short film. The budget for a short
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film may be as low as Rs. 10,000/- or as high as Rs. 5

lakhs. A short film is typically uploaded on YouTube, but
it can also be tagged with a feature film and shown in
movie theatres.
 Corporate films and Ad films: These are basically
promotional films commissioned by a corporate house or
an ad agency. A corporate film can be anything between
10 minutes and 30 minutes in duration and are meant for
boosting the image of the corporation. A corporate film
may be made on the occasion of the corporation’s
anniversary or when it has achieved a new milestone.
These films are necessarily meticulously planned and well
shot. They have a glossy look and project the best image
of the corporation.
Ad films, on the other hand, are 30 seconds to one
minute long. Advertisements meant for the internet can
be longer. These are like stories told in short hand and
are meant to sell a product or a service. Sometimes ad
films also promote a social cause like blood donation or
road safety. Ad films are usually very expensively made
and many a times they use a star as the brand
ambassador. Because of their short length, ad films are
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shot for a maximum period of two to three days.

However, a lot of time is spent in post production when a
lot of visual effects are added to boost the image quality
and make them hyper real. Ad films may also be done
entirely through animation and special effects.
 Documentaries: Documentaries are real life stories
of real people. But these are the filmmaker’s personal
expression of the issue. There are various styles of
approaching the subject of a documentary, but because
documentaries deal with real people, they cannot be fully
pre scripted. Documentaries may be anything between
10 minutes to two hours long. They may be shot in the
span of a day or may be shot over months – even years.
 Television programmes: Television programmes
may be categorized as live or defered telecst type. News,
sports, events like Republic Day or Independence Day
are telecast live. However, even those programmes that
are not “live” are given the impression of being live. Bulk
of the television programmes fall in the non fiction
category, only soaps & serials and telefilms are fiction.
Whetever be the genre of the television programme,
there is always the pressure of deadline and programme
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proceeds in the assembly line style. Once a format is

approved, it has to be strictly adhered to in episode after
episode. Producing television programmes is more about
competent adherence to guidelines than about creativity.
Most television programmes are shot with a multi camera
set up and the camera switching times are by and large
pre planned.
Now here are the details of the five stages in the making
of a film or a television programme.

Development

In this stage, the project producer selects a story, which

may come from a book, play, another film, true
story, video game, comic book, graphic novel, or
an original idea, etc. After identifying a theme or
underlying message, the producer works with writers to
prepare a synopsis. Next they produce a step outline,
which breaks the story down into one-paragraph scenes
that concentrate on dramatic structure. Then, they
prepare a treatment, a 25-to-30-page description of the
story, its mood, and characters. This usually has little
dialogue and stage direction, but often contains drawings
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that help visualize key points. Another way is to produce

a scriptment once a synopsis is produced.
Next, a screenwriter writes a screenplay over a period of
several months. The screenwriter may rewrite it several
times to improve dramatization, clarity, structure,
characters, dialogue, and overall style. However,
producers often skip the previous steps and develop
submitted screenplays which investors, studios, and
other interested parties assess through a process
called script coverage. A film distributor may be
contacted at an early stage to assess the likely market
and potential financial success of the film. Hollywood
distributors adopt a hard-headed business approach and
consider factors such as the film genre, the target
audience, the historical success of similar films, the
actors who might appear in the film, and potential
directors. All these factors imply a certain appeal of the
film to a possible audience. Not all films make a profit
from the theatrical release alone, so film companies take
DVD sales and worldwide distribution rights into account.
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The producer and screenwriter prepare a film pitch, or

treatment, and present it to potential financiers. They will
also pitch the film to actors and directors (especially so-
called bankable stars) in order to "attach" them to the
project (that is, obtain a binding promise to work on the
film if financing is ever secured). Many projects fail to
move beyond this stage and enter so-called development
hell. If a pitch succeeds, a film receives a "green light",
meaning someone offers financial backing: typically a
major film studio, film council, or independent investor.
The parties involved negotiate a deal and sign contracts.

Once all parties have met and the deal has been set, the
film may proceed into the pre-production period. By this
stage, the film should have a clearly defined marketing
strategy and target audience.

Development of animated films differs slightly in that it

is the director who develops and pitches a story to an
executive producer on the basis of rough storyboards,
and it is rare for a full-length screenplay to already exist
at that point in time. If the film is green-lighted for
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further development and pre-production, then a

screenwriter is later brought in to prepare the screenplay.

