PRE PRODUCTION PROCESS.

The Pre-Production Process

Type of moving image production

There are many types of Media Forms in the industry. For our media product, we were tasked to produce a 90 second short film for an internet competition called DepicT! Depict tests filmmakers to make a short film of any budget in 90 seconds. We have uploaded our entry on to YouTube for people to see. The main forms of moving image media are, Film (Feature or Short), Television, Radio, New Media, Social Media & Newsprint/Magazines. Different ways to distribute these to an audience is through Television, DVD’s (Blu Rays) and through Cinema’s. Another way of viewing movies is through Love Film and Netflix. You can even stream live television or catch up on any TV Shows that you may have missed on iPlayer. Adverts are a fantastic way to promote media or original products; you can promote these by sponsoring favourite TV Shows like Friends on E4, this is sponsored by Mars Planets

Finance and sources of funding

There are a lot of different sources of funding for film, television & other moving image productions. Making a media product can be difficult on your own, so there are many different ways to help fund for an undeveloped idea these include; Crowd Funding, Private Investors, Advertising, Self-Finance and small companies that are willing to invest in your idea to help with further development. Creative England is an online service, whose aims are to help support filmmakers who have ideas for either feature films or short filming and to help develop the film. It’s well known for helping to fund & develop the Edinburgh International Film Festival 2012 Winner, One Mile Away which is a Documentary styled Feature Film which follows the story and “struggles of two warring gangs in inner city Birmingham”.  They have recently joined a partnership for four years with the BFI (British Film Institute and agreed on a plan to develop further. It will focus on “talent development, production, business growth & inward investments”. Some private investors would be happy to invest in most media products and in some cases will become executive producers in your media product. This will help with the growth of your name & their names, examples of this include Megan Ellison and Robert Rodriguez. Robert Rodriguez started his first movie on a $7000 budget. To be able to afford & finish the rest of the movie he began taking part in Medical Drug Experiments to earn more money. The American Production Company liked the movie so much that they distributed it and bought the rights. He is now known for his most famous movies like Sin City (2005) & Desperado (1995). 

Requirements for any production – i.e., what will the money be spent on?

When producing a moving image text, you might have to spend money on essential things that you think you may not need. The most important things you will need to buy for making a media product are, Props & Costumes, Equipment, Catering & Transport, Location, Legal Clearances & Insurance. The legal side of requirements is essential and could potentially end up costing media producers a lot more than previously intended. Using somebody else’s work in which they have produced without proof of permission breaks any legal rights probably costing the entire media product. An example of this happening is the topic where original Russian filmmakers did not give permission for Apple to sell their films from the Soviet Era on iTunes. “It is illegal to present our films as applications either on iTunes or on any other Internet site. It is permitted only on our own Mosfilm site”. [Quote by Svetiana Pyleva]. Other

forms of breaking legal rights of ownership is illegally downloading movies, obtaining “Pirate Copies” and filming the movie whilst in the cinema. Equipment can be easily obtained. You own them yourself, buy them or hire them. Luckily in East Norfolk, we have all the equipment (camera’s, tripod’s, microphones) & the editing software that we can use free of charge. Because our DepicT entry idea didn’t involve any Actor’s completely in shot, we did not have to worry about costumes. As they were only our hands, the props we decided to use were Googly Eyes and Red & Black marker pens (for facial features). We didn't have to worry about anything at first but because I personally felt uncomfortable with my hands being focused on, we asked our teacher Ellie to fill in but she wasn't always available as she had other duties to attend to, which was one of our main issues & worries. I bought the Googly Eyes myself out of my own money as they were essential to the piece, everything else was borrowed & returned from/to the college.

Personnel: ‘Talent’ (actors) and ‘crew’ (the production team) that work in the media production.

Low Budget filmmaking will either have little or no funding at all from any major film studios. This is mostly because this is where young filmmakers start & proceed to enter their work into Film Festivals (sometimes International) for acknowledgement and promotion. The best example for a Low Budget Film that got incredible recognition & the highest amount ever grossed worldwide is TheBlair Witch Project where the budget was around $60,000 but grossed approximately $249 million. In Low Budget films, producers wouldn't usually spend a lot of money in the media production. The team would usually consist upon any volunteers, researchers, local but slightly known Actor(s), maybe a cameraman and a director. Only need few/several members within the team. A television programme will have more within the team. They will be built up with perhaps 40/70 members specialising in Make up/Costume, Actors, Director, Producers, Writers, Camera Crew, Sound Recorders and Assistants. This also applies for any Hollywood Feature Films but could even expand to a team of 100’s of people. Their team will also include Financial Advisors and a very strong marketing team. Having the money to promote and having the money to pay each and every production crewmember. In average, a Feature Film may cost up to $100 million to make and produce & then $50 million to sell it. In our group we worked together and quite effectively. We all sat down and decided who would work on what, get idea’s for each bit of paperwork that needed doing and then come back to discuss what idea’s we had to help with our plan. For example, whilst Andy & Ed went out scouting for our perfect location, I thought about any risks that could happen during our production and completed a risk assessment. We then came back to each other and discussed what we had done, what the plan was next and to make sure we were prepared for it. I admit we could have worked more effectively and got tasks completed quicker & properly if we had worked more as a group & had more communication about the project.

