This chapter discusses the process films go through in order to be made. By tracing the film from the creation of the film stock to the types of production styles and the means of distribution, this chapter asks you to consider how each film, whether good or bad, is remarkable to the extent that it got finished at all.

After reading this chapter, you should be able to understand:

1. A series of images is imprinted onto motion picture film, generally by running the film through a camera. The resulting filmstrip has either a magnetic or optical sound track running along the sides of the frames. Film can be transferred to another gauge with a printer and is shown by projecting it with a projector.

2. The two types of release a film goes through are the theatrical (commercial movie houses) and the nontheatrical (home video and other screenings). The bulk of the film's audience will come from the nontheatrical releases.

3. The distribution companies, comprised mostly of the former film studios, are responsible for renting out their films to the exhibition venues (the movie houses). They provide not only the movie, but also a publicity campaign and merchandising in order to recover costs and turn a profit. When a film goes to video, profits from numerous ancillary markets generally make more money than the film's initial release.

4. During film production, a film goes through three phases: preparation (pre-production), shooting (production), and assembly (post-production). In the preparation phase, the producers nurse the project through the script process, obtain financial support, and arranges to hire the personnel who will work on the film. During production, the film is shot. In post-production, editors cut down and assemble the film together and the sound editor fixes all audio problems.

5. There are three different modes of production: large-scale, which resembles the studio production of the Hollywood golden age; exploitation and independent production; and small-scale production, which usually involves only a handful of people working on the project.

6. Computer technology has changed the way a film is produced. Thanks to technological advances, many roles that previously required hundreds of hours of work have been made easier, which enables films to be made faster and more economically. Computer technology has enabled film to be edited on computers rather than manually.