Film Production, Distribution, and Exhibition: Key Concepts and Processes

film production

a multi-layered activity in which industry, art, technology, and imagination intertwine...from the financing and scripting of a film to its final edit and...the addition of production credits naming the companies and individuals involved.

preproduction

when a film project is in development, involving preparing the script, financing the project, casting, hiring crew.

screenwriter/scriptwriter

generates the idea for a narrative film, either as an original concept or as an adaptation of a novel, true story, or comic book character.

treatment

short prose description of the action and major characters of the story.

screenplay/script

the text from which a movie is made, including dialogue and information about action, settings, shots and transitions.

producer

may be fully involved with each step of film production from the selection and development of a script to the creation of an advertising campaign for the finished film.

executive producer

may be connected to a film primarily in name, playing a role in financing or facilitating a film deal 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 the details of receipts and purchases.

above-the-line expenses

the initial costs of contracting the major personnel, such as directors and stars, as well as administrative and organizational expenses in setting up a film production.

below-the-line expenses

the technical and material costs—costumes, sets, transportation, and so on—involved in the actual making of a film.

production values

how the quality of the film's images and sounds reflects the extent of these two expenses.

Independent filmmaking

Financed by organized groups of individual investors or pre-sales of distribution or broadcast rights in different markets.

Documentaries

May be sponsored by an organization, produced by a television channel, or funded by a combination of individual donors and public funds.

Casting directors

Identify the actors who would work best in particular scripted roles.

Agents

Negotiate with 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 a major film production.

Super agents

In the mid-1970's, they would predetermine a package of stars and other personnel from which the film must be constructed.

Location scouts

Determine and secure places that provide the most suitable environment for different movie scenes.

Production designer

Determines the film's overall look.

Art directors

Supervise the conception and construction of the physical environment, including sets, locations, props, and costumes.

Set decorators

Complete the look of the set with details.

Costume designers

Plan and prepare how actors will be dressed.

Film shoot

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

Director

The chief creative presence or the primary manager in film production.

Auteurs

Directors who have a recognizable style across their works, elevating them to a status of artistic authorship.

Cinematographer (director of photography, D.P.)

Selects the cameras, film stock, lighting and lenses, and determines how the action will be shot.

Production sound mixer

The sound engineer on the production set.

Grips

Install lighting and dollies.

Dailies

Footage shot that day.

Selects

Takes that are suggested for the finished film.

Film wrap

When production is complete.

Postproduction

Activities that take place after principal photography is completed.

Editing

Selecting and joining film footage and shots into a finished film.

sound editor

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

special effects

techniques that enhance a film's realism or surpass assumptions about realism with spectacle. When accomplished in postproduction, termed visual effects. [ i.e. Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow (2004)]

green screen technology

actors perform in front of a plain green background; background is later inserted with computers

motion-capture technology

transfers the actors' physical movements to computer-generated imagery (CGI) i.e. Lord of the Rings Gollum

distributor

a company or agency that acquires the rights to a movie from the filmmakers or producers...and then makes that movie available to audiences by renting, selling, or licensing it to theaters or other exhibition outlets.

1919: United Artists

formed by prominent Hollywood stars to distribute their independently produced films.

1979: Miramax

uses aggressive promotional campaigns to make foreign-produced and independent movies viable in wide theatrical release.

feature film

a longer movie that is the primary attraction for an audience.

block booking

an exhibitor would be required to show cheaper, less desirable films as a condition of booking the star-studded "A" pictures, a practice that would be outlawed in the U.S. v. Paramount decision which divorced the studios from their theater chains and required that films be individually sold.

premiere

a film's initial opening in a limited number of first-run theaters as exclusive engagements would gradually be expanded, allowing for a series of premieres.

wide release

opening in hundreds of theaters simultaneously.

saturation booking

screening a film in as many locations as possible as soon as possible. i.e. X-Men: Apocalypse (2016)

limited release

a film may be initially distributed to only major cities.