There are a lot of people who may be involved within the production crew. I have listed some in the previous paragraph. Costume Designers are essential to any media production, depending on what era or period it may be set in. They have to develop costumes for each character, under some very strict deadlines. They need the skills of being able to cope under a lot of pressure and to have the correct knowledge of textiles. American costume designer, Edith Head (1897 -1981) has won eight Academy Awards has provided costumes for Double Indemnity (1944), Vertigo (1958) and Girls! Girls! Girls! (1962).  

John Caglione Jr was recognized for his talent when he was the makeup artist for Heath Ledger on the set of Batman: The Dark Knight. John was also Deputy Head and Special of makeup on The Smurfs. He has won the Academy Award for Makeup and has been nominated for similar awards ever since. Some of the skills required to be a successful makeup artists should include having a basic knowledge on skin care/types/products and product ingredients. They should also have basic communication skills with their clients as they will need to talk to them, to tell them exactly what they are putting on to see if they would be allergic. They will need to know about different colour palettes and how to create different shades (lighter or darker) through the equipment they have so it matches the client’s skin, covering up any blemishes or dark circles.  

Time: what was your time frame and how well did you use the time you were given?

If the media product does not meet the deadline in the professional media industry, it will cost a lot of money for delaying which could take back the funding a substantial amount. The director would get a bad reputation, this could result in losing the job completely, getting dropped and the movie never finishing. We had a total of 3 weeks to complete our task. 1 week to plan, 1 week to film and 1 week to upload it & edit it. The deadline was flexible for us because we spent a lot longer filming, which was one of our main concerns. We had a half term in-between one of the week’s so we were set back and forgot what we were doing if we were halfway doing something. We also had asked our teacher Ellie to get involved but because she wasn't always teaching us and had other priorities to get to, she wasn't always available. Fifty Shades of Grey the movie that is coming out after the novel was such a worldwide success has been delayed. The director has confirmed that it won’t affect the budget entirely. It was original set to release August 1^st 2014 now it will be released Valentine’s Weekend 2015. 

Equipment/Facilities: What is needed?

There are many types of different equipment that can be used in a media production; these include cameras, tripods, tracks and microphones. This equipment can either be bought or hired. Professional cameras can usually be quite expensive to hire, costing around £200-£300 whereas a cheap movie camera can come in at £50-£100. 

If you're looking at spending more on the equipment to get the quality you need, a range of movie cameras are available. As you can see, some range from £900 - £1,400 & these are all Single Chip movie camera's. You can get a lot of different varies of Camera's from Single Chips to Triple Chips & can even change the Sensors. More equipment can be purchased too, such as lighting and sound. This same website also hires out equipment too, but not so much the expensive type. For a HD Camera, they will hire it to you for £195 per day. Which is quite cheap. You can also purchase your own equipment from popular selling websites, such as eBay & Amazon (although the sellers may not be 10% trustworthy).

We were able to obtain our equipment easily as the college supplies the media facilities for free & just to take out under our name as our responsibility, in case any damage is done. All we needed was a camera, tripod and microphone.

Locations: where did you film and how do you go about securing locations legally?

Location Recce’s are the forms that need to be filled in whilst directors/producers are out scouting for specific locations they wish to film on. A Location Release is a form that must get signed for legal permission, if the land is owned by somebody else. It is also extremely important that the local police are informed about the production dates, if it’s in public, so that any members of the public are aware. It is also important to inform the police in case of any props that look like a real gun and a squat team is sent out to disarm the actor holding the gun, completely disrupting the shot.

We already had a slight idea of where to shoot our scenes because we had been at the college for some time now. Andy and Ed went out and scouted where we had previously discussed on where would look good. We had decided we would shoot our first scene out near the Poulson Block on the grass. This was because there were no classrooms around to disrupt and because it was relatively close to our classroom. We also decided that we would use W16, the college’s studio where all the lighting and props are. Situations didn't plan out quite well, so we settled for shooting it in our classroom, W12. We got the permission from our teachers, got our Location Release signed and began shooting.

We didn't really face any logistical issues or risks. I assessed the risks, in case we would trip on anything facing slips/falls which could end up with cuts/sprains/bruises and even broken bones. We didn't have to think of meeting somewhere in public, getting transport, meeting in the middle etc. because everything was shot on college. The only troubles we faced were Ed not turning up one day and waiting for Ellie to be available for the whole lesson.

Materials: what, in addition to equipment, crew and cast, is needed to make a moving text? Where/how are they obtained?

Various types of materials that you can use for a production include soundtracks, props, sound effects and costumes. Hollywood Feature Films usually use explosions sound effects in their movies to make it seem more exhilarating. To go with the sound effect, they could usually blow something up or digitally edit it in, either way, both are in the budget. We didn't use any sound effects, but we did use music, courtesy of the Icompetech website. We also managed to get a hold of a microphone, to record our dialogue to place over the music so the audience could hear & follow the storyline.

