1. An Introduction to Movie-Making
How Are Movies Made?
An Introduction to
Movie-Making

2. Basic Stages
The basic stages of making a movie or video remain the same whatever the size of the budget or cast.

3. Pre-Production Production Post-Production Distribution & Exhibition
Basic Stages
Pre-Production
Production
Post-Production
Distribution & Exhibition

4. Pre-Production Concept, Screenwriting, Storyboarding
Filming preparations, cast and crew are hired, locations selected, costumes designed, and sets built.
Also includes Development (funding).

5. Production Production is the actual shooting of a movie or video.
Includes the crafts of acting,
cinematography, directing,
and lighting.

6. Post-Production Raw film or video is edited or
assembled into an order that
conveys a story.
Final sound mix –music,
sound effects, etc.– is
created.

7. Distribution and Exhibition
Printing Theater Copies from Original Film Master, Theater Booking, Marketing
Who will see your program?
How will they see it?
When will they see it?

8. Who Are the People That Make Movies?

9. Film & TV Production Roles & Departments
Key Creative Team Art
Production Hair & Make-up
Location Wardrobe
Camera Post-Production
Sound Visual Effects
Grip Post-Sound & Music
Electrical Other Production

10. • Executive Producer • Producer • Director • Screenwriter
Key Creative Team
• Executive Producer
• Producer
• Director
• Screenwriter

11. Executive Producer
Executive Producers are responsible for the overall quality control of productions.
Not involved in the technical aspects of the filmmaking process, but has played a crucial financial or creative role.

12. Producer
Involved throughout all phases of the film- making process from development to completion of a project.
Initiates, coordinates, supervises, and controls matters such as hiring key personnel, and arranging distribution.

13. Director
Responsible for overseeing the creative aspects of a film, including controlling the content and flow of the film's plot, directing the performances of actors, selecting the locations in which the film will be shot, and managing technical details such as the positioning of cameras, the use of lighting, and the timing and content of the film's soundtrack.

14. Screenwriter
The Screenwriter, or Scriptwriter, writes the original or adapted screenplay. Responsible for researching the story, developing the narrative, writing the screenplay, and delivering it to the Producer(s).
They are almost always freelancers or they are commissioned by a Producer.

15. Production Department
1st Asst. Director
Line Producer 2nd Asst. Director
Production Manager Production Assistant
Production Coordinator Script Supervisor
Post-production Supervisor Stunt Coordinator

16. Line Producer
Prepares all the financial details –budget— of a film’s shooting script.
They manage the day-to-day physical aspects of the production.

17. Production Manager
Responsibility to help make sure filming stays on schedule and within its budget.
Supervises the physical aspects of the production including personnel, technology, budget and schedling (not the creative aspects).

18. Production Coordinator
The PC is the information nexus of the production, responsible for organizing all the logistics from hiring crew, renting equipment, and booking talent.
The PC is an integral part of film production.

19. Post-Production Supervisor
Responsible for the post-production process, during which they maintain clarity of information and good channels of communication between the Producer, Editor, Supervising Sound Editor, the Facilities Companies (such as film labs, CGI studios and Negative Cutters) and the Production Accountant.
Although this is not a creative role, it is pivotal in ensuring that the film's post-production budget is manageable and achievable, and that all deadlines are met.
Because large amounts of money are involved, and most of a film's budget is spent during production, the post-production period can often be difficult and challenging.

20. 1st Assistant Director
(1st AD) – Assists the Production Manager and Director.
Oversees day-to-day management of the cast and crew scheduling, equipment, script, and the set. Ensures filming comes on on-schedule while maintaining a working environment in which the director, actors and crew can be focused on their work.

21. 2nd Assistant Director (2nd AD) – Chief assistant of the 1st AD.
Responsible for creating Call Sheets that let the crew know the schedule and important details about the shooting day.

22. Production Assistant
Referred to as PA’s or Runners, assist in the production office or in various departments with general tasks.

23. Script Supervisor
Keeps track of what parts of the script have been filmed and makes notes of any deviations between what was actually filmed and what appeared in the script.
The Script Supervisor works very closely with the Director on set. Also called “Continuity.”
They make notes on every shot, and keep track of props, blocking, and other details to ensure continuity from shot to shot and scene to scene.
The Script Supervisor's notes are given to the Editor to expedite the editing process

24. Stunt Coordinator
Where the film requires a stunt, and involves the use of stunt performers, the Stunt Coordinator will arrange the casting and performance of the stunt, working closely with the Director.

25. Location Manager Location Assistant Location Scout
Location Department
Location Manager
Location Assistant
Location Scout

26. Location Manager
Responsible for finding and securing locations to be used for the production as well as coordinating the logistics, permits and costs involved.

27. Camera Department Cinematographer (Director of Photography)
Camera Operator
First Asst. Camera
Second Asst. Camera

28. Cinematographer Also called “Director of Photography,” or DP.
The DP is the chief of the camera and lighting crew of the film. Not to be confused with the Director.
Makes decisions on lighting and framing of scenes in conjunction with the Director.

29. Camera Operator
Operates the camera at the direction of the Cinematographer (Director of Photography) or the Film Director to capture the scenes on film.
Generally, a Cinematographer (Director of Photography) does not operate the camera, but sometimes these jobs are combined.

30. First Asst. Camera
(1st AC) - “Focus Puller” - Responsible for keeping the camera in focus as it is shooting.

31. Second Asst. Camera
(2nd AC) - “Clapper Loader” - Operates the clapperboard at the beginning of each take and loads the raw film stock into the camera magazines between takes.
Also in charge of overseeing the meticulously kept notebooks that record when the film stock is received, used, and sent to the lab for processing.

