Here is a quick overview of how movies are made.

Although every movie is different, the steps involved are usually the same. Keep in mind, Rapid can adapt it's process to fit any client. Whether on film or digital video, creating a movie is traditionally described and budgeted as a 3-step process:

1. Pre-production:
This is what happens before the shooting starts. The producer works with you to develop a creative concept, then writes an initial treatment. This treatment, which is several pages long, describes the project with enough details of images, places, and content to give you a sense of the scope and style of the proposed production. The treatment will be the basis for the script. The script will become the 'bible' for the entire production. The budget for the movie is set either before pre-production or after the script is complete.

2. Production:
This is the "shooting " phase of the project. The budget and shooting schedule is effected by the "capture format." The capture format is the medium used to make the movie. It could be 35mm film, HDCAM, DVCPROHD, DVCPRO 50, DV, Mini-DV, or DVCAM.

3. Post production:
This is the editing phase of the project. Rough cuts are created, reviewed and changes made until you, the client, is happy.

Pre-production

Planning Step:
We know how tempting it is to start shooting right away, but a little planing now will save hours of frustration (and money) later on. Keep in mind your budget, resources, and timeframe. It's a good idea to think it all through and then write down your ideas. This will help you formulate a clear idea of what your video is trying to communicate. To formulate these ideas into some thing understandable by other people we use Storyboards and Scripts.

Writing Step:
This is where it all begins. The first step is to understand what you are trying to communicate and what your intended message is. If you don't understand your message, no one will. Using tools to lay out your story will help ensure that you, your crew, your talent, and your audience understands your intent.
There are two main tools for laying out your story - a storyboard and a script. Although they are both presentation tools, they are used for different things. Note that the storyboard and script methods should be used in conjunction with one another. Creating a storyboard allows you to refine and examine the overall story-line. Once completed, turn the storyboard into a script. The final script will provide the detail required for the actual shooting. Also, it allows the talent to rehearse and memorize their lines. And both the script and storyboard are used in post-production. This is the time to start thinking about location. Most productions are shot on soundstages with as little time spent on location as possible. I should point out that the location makes a big difference to the mood of your film and the cost to produce. Some locations, like Utah, are less expensive to shoot in. When you are considering locations, get the area's production guide. The Film and Video production guide for Utah can be found here.

Breakout Step:
Taking your script or storyboard and turning it into a video requires more planing. Video incorporates many different elements such as actors, framing, dissolves, camera angles, music, and titles. When used properly these elements can aid in telling your story. However, putting them together effectively requires some planning. Before you can make decisions on how and where to use these production elements you must first understand them. This is also the time to set a budget. All of this actually starts with a step called breakout. This breakout groups the production elements together by type for easy budget and planning. During this step we generally ignore the time line and other details. For example, the production may be a single camera shoot - except for one scene where two cameras are required. For planning and budgeting, allocate a single camera for 100% of the time and a second camera for 20% of the time. At this point we do not care WHEN the second camera will be used, just to know we need it and to budget for it. Knowing what scenes require multiple cameras is something only an experienced director would know. In fact, the planning and budget step is almost always done by the director due to the complexity of video productions. Plus, only the Director knows how each shot will be done, what is unique, what is the risk, and what special elements are needed.

Gearing Up Step:
Now you are ready to start seriously preparing for the production phase. This is when the required production elements are searched for, located, prepared, a deal struck, and delivery arranged.
A few of the more important elements are:

• Props and costumes
• Tape log sheets
• All necessary equipment (including the many little things you forget)
• Scout out sites
  
• Audition and choose talent, rehearse
  
• Book Soundstage time
  
• Hire crew
  
• Check equipment and crew compatibility

The last element is misunderstood by almost everyone. Let me clarify. Compatibility must be between equipment like: "the microphone must work with the camera" but also the crew must know how to work the microphone AND the camera. The crew must also know how to get the microphone and the camera configured to work with each other. Also, the crew must know much more than just how to operate the equipment. The crew should be able to effectively AND efficiently use the equipment. And the crew must be able to make field repairs. Plus, it is also very common to encounter situations that require the equipment to be modified on location. All of these situations require that the crew be experts on each and every piece of equipment.

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Production phase:
This is the part most people think of when making a movie. This is generally the shortest of the three phases. It is the craziest, fastest, most expensive, most problematic, and most exciting time! This is when Rapid's experience eliminates problems from even occurring - saving tremendous amount of time and money!

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Post-production:
Now that you have your basic footage, you're ready to put it together in the post-production phase. This is where you will make the crucial decisions as to what stays and what goes. Also, you can add other elements, like graphics, which gives your video a polished, professional appearance. Begin the post-production phase by reviewing all of your production elements. Watch the dailies, listen to the audio tracks - including the music, double check the titles and credits, and insure that everything you are going to use is of good quality.

The post-production step is commonly under estimated. It is generally the longest step of this process. Even though it's the longest step it is generally less expensive than the production step. The reason is that far less equipment is required and just a couple of people.

The Director may be a little involved in this step or totally involved. One factor is that the Director has a choice in many cases to get a shot either in the production or post-production step. If a lot of elements are pushed back to post-production, then the Director will probably be heavily involved. For example, if a scene requires a medium close-up of a house burning, the house could be shot in production OR it could be created in post as a special effect. The Director would decide if production or post-production was the most appropriate.

There are still more steps to having a successful movie like: marketing, advertising, promotion, distribution, broadcast deals, and co-branding. Rapid can assist in many of these additional steps. For example, Rapid can create still photos from the video for use in print advertising or to use on web pages. If you have any other questions or if you cannot wait to get started on your movie please contact Rapid!

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