The Production Flow of Movies

The Idea

Where / Who does it come from?

1)Original Idea

2)Adapted Idea

Original

• Film treatment• Short summary of idea and major plot points• Trying to sell the movie!

Existing Material

• Adaptation– Taking the book, short story, play and making it

into a film– New genre

Financing the Project

• Production Companies– Studios

• Independent– Studios– Private financing

Budget Examples

• Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End - $300 Million

• Avatar - $270 Million

• The Dark Knight Rises - $250 Million

• Super-Size Me - $65,000

• Saw - $1.2 Million

• Napoleon Dynamite - $400,000

“Most Profitable”?

• Paranormal Activity– Made for $15,000

– Made $197 Million

Script Development

• Draft• Revisions• Final draft

• Blue Valentine – 12 years

Pre-Production• Casting

– Who would fit the role?– Who do you want?– Who can you afford?– Who is able?

• Storyboarding– Visualizing the script

• Planning!– Lighting– Special effects– Shooting schedule– Weather? Availability?

Production

• Filming the movie– What order?

• Characters have to age or gain weight or vice versa– Availability of actors– Availability of sets

• Dailies– All the scenes shot in a day reviewed

• Good enough?• What to redo?

Post-Production

• Editing– Rough cut

• Digital effects– Avatar!

• Final cut

Selling the Film

• Trailers

• Marketing / Media

• Screenings– Festivals– Limited release– Mass release

• When to release?– Award season

Spiderman?

Mass Premier

• Premier

• Reviews– Formal / informal– Word of mouth

Additional

• DVD production– This is often THE goal

– Extras

– Unrated editions

– Director’s cut

Cross-Marketing

• Video game

• Toys / Happy Meals

• Sequels