The pre-production process

 

The pre-production process

Requirements for a moving image production

Type of production

The type of production we did was a short 90 second film relating it to depict films. We based ours on a horror story, relating it to Blair witch. We distributed the video through social media using YouTube. Many low key films do this to distribute their film; if they’re a short film they can upload them to make them so they get seen onto social medias like Facebook, Twitter and YouTube like we did. There are also different types of moving media, for example short films, web series and standard films.  There are different types of factual moving image which Is purpose, to give the audience information and teach them something about real life for example adverts on the RSPCA which makes the audience feel bad by the use of image/text so it makes the audience pick up the phone and donate. Direct mode of address, speaking directly to the audience for example asking the audience “where were you at this time?” Finally a bias opinion, only thinking about one side of an argument.  There is also three types of moving image which are factual, to give information and educate the audience for example crime watch. Fictional, to entertain the audience and finally advertising, to promote products and persuade the audience. There are different genres in fictional moving images, genre is a way of grouping films together based on things it has in common. Genre helps the produced to know what needs to be in the film to please the audience. By knowing the genre of a film, you know what elements will be in the film. In science Fiction films, there will be spaceships and new technology. Finally, in romantic films, there will be relationships.

Finance and sources of funding

Our source of funding would come from ourselves but luckily we didn’t use any funding in our film. The college also had a part in our funding which backed us up with the camera, tripod and etc. in the industry the main sources of finance are sponsors which is people that give out money and don’t want the money to be returned, they just want the film to be made. Also investors also put large amounts of money but these expect a profit from it. There is also public funding such as the national lottery and private funding like film4 is also a key way for films to get money for their films as they invest money into small films hoping they can get popular and build a future for those that are in the film/involved in any part of the film. Crowdfunding is the practice of funding a project or venture by raising monetary contributions from a large number of people. Crowdfunding is a form of crowdsourcing and of alternative finance. Although the concept can also be executed through mail-order subscriptions, benefit events, and other methods, it is now often performed through the internet-mediated registries. This modern crowdfunding model is generally based on three types of actors: the project initiator who proposes the idea and/or project to be funded, individuals or groups who support the idea, and a moderating organization (the platform) that brings the parties together to launch the idea. Crowdfunding has been used to fund a wide range for-profit entrepreneurial ventures such as artistic and creative projects, medical expenses, travel, or community-oriented social entrepreneurship projects. The Blaire witch project is a good example of a low budget film because throughout the whole film they use hand held camera's that isn't a great quality, It became a resounding box office success–grossing over US $248 million worldwide, making it one of the most successful independent films of all time. The DVD was released on October 26, 1999 and, in 2010, a Blu-ray edition was released.

Requirements

in our film we didn’t spend any money because most of the props/costumes we already had or we made stuff which was the smoke bombs by using plastic and milk bottles. The college provided us with the props/costumes we needed for example the fake blood, camera and tripod. We didn’t need no permission to film in the area we filmed because it was a public area. In the industry there is a lot of money being spent in high budget films such as wages for the crew such as the actors, cameramen, sound and equipment techs and many more people that are involved. Also things such as props, costumes and locations need to be paid for as well, even if they’re rented out. In any production there are a lot of requirements that would have to be paid for.

 

Time

Our timeframe we were set for our film was 3 weeks, so we had 3 weeks to do our pre-production, filming and editing, in the film we managed to keep to the time zone and managed to finish our film and editing within the set time as we all had a role in our team so we managed to get everything done by working as a team. In the industry it is important to stick to the deadlines because if you were to go over it will cost a lot more money because things will overrun, for example if you have rented out equipment you will have to pay out more rent because you have used it for a longer amount of time than expected. Also crew and actors will cost you a lot more as you will need to pay their wages each month/week you go over. Also in the long run it could cause your film to lose profit as some of it could be rushed because you would want to meet the deadline also it could already be out there so therefore you could lose money.