platforming

releasing a film in gradually widening markets and theaters so that it slowly builds its reputation and momentum through reviews and word of mouth.

exclusive release

premiering in only one or two locations. i.e. Napoleon (1927), restored version 1981 with a full orchestra.

target audiences

viewers who producers feel are most likely to want to see a particular film.

ancillary markets

television, video, DVD, Blu-ray, pay-per-view, video on demand (VOD) can generate more revenue than initial theater release.

piracy

the unauthorized duplication and circulation of copyrighted material.

video distribution

can control and direct local responses, tastes and experiences.

video stores

become part of the social fabric of a neighborhood.

rental-by-mail model

the innovation most responsible for the decline of the local video store launched by Netflix.

downloading/streaming

delivering movies via high-speed internet.

distribution timing

when a movie is released for public viewing in certain location or on certain platforms.

first release (first run)

the initial showing of a film.

second release (second run)

a redistribution of the film months or years later.

re-release

can lend a film a new life through a process of rediscovery.

theatrical release window

period of time before a film's availability on home video, video on demand, or television platforms.

day-and-date release

simultaneous release across multiple media.

film marketing

identifying an audience in order to bring a product (the movie) to the attention of buyers (viewers).

film promotion

aspects of the industry through which audiences are exposed to and encouraged to see a particular film.

star system

the most pervasive and potent component of the marketing and promotion of movies.

promotion strategies

prepare us in important ways for how we will see and understand a film.

newspaper and billboard ads

a form of marketing and promotion for movies.

movie previews in theaters

a method of promoting films to audiences.

tie-in games on official movie Web sites

a promotional tool associated with films.

star's public appearances

a promotional strategy to attract audiences.

early screenings and resultant reviews

a way to promote films before their official release.

t-shirts

merchandise used in film promotion.

cd soundtracks

music associated with films used for promotional purposes.

toys

merchandise used to promote films.

Marketing campaigns

Promotional efforts for blockbuster films that have become more extensive since the 1990s, often with budgets that equal or exceed production costs.

Hollywood promotions

Advertisements that emphasize the realism of movies, promising audiences more accurate reflections of the world.

New technologies in promotion

Modern advertising techniques that frequently exploit advancements in technology.

Independent, art, and foreign-language films

Films that have less access to promotional mechanisms compared to mainstream films.

Cultural promotion

Academic or journalistic accounts that discuss and value films as important in movie history or as aesthetic objects, underpinned by intellectual motives.

Film experience

The way we perceive films is influenced by our preconceived notions and cultural context.

Advertising

A central form of promotion that draws audiences to movies and suggests focal points for understanding their achievements.

Trailer

Edited previews of a film shown in theaters that provide reasons for viewers to see the movie.

Media convergence

The process by which distinct media and viewing platforms become interdependent.

Viral marketing

Advertising that relies on existing social networks for promotion.

MPAA ratings system

A classification system for films in the U.S. that includes ratings such as G, PG, PG-13, R, and NC-17.

Word of mouth

The buzz around a movie that influences public opinion and preferences.

Print fan magazines

Publications that have evolved into online discussion groups and social media, becoming significant in film promotion.

Exhibition

The part of the film industry that shows films to the public, typically in theaters.

Reception

The process through which viewers make sense of a film.

Exhibitors

Owners of theaters or chains who decide on programming and local promotion.

Viewing forums

Locations where movies are watched that contribute to the culture of exhibition and social activities.

Technological conditions of exhibition

The industrial and mechanical means through which films are shown, influencing viewer reactions.

Technological features of exhibition

Elements designed to enhance enjoyment and understanding of a movie.

Timing of exhibition

The personal aspect of the movie experience that can shape impact and attitude toward a film.

Leisure time in movie culture

The traditional view of film exhibition as a form of leisure, which can also be seen as productive time.

Cannes Film Festival

An event that emphasizes glamour and leisure in the movie experience.

New York Film Festival

An event that presents films with an intellectual or academic focus.

Conditions of film exhibition

Factors that may not change a movie's essential meaning but can influence how it is perceived.