For a documentary film, the development stage would

involve doing a feasibility study for the film through a
preliminary research – whether it will be possible to shoot
at the locations required, whether permission will be
granted, whether the local people will co-operate,
whether the prancipal protagonists will open up and so
on. Once the feasibility study yields positive results, a
proposal outline is written and commissioning editors of
TV channels or other financers are approached. Once the
proposal outline is approved, serious pre production work
will begin.

Script
One cannot over emphasize the need for writing a
detailed script. Except for a documentary film, you can
develop a detailed script for all other genres of cinema.
When it comes to planning for a scrip for online video,
consider having these items in place :
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Introduction
The start of your video is where you need to grab your
audience’s attention. If the content is not captivating,
then your target audience is likely to get bored and
leave. The introduction is your opportunity to clarify the
subject of the video boosting your prospects.

Body
The body of the script should include details of the
products or services that your business is selling or the
issues you may be trying to raise. The body of the script
is your opportunity to make a case for why your business
is special. Keep your message to the point

Conclusion
Your concluding statements need to convert your target
audience into believers. If you have retained them up to
this stage of your video, then now is your opportunity to
convince them why your business is so special. This
conversion process requires a thorough understanding of
your target audience and their desires.
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A script is the medium through which the filmmaker

shares his vision with the crew and cast of the film.

Pre-production

In pre-production, every step of actually creating the film

is carefully designed and planned. If the film is meant for
commercial distribution, then a production company is
created and a production office established. The film is
pre-visualized by the director, and may
be storyboarded with the help of illustrators and concept
artists. A production budget is drawn up to plan
expenditures for the film. For major
productions, insurance is procured to protect against
accidents.
The pre production stage consists of developing the
screenplay and the shooting script – and also the
storyboard. As your projects become more ambitious you
can start to storyboard the project. Storyboards can
really smooth out the post-production process when it’s
time for editing. This will really be useful if there are
multiple people working on the project. A storyboard is
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an excellent planning tool which can be used as a guide

when planning out a video production. It has a sequence
of graphic illustrations which contain illustrations of shots
visualizing a video production. Most high budget films will
have a very detailed storyboard, but for smaller
productions can keep things much simpler. Knowing
which shots which to take and a description of what
dialogue takes place can act as an excellent guide for
even projects shot on a budget.

As the story board develops, contracts are signed with

the cast and crew. Once the entire team is fixed, a script
reading session is held, where the director/ script writer
reads out the script to the entire team. This is followed
by location hunting, procuring permissions to shoot,
designing the sets and costumes and also acting
workshops if necessary.
For documentary films, pre production consists of doing
thorough research, taking exploratory interviews, visiting
locations and then writing a treatment. The treatment
can be as long as 25 pages, but for submitting to the
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commissioning editor, the treatment for a one hour film

should be 5 to 6 pages long.
Pre production lays the foundation of a film. Enough time
should be dedicated to pre production. If the pre
production is done thoroughly, production will proceed
smoothly.

The film crew

The nature of the film, and the budget, determine the
size and type of crew used during filmmaking. Many
Hollywood blockbusters employ a cast and crew of
hundreds, while a low-budget, independent film may be
made by a skeleton crew of eight or nine (or fewer).
These are typical crew positions:
 Storyboard artist: creates visual images to help the
director and production designer communicate their ideas
to the production team.
 Director: is primarily responsible for the storytelling,
creative decisions and acting of the film.
 Assistant director (AD): manages the shooting
schedule and logistics of the production, among other
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tasks. There are several types of AD, each with different

responsibilities.
 Film producer: the one who hires a crew.
 Executive producer: An EP is a person who executes
the entire production planning by loading the script in a
software. He/she figures out how many days of shooting
are required in each location, which actors are required in
each location and what will be the budget for each day’s
shoot on that location. If the script does not have enough
details about the propsand costumes, she asks the
director for these details before preparing the budget. If
the budget exceeds the money allocated, then she
suggests alternatives to the director. The EP’s job begins
before the commencement of the shooting.
 Unit production manager: manages
the production budget and production schedule. They
also report, on behalf of the production office, to
the studio executives or financiers of the film.
 Location manager: finds and manages film
locations. Nearly all pictures feature segments that are
shot in the controllable environment of a studio sound
stage, while outdoor sequences call for filming on
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location. Location managers are also called line