 

Personnel

In the industry there are a lot of people that are involved to create the production, depending on the different budgeting of  a film weather it’s a high or low budget film. For example a low budget or a short film will have less people involved in it compared to a Hollywood feature film, which would have a lot of people involved in it. In a low budget film there would be the obvious people playing the obvious roles such as the camera men and sound operators but they may use these people In also act in the film or do another job role within the production, so therefore they would be rotating roles so they could use these people In as many ways as possible which means they would save a lot more money when making the film which is needed for a low budget production also they would probably hire out the equipment and pay a certain amount for it and to give the equipment back and I think this would be easy to reach the deadline for when the equipment needs to be returned because a low budget film doesn’t take an extreme amount of time to make. In a low budget film these personnel are just friends/family so therefore they don’t get paid or they don’t have to pay for anyone to do the job. In a TV series they will also have the obvious roles for people such as the cameramen and sound crews but instead of returning the equipment they might buy it all themselves instead because a TV series is a long running show, so therefore it would be cheaper for them and they possibly might not reach the deadlines for when the equipment is due back which would then go on to paying more money. As it’s a TV series the same actors will be each episode so therefore the staff would be permanent also because it’s long running so therefore the director would have to hire new people and this could possibly waste time when they could be filming instead. For soaps they would possibly have set staff such as more writers because they would need to think of ideas quickly as it’s a nightly episode but for a film it is already planned so there would no need to have big ideas set up so therefore films don’t have to hire so many different crew members. In the large scale film productions they will most likely have the best crew and equipment as they can simply afford it because of the amount of money they get. Large scale film productions can have roles vary from anything because they can afford it. Here is a list of roles in the following link: http://filmincolorado.com/resources/job-descriptions/.  The types of personal that films may have that other types of moving media may not have been which is CGI artists, which are computer-generated imagery and it is the creation of still and moving images and visual effects using computer hardware and software. CGI artists create characters, environments, objects, special effects and locations, both real and imagined. They may not have these artists because they can be very expensive and may be very hard to find someone who is talented enough to make things look realistic. In our depict film our group was pretty good as in we helped each other out. We switched jobs around so things were fair. Some of us filmed and acted and we were very diverse in the jobs we had. The main roles we had available in our group were; Actors, camera operators, a make-up artist, driver and editors. These jobs were split up between all four of us and we all had at least two roles to play in the film.  

Facilities/equipment

Sound plays a central role in moving image productions, whether they are multi-million pound projects such as action movies and glossy heritage dramas for television, or small-scale, low-budget creations such as animations produced for the art-house circuit or websites. People working in moving image production have long been aware that the soundtrack enhances the visual image by helping to create meaning, mood and illusion and, as such, is an integral part of audio-visual communication with audiences. In the media industry the equipment/facilities that are used are TV studios, Video editing suites, Sound stage, Media workstation rooms, Photography studiosMedia Loans. Here is a website for a professional media facility house http://www.the-hall.co.uk/ They offer the full post production process, from digitising, offline & online editing, graphics, audio dubbing & mixing through to transcoding & final delivery - whether on tape or file. They also have cameras and crew and an in-house studio. They pride ourselves on our technical and creative ability and work with both broadcast and corporate clients. With each project treated individually, no job is too big or too small.

Materials

In our depict film we had to get some materials together such as props and costumes because we had to make our film realism and by using some props it did create that effect. For example some of the props we needed were fake blood for when the murdering took place which was splatted over the trees and dripping of the victims’ bodies and also it was needed for the last scene for when the killer was washing his hands. We obtained the fake blood from the college. The costumes we wore was casual warm clothes throughout the whole film which indicated It was a cold day, it was easy to obtain our costumes because it was our casual clothing we would normally wear for college so we didn’t need to wear anything pacific. But the costume for the killer in the last scene needed to be black to make it more sinister and we required to have his hood up which made him suspicious but this wasn’t also a problem to obtain because he usually wear dark clothes. If we were to buy these clothes I believe it would have cost a little bit of money but not overly expensive so therefore it still would have been a cheap production. In the industry obtaining materials would be much more expensive because it could be any piece of expensive equipment but it could vary depending on what props they would need. In the industry they plan and prepare their purchases before they spend the money to see if the materials are available.  Most props/costumes in newish films would be easy to obtain from over the UK but if it was a more historic film It might be harder to obtain because the props/costumes would be a lot more vintage. For example in the film ‘Clerks’;  which is about a man is called in to cover a shift at his New Jersey convenience store on his day off. This helps him pass the time, neglecting his video-store customers next door to hang out in the Quick Stop. The uneventful day is disrupted by news that one of man’s ex-girlfriends has died. After attending her memorial service, Dante muses over staying with current girlfriend Veronica (Marilyn Ghigliotti) or reuniting with his ex. So therefore most of the scenes are filmed in a shop which would probably have all of the props needed and he used his mates to help him and it looks like they wear their casual clothing so this would have been a cheap production.