The financial considerations there are when using certain material is to make sure the director is conservative with the budget money. If the movie goes into debt, there is a good chance that the director will have to owe the people who put a lot of time into the project, a lot of money. The movie could either be a massive blockbuster earning a lot of money or a “flop”.

Legal Issues: what legal considerations might there be when using certain materials in a media production?

One of the most important considerations that need to be thought about when creating a media production are the legal issues. These are important in case any material is stolen & can claim Copyright against you. Stealing other people's belongings such as money, cars, bags etc is literally just the same as stealing media products, it's wrong & illegal. It needs to be cleared by the original owner before you can use it. More important materials that will need to be cleared are Gun Licenses (if you decide to use them). "Great care must be taken to protect the interests of the copyright holder in every country where their creative contents is being used". Luckily we did not get mixed up in any copyright issues with our production. We used music, courtesy of the Incompetech website which we stated on the YouTube video that it was used.

Clearance is basically legal authorisation for any media content to be used, providing you have the permission. 
Public Liability Insurance protects the members of the public in case they are injured or blocked from getting anywhere. This is essential as the public may be blocked from getting somewhere if you are filming in public. To prevent this issue from ever happening, you must inform the local police & get permission to film so it does not cause any legal consequences. 
Completion Guarantee/Insurance is making sure the media content meets the final deadline. If missing this, it could resolve in the project failing, the funding reclaiming the money & a bad reputation on your behalf. 

Regulations: what is regulatory body and what do they do?

There are a lot of regulatory bodies that help to function media. OFCOM (Office of Communication) is one of the major ones, which monitor media & any other regularities. 

The BBFC's (British Board of Film Certificate) function classify's what age any moving image production should be. "The BBFC's income is derived soley from the fees it charges for its services, calculated by measuring the running times of films, DVD's/Videos and other worked submitted for classification". For our DepicT project, we haven't used anything that could be restricted from our viewers. Family Guy, an animated comedy sitcom about an American family, the Griffins, contains Adult Humour, Scenes of Violence and Sexual Nature all of which have restricted it to a 15 Classification Rating. 

Trade Unions & Trade Associations: what are they & what do they do?

A Trade Union is basically an organisation which fights for it's workers rights & to make sure nobody is exploited.

"PACT [Producers Alliance for Cinema and Television] is the UK Trade Association representing & promoting the commercial interests of independent creative content producers". They promote adverts of feature films, television, animation and many more independently. They specialise in offering support for help who are interested in creating programmes, they even offer to you to find a member to work with & can help/develop your idea. They offer a lot more than Advice, you can get the chance by downloading their online Contracts, Term & Trade Documents and Union Agreements. "Pact has a strong track record of success in defending independent producers' rights". 



The BECTU are a union of media & entertainment. They provide a wide rang of services in "Film, independent broadcasting, theatre & arts and digital media". They also strive & are committed to make sure every single worker has an opportunity for equality. 
BECTU have a lot of affiliations, including:

• Union Network International
• Musicians Union
• Equity
• Labour Party

And many more!

There are a lot more Trade Unions, another including an Actor's Union who specifically work towards professional actors & creative practitioners. The Union is full of experienced professional workers whose aims are to advise the members what to do next with their career. "They are able to deal with the issues raised by members working in all areas of the industry whether it be a major feature film, a theatre in education show, radio voice overs, a circus act or any other live or recorded work."

Bibliography:

http://onemileaway.co.uk/about - Quote 1

http://www.creativeengland.co.uk/index.php/portfolio/film/

http://www.campaignlive.co.uk/thework/902632/ Mars Planet Picture

http://www.omg-facts.com/Celebs/Director-Robert-Rodriguez-Financed-His-F/50366

http://www.creativeskillset.org/film/knowledge/article_5097_1.asp

http://www.bbfc.co.uk/about-bbfc/who-we-are

http://www.bectu.org.uk/about

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-12310070

http://www.chrisjonesblog.com/2012/04/who-is-in-your-crew-a-guide-to-low-budget-film-crews.html

http://www.pact.co.uk/home/
http://www.prokit.co.uk/categories/Cameras/Single-Chip-Handheld-Camcorders/ (Picture of Camera's & prices)

https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=explosions&espv=210&es_sm=122&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ei=BIGcUrO3L8KM7Ab7t4CoBg&ved=0CAkQ_AUoAQ&biw=1253&bih=894#es_sm=122&espv=210&q=blair+witch+project&tbm=isch&facrc=_&imgdii=_&imgrc=vE-Az6uyT2jZWM%3A%3BK7XXD0gleRLMjM%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252Fwww.filmreference.com%252Fimages%252Fsjff_01_img0066.jpg%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252Fwww.filmreference.com%252FFilms-Bh-Bo%252FThe-Blair-Witch-Project.html%3B516%3B391