producers.
 Production designer: the one who creates the visual
conception of the film, working with the art director, who
manages the art department, which makes production
sets.
 Costume designer: creates the clothing for the
characters in the film working closely with the actors, as
well as other departments.
 Make up and hair designer: works closely with
the costume designer in addition to create a certain look
for a character.
 Casting director: finds actors to fill the parts in the
script. This normally requires that actors audition.
 Choreographer creates and coordinates the
movement and dance - typically for musicals. Some films
also credit a fight choreographer.
 Director of photography (DOP): the head of
the photography of the entire film, supervises
all cinematographers and Camera Operators.
 Production sound mixer: the head of the sound
department during the production stage of filmmaking.
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They record and mix the audio on set -

dialogue, presence and sound
effects in mono and ambience in stereo.[3][4] They work
with the boom operator, Director, DA, DP, and First AD.
 Sound designer: creates the aural conception of
the film, working with the supervising sound editor.
On Bollywood-style Indian productions the sound
designer plays the role of a director of audiography.
 Composer: creates new music for the film.
(usually not until post-production)
A documentary film usually proceeds with a much smaller
crew. A typical documentary crew consists of the
director, cameraman, sound recording and two
assistants. Since a documentary crew has to go into
people’s houses, offices, schools and other working or
living environments, a big crew is undesirable.

Production
In production, the video production/film is created and
shot. More crew will be recruited at this stage, such as
the property master, script supervisor, assistant
directors, stills photographer, picture editor, and sound
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editors. These are just the most common roles in

filmmaking; the production office will be free to create
any unique blend of roles to suit the various
responsibilities possible during the production of a film.
If the pre production process is spread over a longer
period of time and can proceed at a leisurely pace,
production is the most hectic phase during the making of
the film. For a feature film, production means working
with a 100 strong crew for 10 to 12 hours a day. Every
minute counts because the studio and the equipment are
charged on a daily basis. So there is no luxury of
enjoying idle time and the director has to be in control of
all aspects of the situation.
Francois Truffaut had a moment in Day for Night that
touches the heart of every director. He’s just finished an
arduous day’s shooting. He’s walking off the set. The
production team surrounds him, peppering him with
questions on tomorrow’s work. He stops, looks to the
heaven and shouts, “Questions! Questions! So many
questions that I don’t have time to think.”
A typical day's shooting begins with the crew arriving on
the set/location by their call time. Actors usually have
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their own separate call times. Since set

construction, dressing and lighting can take many hours
or even days, they are often set up in advance.
The grip, electric and production design crews are
typically a step ahead of the camera and sound
departments: for efficiency's sake, while a scene is being
filmed, they are already preparing the next one.
While the crew prepare their equipment, the actors are
wardrobed in their costumes and attend the hair and
make-up departments. The actors rehearse
the script and blocking with the director, and the camera
and sound crews rehearse with them and make final
tweaks. Finally, the action is shot in as many takes as the
director wishes. Most American productions follow a
specific procedure:
The assistant director (AD) calls "picture is up!" to inform
everyone that a take is about to be recorded, and then
"quiet, everyone!" Once everyone is ready to shoot, the
AD calls "roll sound" (if the take involves sound), and
the production sound mixer will start their equipment,
record a verbal slate of the take's information, and
announce "sound speed", or just "speed", when they are
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ready. The AD follows with "roll camera", answered by

"speed!" by the camera operator once the camera is
recording. The clapper, who is already in front of the
camera with the clapperboard, calls "marker!" and slaps
it shut. If the take involves extras or background action,
the AD will cue them ("action background!"), and last is
the director, telling the actors "action!". The AD may
echo "action" louder on large sets.
A take is over when the director calls "cut!", and camera
and sound stop recording. The script supervisor will note
any continuity issues and the sound and camera teams
log technical notes for the take on their respective report
sheets. If the director decides thatb additional takes are
required, the whole process is repeated. Once satisfied,
the crew moves on to the next camera angle or "setup,"
until the whole scene is "covered." When shooting is
finished for the scene, the assistant director declares a
"wrap" or "moving on," and the crew will "strike," or
dismantle, the set for that scene.
At the end of the day, the director approves the next
day's shooting schedule and a daily progress report is
sent to the production office. This includes the report
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sheets from continuity, sound, and camera teams. Call