 

Locations

When we filmed our film we filmed the first part in my car, the middle part in an opening of woods/inside of the woods and then the last part in the college. We didn’t need a location release for the woods because it’s a public area but we needed a location release for the part where we shot in the college because it’s not private land. Location recces is referred as a pre-filming visit to a location to work out its suitability for shooting, including access to necessary facilities and assessment of any potential lighting or sound issues, and is closely related to location scouting. The term 'recce' is also used in radio and television production. You’ll need a location release, if you are using a person in your video for commercial purposes, If the event you are shooting isn't at a public venue—that is, if the event is private, even if it's in a seemingly public place, If the event is private, you might need permission from the owner, Places that appear to be public places but are privately owned; like a ballpark, Walt Disney World, and other large private venues and other reasons. In our Depict film we filmed in 3 different locations which were my car, the woods and the college toilets. The reason why we picked the woods is because we decided to do a horror film so therefore this was a relevant place to film which would look good for our film, the woods had no civilisation or buildings so it worked really well to our theme. Also it was handy because it was easy to get to also it had a pathway leading up to the woods so we could get good shots to create our film. We chose to film in my car because we could then film the approach to the woods and we stalled the car so therefore it links into the title of our film ‘the breakdown’, doing this scene in my car was good because we could get really good expressions of the actor’s faces and then it makes the viewers get more of an idea about the film. Finally, we filmed in the college toilets to revel the killer washing his hands to get the blood off and then him walking out so therefore it shows the viewer an idea of the killer and what he’s like.  When filming we didn’t have any logistical issues because we got everything filmed smoothly in the woods without no problems. When filming in the woods they’re a lot of risks that could happen for example, branches on the floor which could cause one of the team members to trip, falling branches, someone could get run over as there was a road nearby, electricity pole could fall down as there was a big electricity pole outside the woods and wild animals if any accidents was to happen throughout our filming then we would overcome these by seeking help or calling the college for help.

Codes of practice and regulations

A regulatory body is a professional body. The regulatory body is not a membership organisation and its use activity is to protect the public. A regulatory body establish on the basic of legal mandate, unlike professional bodies. Regulatory bodies exercise a regulatory function which means imposing requirements, restrictions and conditions, setting standards in relation to any activity, and securing compliance, or enforcement. The regulation bodies cover a wide variety of professions, for example the general medical council registers doctors to practice medicine in the UK. The purpose of this is to protect, promote and maintain the health and safety of the public by making sure proper standards in the practice of medicine. OFCOM is the communications regulator in the UK. OFCOM regulate the TV, radio and video-on-demand sectors, fixed-line telecoms, mobiles and postal services and also the airwaves over which wireless devices use. OFCOM enquires that people in the UK get the best from their communications services and they ensure that people are protected from scams and sharp practices. OFCOM is involved under a number of acts of parliament, including in particular the communications act in 2003. By being involved in the parliament this means OFCOM must act within the powers and duties that is set by the parliament in legislation. The Communications Act says that Ofcom’s principal duty is to further the interests of citizens and of consumers. BBC are regulated by outside bodies, but only some aspects of the BBC is. On competition policy the BBC is regulated by the office of fair trading, the European commission, and OFCOM. OFCOM also regulates some aspects of the BBC, for example BBC is covered by OFCOMS fairness code. The BBC has been established by Royal Charter to give the public interest and its main target is to promote its public purposes through the provision of information, education and entertainment by means of television, radio and other media services. The Charter also recognises the independence of the BBC. The Trust represents the interests of licence fee payers and is responsible for ensuring the effective promotion of the BBC’s public purposes.Ofcom is the independent regulator and competition authority for the UK communications industries, with responsibilities across television, radio, telecommunications and wireless communications services.  The BBFC is the UK’s regulator of film and video. The BBFC provides age rating such as U, PG and 12A. The BBFC is a designated body so they have legal powers to rate; they also even cut and reject works. They also age rate some online material.  In cinema, In 1912 the British board of film censors was set up, by the film industry as an independent body to bring a degree of uniformity to the film nationally. Statutory powers may over rule any of the BBFC’S decisions because they remain with the local councils so therefore passing films they reject and banning films they have passed and even waving cut, instituting new ones and altering categories for films exhibited under their own licensing jurisdiction.

