In this assignment I am going to evaluate the extent to which pre-production requirements, processes and documentation contributes to the success of planning and delivering a specific digital media product.

 

What is pre production?

 

Pre production is all the steps you need to do in order to make a film. The three main parts of production are, pre production, production and post production. Pre production ends when the filming starts. 

 

Finance

 

Filmmaking is an expensive business, and the producer must secure enough funding to make the film at the highest possible standards. To get the investment needed to make a film, the producer must travel to, and meet with potential investors and successfully pitch their project. However if you are an independent filmmaker there are lots of organisations where you can get funding for your film from.  

 

Firstly, there is a company called Kickstarter which is a funding platform where creators can share their ideas and projects they want to launch. It is a crowdfunding website where the public can donate their money into a project of their choice. The highest Kickstarter funded film was Veronica Mars, the campaign raised $5,702,153 from 91,585 people funding the project.  

Www.kickstarter.com

 

Secondly, there is a government you can go to in order to apply for a grant. This is one of the most common ways film projects are financed. The application process for a grant can be very competitive and time consuming, without any guarantee that you will get the money for your film. Grants are a good way to fund your film as you don’t have to pay any of the money back, this way if your film makes a loss you won’t owe any money.

https://www.grants.gov/applicants.html

 

Thirdly, you can seek out investors to finance your film. You would need to approach with the same professionalism you would with any other investor otherwise they won’t take you and your project seriously. Investor’s aim is for them to invest their money into something and make a profit if they see that a film can do this then they surely would want to invest in a film. There are many companies that do this and there are some individuals that would be willing to do this as well. (Red Rock Entertainment and Premier Capital)

https://redrockentertainment.com

 

https://www.premierepicture.com/film-investment/

 

Another way you can get finance to make a film is from Film4, they are Channel 4’s film production company. They invest £15 million annually in developing and financing films for theatrical release in cinemas, working collaboratively with filmmakers and usually in partnership with other funders. When approaching Film 4 you would have to approach them via a production company or an agent as they receive a large number of submissions.

 

Big successful film companies (Paramount, Universal, Warner Bros and etc) do not need to find finance for their film because they would use their profits from their previous successful films. This saves them time in pre-production because they wouldn’t need to find a way to finance a film. 

 

Lastly, BBC Films is a way you can pitch your film ideas into. They say they are committed to finding and developing new talent, collaborating with some of the foremost writers and directors in the industry. Film Makers usually get in contact with BBC Films via an agent or individually, as an established producer. When approaching the BBC you would need to look professional, otherwise, they won’t take you seriously and may not want to do business with you.

 

Logistical considerations

 

There are many logistical things you would need to consider before going out and filming. Before you start filming you would need to know what you’re going to shoot. This is why every film begins with a creative brief, this is the process of defining your target audience, clarifying the message you wish to communicate, and brainstorming ideas about how to convey that message to that audience.

 

Firstly, a crucial logistical thing you would need to do is write a script. Your script could be very short or very long depending on how long you want your film to be, so this would need to be carefully considered when writing the script. As creating a script it is good to draw a storyboard as you go along as this will help build an image of the film in your head. You will also need to consider dialogue, stage directions, narration and any other details explained in the script. 

 

Secondly, you would need to carefully determine your budget for your film. When calculating your budget you should check your script closely to see what things you’ll have to pay for, this includes actors, props, cameras, editing software and etc. It is crucial you stay in your budget because if you don’t you would need to find a way to get more money for your film, you could get a loan or something however you would have to pay interest back and this could result in your film not making a profit. 

 

Thirdly, you will need to pay a visit to the studio and/or the location where you’ll be shooting your video. You shouldn’t assume the sites will be suitable for what you’re trying to accomplish. This is very important for outdoor locations because you should visit the location first and see if it is suitable for what you’re trying to make. It is key you go to the location because you’d want to identify foot and vehicle traffic patterns, see how the light illuminates in various areas and keep logistic areas in mind. 

 

Next, try to obtain the necessary props you need for scenes in your film as soon as possible because if you don’t this could cause a delay in the filmmaking process. The same goes for the actors in your film as they’ll need time to learn their lines or read over the script copy. It is crucial you check with HR or other corporate officials to see if the employees who are working on the film are covered by the company’s insurance policy. 

