The Film Chain: By Esther Asaolu

The film chain

The film industry consists of three principal economic activities:

• Production       

• Distribution

• Marketing

• Exhibition

Production 

In production, the video production/film is created and shot. Production is separated into multiple stages.

Before the actual production begins there is the PRE-PRODUCTION.

The Pre-production is initially where the planning for the production of the film begins.  During pre-production the script is usually broken down into story boards and other factors of the film such as cast members, locations, props, costumes, special/visual effects are established.

Next, after the long thorough process of the pre-production is the actual PRODUCTION.

The production stage is the where the actual filming begins. Filming is the main part of the production all together and it is here where all the careful and through planning from the pre-production stage comes together and all the planned scenes  are carried out in each planned location.




Finally, the last stage is the POST-PRODUCTION. Here, the scenes filmed during the production is now assembled into the final film by the film editor. Elements of the film such sound effects, soundtracks, visual effect are added.

Distribution

Film distribution is the process of making a film available for viewing for audience.

The final film are usually sold to large distribution companies such as Time warner inc., Fox entertainment group, and the Universal studio group.                 

Independent film makers often use film festivals as an opportunity to get the attention of distributors. Once a distributor is interested in a film, the producers and the disturbers arrive at a distribution agreement often based on either leasing or profit sharing.

Marketing

The movie Frozen grossed $1,274,219,009 worldwide in 2013. One of the reasons films such as Frozen are so successful is their marketing schemes. Film Marketing is the art and science of convincing people to buy theatre tickets. 

Marketing is different from distribution because distribution is simply the process of getting the film into cinemas whereas marketing is the process of getting consumers to actually want to go out to cinemas and see the film. 

There are many different ways to promote a film and these include:

• T.V adverts
• Radio
• Billboards
• Newspapers
• Magazines
• Toys
• Posters
• Social Networking Sites

The Disney production Frozen has been a marketing success utilising gaming apps. For example, they have created...a Gaming app, Toys and they also got Disney star Demi Lovato

to release a song for the movie soundtrack: "Let it go"

Exhibition

Exhibition is the retail branch of the film industry. It involves not the product production or the distribution of motion pictures, but their public screening.

Audiences engages with films using:

• The Cinema
• Television
• Youtube
• Movie-streaming sites
• Netflix
• Lovefilm
• DVD 
• Blu-ray's

Box office is used to refer to the commercial success of a film. The box office return of a film is a good indicator of a film's success because the box office return shows the amount money raised by ticket sales.

The BFI

The BFI is the British film institute. They are a charitable organisation etablished by the Royal Charter to: Encourahe the development of the arts of film, television, and the moving image throughout the UK.

 

The BFI help the British film industry by funding and distributing UK films nationwide and internationally.