IDEA Sources of inspiration - real life events, remakes,

original ideas.
- Newspapers, books, plays,
films.
Producer – makes the ‘great idea’ into a reality
Director – helps producer, into developing idea into
something that can be filmed.
Writer – defines & clarifies the idea.
Treatment – description of key events and people in film
Pitch – contains all the information producer needs in order
to sell the idea to financiers to commission a script –genre,
market, brief synopsis, rough budget.

DEVELOPMENT Pitching the project – the producer uses the

FINANCE treatment and pitch + persuasion to get
money to develop script.
Production Companies – the producer approaches the film
production companies for
development money. In return the
company asks for the right to take the
outcome of the development process to
be involved in making the film.
Sales, Distribution & Broadcast – producer offer rights to the future sales
and broadcast in return for money to
develop script. Sales – ask for rights to
sell film to distribution companies.
Broadcast – rights to show film on
certain TV channels. Distribution – right
to distribute film to cinema owners.
Public Investment – producer applying to public funding body
(UK Film Council) for a development grant.
Private Finance – the producer pitching to private investors
hoping they will support project.
Tying down Writer – using development money, producer can
tie down writer to develop project.

SCRIPT Synopsis – the writer produces a synopsis. The writer and

DEVELOPMENT producer then work together to agree on key
scenes, events etc in film.
Step outline – writer produces step outlines of each scene
to plan script.
Drafts – writer produces first draft of film, containing
actions, events, dialogue, transitions etc.
Revisions – draft sent to financers, all of whom have their
own ideas. If writer is stuck, they contact script
editor is helps overcome problems in script.
Final Draft – once director, producer and writer are happy
with script, it becomes a final draft. Writer
 then gets paid.
Sales Treatment – final stage, creation of a sales treatment
- advert for script, focuses on key selling
points of story.

PACKAGE Package – includes final draft script, sales treatment, and a rough budget – roughly
how much funding that can be secured for script.
The Cast – to make project more commercial, well
known stars need to be attached to
script. Producers contact actors via their
agents.
The Heads of Department (HOD) – includes – director of photography, production
designer,
editor.
Detailed budget and Production Schedule – producer must know how much it will cost
to make the film. Production schedule is
how long it will take to shoot and finish.
Finance plan and recoupment schedule – finance plan is how the producer plans to
raise finance for film. Recoupment schedule is
an estimate of how the film will make money
e.g. merchandise, DVD, broadcast etc.
The Complete Package – the packaged film has a final draft script, a sales treatment, a
list of attached stars, HODs, detailed budget, production
schedule, finance plan and a recoupment schedule. The
package is presented to potential funders to get money for
film.

FINANCE The Market – to attract an investment, the producer must travel to find financers.
Investment – private financers – willing to invest in film project.
- co-productions – a number of production companies joining to invest in
Project
- public investment – sources of public money for production funding.
Pre-sales – producer can raise money from pre-sales by selling rights to the film before
It has even been made
Banks and Gap Funding – departments of banks specialize in film finance. Gap funding
may also be offered by banks. These cover a shortfall
between the money raised so far and the total budget.
Completion Bonds – insurance for the production
Green Light – once essential funding and insurance is secured, film gets ‘green light’.

PRE-PRODUCTION The Kick-off Meeting – once HODs are hired, shooting script is circulated
Casting – casting director, with director and producer, identifies and casts actors.
Storyboarding – director and director of photography produce a storyboard of each
shot in film.
Production Design – plans every aspect of how the film will look. Hire people to design
and build the set.
Special effects planning – discusses with director of photography what effects are
 needed how these can be achieved though physical effects or
digitally in post production.
The Production Unit – line producer, 1st ad(deals with crew, makes sure their time etc),
production manager, make up the logistic triangle of production.

THE SHOOT Five main teams - special effects team, camera team, actors/cast, chain of command,
lighting and sound team.

POST-PRODUCTION Selling The Product – producer secures services of a sales agent(a specialist in film
sales) to help sell the film to distributors.
The Trailer – shows most marketable aspects of film, to busy film buyers.
Sales Toolkit – producer and sales agent collect everything they need to sell film to
distributors – sales pack, sales report, DVD, trailer.
Taking the Film to Market – producer goes to great lengths to attract attention of
market.
Screenings – going to a high-profile screening can be great for generating ‘heat’
around
a film.
Deals – negotiating good deals with distributors around the world, after producer has
good product.

MARKETING The Marketing Team – a team who will market the film to the public.
The Audience – marketing team runs test screenings to see how film is received.
Advertising – potential audience for film is targeted using posters, cinema trailers, TV
spot
Press and Media Coverage – positive word of mouth – newspapers, radio, TV. Getting
product endorsed by a third party.
The Internet and New Marketing Models – internet & digital media. Give new
opportunities for distributors to market their
product In a more targeted and cost-
efficient ways.
Selling the Film to Exhibitors – distributors negotiate with cinema’s to screen the films.

EXHIBITION The Premiere – used to launch film to public with an explosion of media coverage.
Fame helps to sell films.
Prints and Logistics – distributors supply the exhibitors with prints of film. The more
screens the film shown on, the more prints needed.
Box Office Performance – data about film attendance is collected continuously and
used by cinemas to decide which films to cancel and which to
prolong.
Revenues – exhibitors take their share of the box office receipts. Distributors then
recoup marketing costs.
Recoupment – once distributors have been paid up, the financers can recover their
investments.