 

Furthermore, as the production date draws closer, you should start making your production schedule. This should include the date and time of each scene, the location, any special equipment that is needed, and anyone else who is participating in the film making. Next, you will need to make call sheets for the cast and crew which shows them where to be at what time, these sheets are very important because it saves others from telling people where to be at certain times. The director and producer should complete the shot list prior to the day of the shoot because if they don’t do it they will be behind schedule and could delay the filmmaking process. A shot list is a detailed description of the shot, camera movements, dialogue, and on camera activity. 

 

Finally, it’s good to plan for as many contingencies as you can think of such as, weather, bad actors, unavailable locations and etc because you want to minimise the disruption when making a film. The last thing you want to do is waste time during production by trying to solve a problem. 

 

Codes of practice and regulatory requirements

 

Codes of practise are a set of rules which explain how a particular profession should be done, in this case it’s the rules that production companies should follow when making a film. In media, the rules are implied by the jurisdiction of the law. They have a huge job in the industry because they need to ensure that everything is used legally and nothing is stolen because if anything is stolen it could result in them getting sued as they didn’t get permission to use something that doesn’t belong to them. 

 

Firstly, when creating a film copyright is something that can get in your way and limit you. Music copyright is one of the main limitations because when someone wants to use copyrighted music in a film, they have to buy the rights to use it off the owner however this can be quite expensive. It is very crucial you get permission or buy the rights to something when making a film because if you do not, this can lead to you getting sued and going to court. You could even go to prison and pay a fine for this so it’s very important you seek the rights to use someone else’s content, this could also leave a bad reputation on your production company. Copyright is extremely important to the creators because it shows the ownership of someone's work.

 

Secondly, when filming productions, before any actual shooting can take place, the locations must be found or built (if making a set). In certain situations you would need permission to film in certain areas as the land could be private property. If you film in private property without getting any consent you could go to court and possibly be fined. Places like malls and theme parks are in a lot of different types of films and of course permission was needed to film there, especially when they get exclusive access to the location. Anyone has the right to record video in all public spaces without the need for consent.

 

Thirdly, health and safety something very important and is taken with great care in the film/TV industry. When filming on set, the environment must be safe for the actors , unless they are shooting a dangerous scene which involves a car chase or explosions. The film crew will also have to do a risk assessment at each location you film at because they will need to identify all the possible risks and hazards that could occur during filming. 

 

Impact these factors have on each other

 

Finance has a big impact on all the pre production requirements. Firstly, finance has a big impact on the logistical things because you would need to consider the cost of your props and costumes. You will need to heavily consider the costs of your props when planning a film because if you spend too much on this then it can impact your budget to spend on other stuff such as costs of acquiring the script, payments to acquiring certain locations and etc. If you do spend too much, you’ll need to find a way to get finance in order to make your film.

 

Also, health and safety has an impact on the location you are filming at. This is because you will need to do a risk assessment at each location/studio you’re filming at because they’re different environments and you may have to consider more or less hazards that can possibly injure someone. 

 

Next, finance has quite a big impact on copyright because you’ll need to buy the rights to use sound/music that belongs to someone else. The reason why finance has an impact on it is because you may realise that you won’t able to buy the rights as you won’t  have enough money as it can be quite expensive, or you might want to spend your money on other important stuff needed in pre production. 

 

The established industry formats used within the pre-production processes

 

Documentation has to be formatted correctly in pre-production so that when big production companies do business with you then they’ll need the relevant documents. 

 

When creating your script you will need to ensure it is formatted correctly and you present your work appropriately which will give you a  professional look towards others and an understanding of the medium and format for which you are writing. Deciding which format to use will be decided by the type of script you’re writing. Formats are dictated by technology, and there are good reasons for using them. A correctly formatted script makes a film company’s life easier and a writer's life simpler especially during the long process of rewriting. There are two types of scripts, spec script and shooting script, a spec script is written for a reader and not a director. Camera directions are not used in a spec script, they should flow easily and be easy to read, it doesn’t have any technical things that slows down the reader. On the other hand, a shooting script is written for the producer as it has all the technical considerations as well as the actual script. Shooting scripts will often include title shots and credits, camera shots and scene numbers. So this is a much more complex version than a normal spec script.