32. Other Camera Crew Jobs Loader Camera Production Assistant
Digital Imaging Technician
Data Wrangler
Steadicam Operator
Motion Control Technician/Operator

33. Production Sound Mixer Boom Operator
Sound Department
Production Sound Mixer
Boom Operator

34. Production Sound Mixer
“Sound Recordist” - Head of the sound department on set, responsible for recording all sound during filming.
This involves the choice and deployment of microphones, operation of a sound recording device, and sometimes the mixing of audio signals in real time.

35. Boom Operator
“Boom Swinger” – Responsible for microphone placement and movement during filming.

36. Grip Department
Grips are trained lighting and rigging technicians. They are concerned with the “mechanical” side of things. Main responsibility is to work closely with the Electrical department to put in lighting set-ups required for a shot.
Key Grip
Best Boy (Grip)
Dolly Grip

37. Key Grip “Key Grip” is theChief Grip on the set.
Works with the Cinematographer (DP) to help prepare the set and to achieve correct lighting and blocking.

38. Best Boy (Grip) Chief assistant to the Key Grip.
Responsible for organizing the grip truck.

39. Dolly Grip Grips work mainly with the Camera department.
A Dolly Grip helps set up and operate dollies, “trucks,” and tracks.

40. Electrical Department
Gaffer
Best Boy (Electrical)
Lighting Technician

41. Gaffer
Head of the Electrical department. (“Chief Lighting Technician”)
Responsible for the design and execution of the lighting plan for production.

42. Best Boy (Electrical) Chief assistant to the Gaffer.
Lighting technicians are involved with setting up and controlling lighting equipment.

43. Production Designer Art Director Set Designer Set Decorator
Art Department
Production Designer
Art Director
Set Designer
Set Decorator

44. Production Designer
“Creative Director” - Responsible for creating the physical, visual appearance of the film — settings, costumes, character makeup.
Works closely with the Director and the Cinematographer to achieve the look of the film.

45. Art Director Reports to the Production Designer.
Oversees the artists and craftspeople, such as the Set Designers, Graphic Artists, and Illustrators who give form to the production design as it develops.

46. Set Designer
The Set Designer is the draftsman, often an architect, who realizes the structures or interior spaces called for by the Production Designer.

47. Set Decorator
In charge of the decorating of a film set, which includes the furnishings and all the other objects that will be seen in the film.

48. Other Art Dept. Jobs – Set Design
Illustrator
Buyer
Set Dresser

49. Other Art Dept. Jobs - Props
Props Master
Prop Builder
Standby Props
Armorer/Weapons Master

50. Other Art Dept. Jobs – Construction
Construction Coordinator
Head Carpenter
Key Scenic
Greensman

51. Hair & Make-up Department
Make-up Artist
Hairdresser

52. Make-up Artist
Work with make-up, hair, prosthetics and special effects to create the characters’ look for anyone appearing on screen.
Their role is to manipulate an Actor's on-screen appearance whether it makes them look more youthful, larger, older, or in some cases monstrous.

53. Hairdresser
Responsible for maintaining and styling the hair of anyone appearing on screen.

54. Costume Designer Costume Supervisor
Wardrobe Department
Costume Designer
Costume Supervisor

55. Costume Designer
Responsible for all the clothing and costumes worn by the cast.
Also responsible for designing, planning, and organizing the construction of the garments down to the fabric, colors, and sizes.

56. Costume Supervisor Works closely with the Costume Designer.
Supervises creation or sourcing of garments, hiring of support staff, budget, paperwork, and department logistics.

57. Other Costume Dept. Jobs
Key Costumer
Costume Standby
Art Finisher
Costume Buyer
Cutter/Fitter

58. Post-Production Film Editor Online Editor (for Video Production)
Offline Editor (for Video Production)

59. Film Editor
Assembles the various shots into a coherent film, working closely with the Director.
There are usually several Assistant Editors.

60. Other Post- Production Jobs
Assistant Editor
Negative Cutter
Colorist
Telecine Colorist

61. Also called “Special Effects” Visual Effects Supervisor Compositor

62. Visual Effects Supervisor
In charge of the Visual Effect department.
Helps design moving set elements and props that will safely break, explode, burn, collapse and implode without destroying the film set.
Also responsible for overseeing the reproduction of weather conditions and other on-camera magic.

63. Special Effects Assistant
Builds set pieces like breakaway furniture and cities in miniature, lighting pyrotechnics, and setting up rigging equipment for stunts.
Can also assist in prosthetic makeup.

64. Compositor
Responsible for compositing images from different sources such as video, film, computer generated 3-D imagery, 2-D animations, matte paintings, photographs, and text.

65. Other Visual Effects Jobs
Visual Effects Editor
Rotoscope Artists/Paint Artists
Matte Painter

66. Post-Production Sound & Music
Sound Designer
Dialog Editor
Sound Editor

67. In charge of the post-production sound of a movie.
Sound Designer
In charge of the post-production sound of a movie.

68. Dialog Editor
Responsible for assembling and editing all the dialog in the soundtrack.

69. Sound Editor
Responsible for assembling and editing all the sound effects in the soundtrack.

70. Re-recording Mixer Music Supervisor Composer Foley Artist
Other Sound Dept. Jobs
Re-recording Mixer
Music Supervisor
Composer
Foley Artist

71. Casting Director Storyboard Artist
Other Production Jobs
Casting Director
Storyboard Artist

72. Casting Director
Works closely with the Director and Producer to suggest actors for the characters of the film.
This usually involves inviting potential Actors to read an excerpt from the script for an audition.

73. Storyboard Artist
Visualizes stories using sketches on paper to help the production team envision the physical look and layout of a film.

74. Additional Film Credits
Stills Photographer
Legal Counsel
Accountant
Insurance Broker
System Administrator