The Path of Making A Movie from Start To Finish

Development of a motion picture begins when a company or individual purchases a literary property, usually a screenplay or a book. Once financed, through studio, equity or other financing, the project will move into pre-production, which involves engaging the creative personnel, finalizing the shooting schedule and the budget. Principal photography consists of the actual filming of the motion picture.

After principal photography begins post-production, during which opticals, music and sound effects are added, and music soundtracks and picture are synchronized to produce the negative from which release prints are struck. Also during post-production, materials are created directly relating to the distribution of the motion picture, e.g., trailers for television and theatrical exhibition and advertising campaigns.

Shortly after post-production, a motion picture is made ready for distribution. The economic life of a feature film may last for decades; but generally the bulk of the revenues will be earned over the first three-year period. The first years revenues will consist primarily of theatrical revenues. The second years revenues usually consist of mostly home video rentals, DVD sell-through and pay television revenues. The third year may consist of free television revenues and the continued DVD sell-through market.

The smaller production company usually raises money for one motion picture at a time, although there may be other films in different phases of development. Many companies are owned or controlled by one creative principal, such as a writer/director or writer/producer in combination with a financial partner or group. These independents make low-budget pictures, usually in the $100,000 to $5 million range.

The movie-going public continues to prove that the cost of a motion picture and the revenues generated do not necessarily correlate. Notable examples of low-cost motion pictures that have gone on to become box office successes include My Big Fat Greek Wedding ($5 million budget/$241 million domestic box office gross), Swimfan ($5 million budget/$28 million domestic box office gross) and Whale Rider ($3.5 million budget/$20.8 million domestic box office gross).