The movie industry has been one of the largest international industries for decades. According to Popflick, the U.S. film industry was worth about $25.8 billion in 2022 and provides millions of people with jobs across the country.
Movies have become simple sources of entertainment by just being a few clicks away, and their complexity is often overlooked. However, there is so much behind the scenes work that goes into developing a movie. While all movies have to start with an idea, they require hard work and dedication to make it to the big screen.
The New York Film Academy claims there are seven stages of film production: development, financing, pre-production, production, post-production, marketing and distribution.
The first and longest stage in creating a movie is development. In this stage, a writer or producer creates an idea for a movie. A screenplay is developed and a first synopsis is made. This is also the stage where film rights are gathered. Film rights are only necessary if the idea or plot of a movie originated from another project like a book.
According to filmmaker Kyle DeGuzman in an article on Studio Binder, “The average time for development [of a Hollywood film] was around 800 days, [but it] varies between movie genres.”
The second stage of film production is financing. This stage is one of the most important stages in creating a film because money has the power to end a production at almost any time.
HG Experts, a law information site, states in an article titled The Basics of Film Finance, “Much of a producer’s success or failure when producing a film independently hinges on obtaining funding from a bank or equity investor.” Common financiers include hedge funds, ultra high net worth investors, tax credit buyers and private equity firms. Film budgets are decided during this stage based on how much funding the movie gets.
During the third stage, titled pre-production, a cast is selected, a crew is hired, sets and props are built, filming locations are determined and a production schedule is made. A production schedule is imperative to making the movie process easier.
“[A production schedule] dictates the day-by-day, week-by-week and month-by-month time schedule for the rest of production,” DeGuzman wrote. This stage takes around three to seven months.
Production is the fourth stage and averages about 30 to 120 days. This is the stage that brings the original idea to life. Actors and actresses, the wardrobe department, camera operators and many others work with each other to bring scenes from the script to life. The production crew is in charge of lighting and sound. However, unlike the earlier stages where the producer is in charge, the director is the one making creative decisions during the production stage. While both the director and producer are crucial to movie making, they are in charge of different parts of the movie’s production.
Adam Snook, a film producer, clarifies in an article on LinkedIn what the major differences between director and producer are. “While the director runs the creative aspect of the film, the producer is the caretaker of the entire project.” They both have to work together during production to create a successful movie.
The fifth stage of film production is post-production, which is the stage where the editor places all the scenes filmed in the production stage together to create the movie that people watch on the big screen. This is also the stage where visual effects are added if the movie has a large enough budget. In most productions, this is the place where teasers and trailers are made to help kickstart the next stage, which is marketing.
The marketing stage is used to help spread the word about the movie. This is an important part of the production process because it can affect how much money the movie makes when released.
The Producer’s Toolbox states that posters, trailers and publicity are some of the most effective ways to spark interest to watch a film. Movie posters relay information quickly about the movie while also generate their viewers’ interest, and trailers showcase the plot of the movie without revealing the ending which pushes viewers to watch.
Post-production and marketing can take over 300 days to complete.
“On average, the post-production [and marketing] phase of a typical Hollywood film will take between 250 and 350 days,” according to DeGuzman. This is the second longest stage in the film-making process.
The final stage in film production is distribution. In the past, movies would go into theaters for a few weeks and later be released as physical copies to be purchased. While that method still exists, most movies, after leaving theaters, go to streaming services where people can access the movie at any time.
The film production process is long and challenging, averaging four to five years from start to finish. It’s a difficult process for a simple 90 minute outcome. The complicated process of seven stages can be overwhelming, but the possibility of bringing simple concepts to life and to people can be worth it.
