Essentials You
Need to Know + Free Resources!
The great thing
about filmmaking is that it is a team sport. It requires a crew of specialists
working together under a film producer and director’s guidance to create a finished
work. There is a job for just about everyone. The question is where do you see
yourself? Let’s profile some general areas of interest.
5 Phases of
Production
The best way to
look at this might be through the 5 phases of production which are Development,
Pre-production, Production, Post-production, and Distribution.
Development and
Pre-production
Development is
the stage where the project is created and planned. In this phase, a small
group of creatives and executives craft the story and associated budget. When
the project is financed, it will move into the pre-production phase with an
emphasis on shooting dates and the time frames for the project to be finished.
Pre-production is
the planning stage required right before filming. In this stage scripts are
finalized, budgets are adjusted, actors are cast, locations scouted, the crew
employed, shooting schedules finalized, sets are designed and built, costumes
made and fitted, and everything to do with the shoot is planned and tested
Some Roles in
Development and Pre-production
* Casting
* Scriptwriting
* Location
scouting
* Wardrobe
* Set design
* Props
* Storyboards /
Concept Art
*
Pre-visualization
Does your skill
set involve any of these areas? Some questions to ask:
Are you an actor
with experience? What kind of projects have you worked on?
Writers, do you
have good storytelling and/or film experience? Can you convert a story into
script formatting?
Do you have any
experience building sets for the stage? Can you build realistic-looking, sturdy
props? Craftspeople, this might be something up your alley.
Are you an artist
with some comic book experience? Can
handle storyboarding? Sci-Fi and
Fantasy films need concept artists to help sell the idea. Do you have the
skills to do this? Animators, can you create how shots would look using
sketches or rough models for pre-visualization?
Production
Production is the
actual filming process. The creative minds finally see their ideas captured on
film, each day following the filming schedule. Production is usually the
shortest of the five phases, even though this is where most of the budget is
allotted.
Some Roles in
Production
* Director
* Cameraman &
Lighting
* Costume
* Hair and Makeup
Does your skill
set involve any of these areas? Some questions to ask:
Can you manage a
team with actors? Can you articulate what is needed to get a good performance
for a scene?
Do you have
photography experience? What is your knowledge of composition, shot types, and
motion? Have you shot a short film or music video? Are you experienced with
lighting a scene?
Do you have any
experience with costumes, or hair and makeup? Cosplay and stylists might want
to look into this area.
Post-production
Post-production
is what is required to complete your project after filming. This is where the
footage is edited, the sound is mixed, visual effects are added, a soundtrack
is composed, titles are created, and the project is completed and prepared for
distribution.
Some Roles in
Post-production
* Editor
* Music
* Visual Effects
* Titles / Motion
Graphics
Does your skill
set involve any of these areas? Some questions to ask:
Do you know to
edit effectively? Have you worked with Avid, Final Cut Pro or Adobe
Premiere? How is your knowledge of film
transitions?
Have you ever
created music for film? What do you know about music genres?
Musicians, this
could be a great side gig.
What do you know
about green screen? Have you done any photo manipulation or film compositing?
How well do you know After Effects? Can you create realistic 3D models?
Distribution
Distribution is
the final stage in a project for producers looking to make a
return on investment. This can be from cinema distribution, selling to a TV
network or streaming service, or releasing direct to DVD.
Portfolio
When you are
ready, it is very important to be able to show off your work should a job
arise. Having a portfolio site is a good idea.
Even using a free platform is better than nothing like YouTube,
Soundcloud, Blogger or whichever platform can best showcase your work.
Don’t forget to
check out the competition to honestly assess where you stand. More to come.
Click here for a
free PDF of Filmmaking Resources to get you up to speed.
Check out our follow up: Is Film School Really Necessary?
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