sheets are distributed to the cast and crew to tell them
when and where to turn up the next shooting day. Later
on, the director, producer, other department heads, and,
sometimes, the cast, may gather to watch that day or
yesterday's footage, called dailies, and review their work.
With workdays often lasting 14 or 18 hours in remote
locations, film production tends to create a team spirit.
When the entire film is in the can, or in the completion of
the production phase, it is customary for the production
office to arrange a wrap party, to thank all the cast and
crew for their efforts.
For the production phase on live-action films,
synchronizing work schedules of key cast and crew
members is very important, since for many scenes,
several cast members and most of the crew must be
physically present at the same place at the same time
(and bankable stars may need to rush from one project
to another). This scheduling task is done by the EP
(Executive producer) using a software called EP
Scheduling.
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Animated films have different workflow at the production

phase, in that voice talent can record their takes in
the recording studio at different times and may not see
one another until the film's premiere, while most physical
live-action tasks are either unnecessary or are simulated
by various types of animators.

The B Roll: Some projects will also shoot B-Roll during

the production process. B-Roll is supplementary footage
that is included in the finished product.
B-Roll is an incredible asset when it comes to creating an
engaging video production. I is supplementary footage
shot during a production. It can make telling your story
much easier and compelling with added footage. As a
general rule B-Roll can include animation, graphical
elements, photographs and extra footage. In many action
films, the director does not direct the action scenes. He
leaves these to his assistant directors and reserves his
energy for shooting the more psychologically complex
scenes.
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Post-production

Here the video/film is assembled by the video/film editor.

The shot film material is edited. The production sound
(dialogue) is also edited; dialogues are dubbed wherever
necessary and foley effects are recorded. Music tracks
and songs are composed and recorded if a film is sought
to have a score; sound effects are designed and
recorded. Any computer-graphic visual effects are
digitally added. Finally, all sound elements are mixed into
"stems", which are then married to picture, and the film
is fully completed ("locked").
Post-production is like putting the last coat of paint on in
a room and it will be well worth the time to learn the
basics. This is where your video project will really come
to life.
Distribution

This is the final stage, where the film

is released to cinemas or, occasionally, directly to
consumer media (DVD, VCD, VHS, Blu-ray) or direct
download from a digital media provider. The film is
duplicated as required (either onto film or hard disk
drives) and distributed to cinemas for exhibition
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(screening). Press kits, posters, and other advertising

materials are published, and the film is advertised
and promoted. A B-roll clip may be released to the press
based on raw footage shot for a "making of"
documentary, which may include making-of clips as well
as on-set interviews.

Film distributors usually release a film with a launch

party, a red-carpet premiere, press
releases, interviews with the press, press preview
screenings, and film festival screenings. Most films are
also promoted with their own special website separate
from those of the production company or distributor. For
major films, key personnel are often contractually
required to participate in promotional tours in which they
appear at premieres and festivals, and sit for interviews
with many TV, print, and online journalists. The largest
productions may require more than one promotional tour,
in order to rejuvenate audience demand at each release
window.
Since the advent of home video in the early 1980s, most
major films have followed a pattern of having several
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distinct release windows. A film may first be released to a

few select cinemas, or if it tests well enough, may go
directly into wide release. Next, it is released, normally at
different times several weeks (or months) apart, into
different market segments like rental, retail, pay-per-
view, in-flight entertainment, cable, satellite, or free-to-
air broadcast television. The distribution rights for the
film are also usually sold for worldwide distribution. The
distributor and the production company share profits.
If the film was commissioned by a television channel, the
finished film is sent to the channel for approval. The
channel schedules it for telecast at an appropriate date.

Producing for television

The basic procedure for producing for television remains
the same. But television production proceeds more like
an assembly line production, where episodes are churned
out on a daily basis or weekly basis. If the shooting is
entirely studio based, then two to three episodes are shot
in a day using multi camera set ups. Much of the editing
is done online. However, before a television show goes
on air, a bank of 10 to 13 episodes have to be ready.
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Promotional work for television also proceeds in a much

more intensive way through hoardings and social media
messages. Audition or selection of participants is also a
part of the promotional work for television.

Conclusion
Journey through the five stages of the making of a film is
uphill and challenging. It is never easy, but there is a
reward at the end of the road. The biggest reward to the
filmmaker is when her film makes a connect with the
audience.