 

If you did decide to make a storyboard or mood board for a film you will need to ensure it is formatted correctly to ensure the director easily understand what your film is about. A storyboard is a bunch of drawings that paint a picture of your storyline, showing the structure of, and vision for, key scenes in your film. There are a variety of websites you can go to in order to create a storyboard for someone to help understand your story.

 

https://filestage.io/blog/useful-mood-board-template/

 

https://www.canva.com/create/storyboards/

 

You will also need to ensure other documents like risk assessments and contingency plans are formatted correctly for the crew. These documents are very important and would have to be formatted properly otherwise people would not understand it. It is crucial for others to understand these documents because risk assessments identify hazards and anything else that can harm others and if someone cannot read it properly it could result in someone getting injured or hurt. Same goes with the contingency plan because if there is a big problem that disrupts production then someone will have to think of a resolution for it on the spot instead of saving time by looking at a contingency plan.

 

The functions of pre-production processes, reasons for undertaking them and the impact they have

 

After establishing which key aspects of pre-production are important to certain production, planning the production in more detail and beginning to prepare the appropriate documentation can begin. The specific pre production processes and procedures that are followed, will be determined by the particular planned production. However, whatever the production is, you should ensure that you cover all the key areas: finding a way to get finance, creating a budget, creating a detailed production schedule and etc. 

 

The function of the pre-production process is to see if a film is possible to make. Firstly, it is important to get a good budget for your film because you’ll need a decent amount of money to make a good film. If you get a budget you’re not happy with because it won’t enough for your film then this could a big factor which stops you from being able to make your film, so it’s important to get a budget. The reason for you to get a budget it allows you to create a spending plan for your money, it ensures that you will always have enough money for the things you need and the things that are important for your film. A budget can impact your film quite a bit because if you get a lower budget than expected this could result in your film being shorter, less actors, lower quality and etc. However, if you get a bigger budget than expected then this will have a big impact on your film because you’ll be able to spend the money on a lot more things needed for your film and could result in your film being more successful. 

 

Secondly, when in pre production you will have to create a detailed production schedule which shows what will be happening each day throughout production.

When creating this you may realise that there is a lot more things you have to consider and this could take longer than you thought. The reason to make a production schedule is that it is an important tool in helping the company provide accurate, real-time schedules, decision support and available-to-promise date. It is also important to make it because you might end up realising the film will take you a lot longer to make than anticipated and this could result in you not making the film as you may not have enough time.

 

The purposes of pre-production documentation 

 

One of the documents in pre-production is the script. The purpose of the script is for the director to understand the story of the film, as well as the locations of each of the scenes, shot types and anything else they need to know. The script is broken down into individual scenes with storyboards and all the locations, props, cast members, costumes, special effects and visual effects are identified.

 

Another document used in pre production is a casting sheet. A casting sheet is a list containing descriptions of the types of actors needed for a particular play or other dramatic work. The purpose of a casting sheet is to collect all the necessary information from the actors in order to start production.

 

An additional document used in pre production is a budget sheet. This is a very important document because it is a tool that helps you manage your income and stay out of debt and this is very important because you want to stay in your budget and not overspend. The main purpose of a budget sheet is to give the crew an overview of the cash flow. This helps to avoid unnecessary expenses and possible bankruptcy.

 

Furthermore, an important document is a risk assessment. A risk assessment is a very important sheet because it helps identify all the possible hazards and anything else that can harm others in the set. The purpose of carrying out a risk assessment is to enable the others to take the measures necessary for the safety and health protection of everyone around them.

 

Conclusion

 

Pre production takes a lot of time to complete and usually includes a large team or group, particularly in big productions. Without good pre-production films will fail as the planning and research are not there to help the production. There are many things you’ll need to consider when making a film because if you do not, your film will be unsuccessful and flop. Pre production is the process of planning a film, and if you do not plan a film and just go straight into filming your film will be a mess as there’s planning behind it.