 

Legal issues

In our depict production it wasn’t affected by copyright because all the music and sound effects were free as all of the detailed and more in-depth sound was copyrighted so therefore we had to use the free ones. If we wanted to use a track with copyright we would have had permission to use it.  Copyright is a legal right created by the law of country that grants the creator of an original work exclusive rights and distribution. The history of copyright law starts with early privileges and monopolies granted to printers of books. The British Statute of Anne 1710, full title "An Act for the Encouragement of Learning, by vesting the Copies of Printed Books in the Authors or purchasers of such Copies, during the Times therein mentioned", was the first copyright statute. Initially copyright law only applied to the copying of books. Copyright came about with the invention of the printing press and with wider literacy. As a legal concept, its origins in Britain were from a reaction to printers' monopolies at the beginning of the 18th century. Charles II of England was concerned by the unregulated copying of books and passed the Licensing of the Press Act 1662 by Act of Parliament,which established a register of licensed books and required a copy to be deposited with the Stationers' Company, essentially continuing the licensing of material that had long been in effect. The 1709 British Statute of Anne gave the publishers rights for a fixed period, after which the copyright expired.The act also alluded to individual rights of the artist. It began, "Whereas Printers, Booksellers, and other Persons, have of late frequently taken the Liberty of Printing... Books, and other Writings, without the Consent of the Authors... to their very great Detriment, and too often to the Ruin of them and their Families:".A right to benefit financially from the work is articulated, and court rulings and legislation have recognized a right to control the work, such as ensuring that the integrity of it is preserved. An irrevocable right to be recognized as the work's creator appears in some countries' copyright laws.

 

Trade Unions and trade associations

Trade unions are organisations that represent people at work. ‘Representing ‘could mean someone from the union meeting with management on behalf ofa member or a group of staff or taking up a problem with your employer for you. Trade unions aim to protect their members. This includes making sure that workplaces are safe and that people’s health is not being put at risk through their jobs. It also means legal protection – trade unions usually employ lawyers to make sure that companies and organisations treat their staff in accordance with the law. Trade unions aim to improve their members’ pay and conditions. If a single member of staff approaches management because they feel they should be paid more, they are much less likely to be successful than if every member of

staff speaks as one through their trade union. Trade unions collectively negotiate better pay and conditions on behalf of their members and, statistically, union members earn more than non-union members. Trade unions speak on behalf of their members, unions provide members with information, advice and guidance about work-related problems and they provide members with a range of services including training, insurance, financial services and legal advice. BECTU and PACT representatives have been in talks for more than two years to secure a new collective agreement for film production in the UK.Consultation on the proposed agreement is now underway and BECTU is inviting all affected members to consider the documents and to feedback through their branches. A trade association, also known as an industry trade group, business association, sector association or industry body, is an organization founded and funded by businesses that operate in a specific industry. Many associations are non-profit organizations governed by bylaws and directed by officers who are also members.