WEEK NINE: The Production Process I. Development – the first stage of film production A. Time 1. The amount of time can vary significantly. 2. “Development Hell” – a term describing a script that never gets out of development. B. High Concept 1. Most films in Hollywood today must be ‘High Concept’ 2. It must be immediately accessible and easily understood 3. It must readily translate into visual terms 4. It must intersect with other discourses (transmedia, essentially) C. Personnel and their functions 1. Producer – makes the script into a movie a. Can be independent, assigned by the studio, or work for the studio. 2. Executive Producer – gets financing for the film or lends his name and reputation to the film to help it raise money. 3. The screenwriter and director are also usually hired in this stage. II. Pre-Production A. Time – roughly six months 1. When a film is greenlit for production, they go through this period of staffing up, finding locations, casting, and scheduling. B. Personnel and their functions 1. Line Producer/Unit Production Manager – breaks down the film’s budget and schedules daily activities. a. Above-the-Line costs – creative talent who negotiate salaries such as stars, directors, and prominent technicians such as cinematographers and production designers. b. Below-the-Line costs – fixed salaries, purchases (costumes, catering, etc.) and rentals (soundstages, cameras, lighting, etc.) c. Negative Cost – the combination of above and below the line costs. 2. Casting Director – works with the director to run auditions and callbacks 3. Production Designer – designs sets, scouts locations (with the DP). a. Production Designers team – Art Director (constructed sets), Set Decorator, Set Dressers, Scenic Artists, Property Master, Greensman, assistants. b. They are hired during pre-production to create and set up locations. Construction and set up continues throughout production. 4. Costume Designer – designing and acquiring all costumes a. Team – Costumers (dress the actors), seamstresses, etc. 5. The head of each production team hires their crew during this phase.III. Principle Photography A. Time – typically two months 1. Shooting Time – the total number of days required to collect all the footage 2. Shooting Ratio – the amount of film exposed divided by the amount used in the finished film. B. Personnel and their functions 1. Director’s team – Assistant Director, 2nd AD, 2nd 2nd AD, Production Assistants a. They run the set, prepare teams, keep track of schedule. 2. Script Supervisor/Continuity – makes sure the script is covered and shots match 3. Director of Photography/Cinematographer – in charge of camera, grip, and lighting teams. Works with the director to set up shots, chooses lens, movements, lighting. a. Camera Team: camera operator (actually looks through viewfinder), assistant camera, 2nd assistant/focus puller, loader (takes care of film) b. Lighting Team: Gaffer (head of lighting, chief electrician), rigging gaffer (set up lights, lay cable), assistants. c. Grip Team: grips carry and arrange equipment i. Key grip (manages grips), dolly grip (controls the dolly), best boy/key rigging grip (assistant to the gaffer, supervises rigging gaffers) 4. Sound Team – only two people run sound even on the largest sets a. Sound Recordist/Mixer – the audio engineer keeps track of the audio caught on tape b. Boom Operator – Microphone placement and holding 5. Performers: a. principal cast (most lines and action) b. supporting cast (only in a few scenes) c. bit player (one line or action) d. extra/day player/background (no lines, only there to fill space) 6. Production Design team – in charge of world of the film, the visual incarnation of the setting. (see pre-production) a. Set crew: leadman (in charge of swing gangs – set carpenters), on-set dresser, 7. Editing Team – starts work during production (see post-production) a. Dailies – a compilation of the day’s footage assembled for the director IV. Post-Production A. Time – 6 months to 2 years 1. Workflow a. Transfer footage to digital b. Editing in non-linear computer program (AVID, Final Cut Pro, etc.) c. Addition of computer-generated effects and corrections d. Output back to film for duplicationB. Personnel and their functions 1. Post-Production Supervisor – oversees all the post-production teams and reports to the producer 2. Editing Team a. Gathers and catalogues all footage, orders and trims the images i. Assembly cut – a rough continuity of the movie ii. Rough cut – puts all the footage they want to use together iii. Final cut – refines the rough cut into a finished film b. Editor (manages editing staff), assistant editors 3. Sound Team a. Sound Designer – heads sound unit, makes aesthetic decisions about aural style b. Sound Editors – cut together soundtrack i. Music Editors, Sound Effects Editors, Dialogue editors, ADR Editors, Foley Editors c. Sound Mixers – mix all the soundtrack elements at the proper levels into the final track d. Foley Artists – make additional sound effects in a soundstage e. ADR – Automatic Dialogue Replacement – re-records dialogue that was not properly captured on set 4. Music Team a. Composer (writes original score) i. Composers Team: Conductor, Orchestrators, Musicians b. Music Supervisor – selects musical tracks for the entire film i. Music Editor – puts the tracks in the film 5. Special Effects Team a. Visual Effects Supervisor – oversees visual effects V. Rating, Marketing and Distribution A. Time – variable B. The Ratings Board 1. Since 1968, the US uses a rating system rather than censorship. 2. The Motion Picture Association of America uses citizen members who decide on rating. 3. Ratings can be appealed or rejected, in which case films are released ‘unrated.’ C. Marketing 1. Film Market/Trade Shows/Film Festivals: Showing all or part of a film at these events can raise more money, secure distribution, or gain free publicity. 2. Publicity: anything unpaid for that directs attention to the film. a. Talk show appearances, news coverage, press stories. 3. Advertising: paid for marketing for the film. a. Trailers, commercials, posters, billboards, magazine ads b. The film’s logo (A graphic, iconic representation of the film) and its tagline typically appear on such