Chapter 1: ENCOUNTERING FILM - From Preproduction to Exhibition

vocabulary from chapter 1 of The Film Experience By: Timothy Corrigan; Patricia White

film production

a multilayered activity in which industry, art, technology, and imagination intertwine to create an artistic and commercial product that will engage, please, or provoke viewers

preproduction

the phase when a film project is in development, involving preparing the script, financing the project, casting, hiring crew, and securing locations

screenwriters (or scriptwriters)

often the individual who generates the idea for a narrative film, either as an original concept or as an adaptation of another source (such as a novel, true story, or comic book character)

treatment

where the screenwriter presents the early concept/material; a short prose description of the action of a film and major characters of the story, written before the screenplay

producer

oversees each step of a film project, especially the financial aspect, from development to postproduction and a distribution deal

studio system

the industrial practices of large production companies responsible for filmmaking in Hollywood or other national film industries

postproduction

the period in the filmmaking process that occurs after principal photography, usually consisting of editing, sound, and visual effects work

executive producer

may be connected to a film primarily in name, playing a role in financing or facilitating a film deal and having little creative or technical involvement

line producer

in charge of the daily business of tracking costs and maintaining the production schedule of a film

unit production manager

responsible for reporting and managing details of receipts and purchases

expenses

the initial cost of contracting the major personnel (director & stars) and administrative and organizational expenses in setting up preproduction

below-the-line expenses

the technical and material costs—costumes, sets, transportation, etc. involved in the making of the film

production values

demonstrate how the quality of the film’s images and sounds reflects the extent of these two expenses

casting director

someone who identifies the actors who work best in particular scripted roles

agents

represent actors, directors, writers, etc.; negotiate with writers, casting directors, and producers and enlist different personnel for a movie

package-unit approach

the agent, producer, and casting director determine a script, stars, and other major personnel as a key first step in major production

location scouts

determine and secure places that provide the most suitable environment for shooting different scenes

computer-graphics technician

design models to be digitally transferred onto film

production designer

determines film’s overall look

art directors

responsible for supervising the conception and construction of the physical environment in which actors appear, including sets, locations, props, and costumes

set decorators

complete the look of the set with the details

costume designers

those who plan and prepare how actors will be dressed as their characters

principal photography

the majority of footage filmed

film shoot

weeks or months of actual shooting, on set or on location

director

the chief creative presence or the primary manager in film production, responsible for overseeing virtually all the work of making a movie—guiding the actors, determining the position of the camera and selecting which images to appear in the finished film

auteurs

directors who are considered “authors” of films in which they express their own individual vision and experiences

takes

different versions of a shot

cinematographer (AKA director of photography or DP)

selects the cameras, film stock, lighting, and lenses to be used as well as the camera setup or position

camera operator

who physically manipulates the camera

production sound mixer

sound engineer on the production set

dailies

footage shot that day

selects

takes that are chosen to use in editing a scene

sound editing

combining music, dialogue, and effects tracks to interact with the image track

special effects

techniques that enhance a film realism or surpass assumptions about realism with spectacle

visual effects

imagery combined with live action footage by teams of computer technicians and artists

motion-capture technology

transfers the actor’s physical movements to computer-generated imagery (CGI)

distributor

company/agency acquires rights to a movie from the filmmakers/producers (sometimes by contributing to the cost) and makes movies available to the audience by rent, sell, or licensing it to theaters or other exhibition outlets

feature-film

longer narrative movie that is the primary attraction for audiences

premiere

red carpet event celebrating the opening night of a movie (stars attend and attract press)

first-run theaters

theaters that show recently released movies

wide-release

opening in hundreds of theaters simultaneously

limited release

may only be distributed to major cities

platforming

releasing a film in gradually widening markets and theaters to slowly build its reputation and momentum

exclusive release

only premiering in one or two locations

ancillary markets

other ways to watch movies outside of its theatrical release

piracy

unauthorized duplication and circulation of copyrighted material

exhibition

shows films to a buying public, usually in movie theaters, but it is more closely related to reception than distribution

reception

viewers’ process of making sense of a film; at the heart of the film experience

exhibitors

own individual theaters/theater chains and make decisions surrounding local promotion

day-and-date release

simultaneous release strategy across different media and venues, such as a theatrical release & VOD availability