Pre-Production Process

The Pre-Production Process

Requirements for a moving image Production

Types of moving image production (media forms)

What type of media product did you produce and what was it for? How did you distribute it?

The type of media product I produced was a 90 second short film for a competition called Depict! http://www.depict.org/ a competition that accepts videos of up to 90 seconds, a panel of judges then chooses who wins although they do take our votes into consideration; the winner then wins a large amount of money along with other prizes. I distributed by sharing to my blog, other ways I could have distributed it would have been posting it on sites like Facebook, twitter and any other site that could broadcast my Depict video.

What other types of moving image media product are there? What different distribution methods are there?

There are many types of image media products such as, Feature length film, Animation, Television show/Programme, Webisodes on sites like Vlog or YouTube, Music Video and Advertisement. There are distribution methods like Cinema, OOH (Out of Home Boards), Online (Streaming, On Demand), and Digipacks or on DVD/Blu-ray.

Finance and sources of funding

What sources of funding exist for film, television and other moving image productions?

There are sources of funding like receiving a loan from a bank, crowd funding like Kickstarter https://www.kickstarter.com/ , Ebegging from sites such as http://www.cyberbeg.com/ , from people you know like friends or family, Self- Finance/Private Investment like Megan Ellison, Fundraisers, Selling the rights, Competitions where you receive money like Depict! And Product Placement/ Merchandising which they do in films or music videos to promote their product evidently.

Requirements for any production- i.e. what will the money be spent on?

You might have to spend money on the following for any moving image text:

· Actors/ Talent- Expenses (Subsidies, Food and Drink)

· Location, Travel and Accommodation for the Talent and Crew

· Props, Equipment and Editing (Facility Houses)

· Crew



· Distribution- Advertising
· Soundtrack or the Copyright to the said soundtrack


Requirements continued:

What did you have to obtain for your Depict project?

We had to obtain props, a large amount of props that we used every time. Locations such as college rooms, I explored the college to find the best rooms to fit the short film and had to obtain signatures with permission for the said rooms. Talent, Reuben our fellow group member was happy to act in our short film and I too starred in one scene, we also had to obtain a Non-Copyrighted soundtrack.

Personnel: ‘Talent’ (actors) and ‘crew’ (the production team) that work in a media production.

What is the makeup of a typical team for a moving image production in?

· A low budget short, a smaller media production therefore people may share roles e.g. Director/Writer and so on- Actors, Crew, Writer, 
· A television programme- Actors, Crew, Makeup, Stylists, Writers
· Hollywood Feature Film, a larger media production therefore people would have their own designated roles- Actors, Crew, Director, Stylist, Makeup, Producer, Editors

     

 

We allocated work very well in a small group, Alana was basically the leader; she filmed most of the shots and made most if not all of the decisions, with our agreement on them. Reuben was the actor also he helped a lot with editing, I was the prop manager that gathered the props and placed them in the shots; I too also helped editing and planning. Reuben had had experience with editing before, Alana and I had not.

Other Cast/Contributors are:
· Extras
· Interviewees
· Reporters
· Researchers
· Accountants

Time: What was your timeframe and how well did you use the time you were given?

We were given 8 lessons to plan out our film and organise what we would do in each lesson, we were also given 8 lessons to film, and we followed the plan fairly well and filmed all we needed. Lastly we were given 8 lessons to Edit the scenes we had and organise them, making cuts, sound edits and colour edits.

What happens when you do not meet deadlines in the professional media industry?

What happens is you fall back on work and the filming is delayed, therefore the investors that invest large amounts of money in your film, films such as Heaven’s Gate suffered many delays through filming and was not released until November 1980.



Did you meet deadlines set in class?

I believe my group did meet our deadlines in class, as a group we took it upon ourselves to have each piece of work finished before the deadline, although filming we were ahead as we were content with the scenes we filmed; leaving us with a bit of time to plan our editing.

Equipment/Facilities: What is needed?

You search online and search for the nearest facilities that you can use, hire or buy to film your moving image production. Websites like Epic Studios, it focuses on leasing studios where you can film or play music, for more information click here: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1_iwb-GZT-54ZiwDZOoAkfeH9tFpDn1wGoaOi_BHtfGA/edit 

It is one of the nearest facilities to us and is a great choice with exceptional equipment.

What equipment was available to you for your depict project? How did you obtain it?

The equipment that was available to us was all located in the college, a room that was filled with said props that we used was located not far from where we were filming and we were leased equipment such as a Panasonic HD Handy cam, an SD card (that was then provided by Reuben), a tripod and lighting for the prop room. However it was acceptable to bring stuff from our homes or borrow stuff from people we know, though we did not do this it was an option. We obtained said equipment by requesting permission from our supervisors and from the guy in charge of loans.

Locations: Where did you film and how did you go about securing locations legally?

We filmed in college, I went in search of films where we could film and finally found 4 rooms where I was given permission by the room owners; I also gathered their signatures as proof of our agreement, if we were filming outside of college we would need to gather the land owner’s permission on release forms.

What are location recces and location releases?

Location Recces are forms that look over the room/location where you are filming, Location releases are the permission forms given by land owners.

How and why did you pick specific locations for your Depict! Videos?

· We focused on how the light would be evident in the room and if there was anyway of decreasing it by curtains or so on.
· Rooms with close plugs were important as we were using a lamp charged by power.
· We eliminated rooms that were being used on the days of filming and searched for rooms that had openings we could use.

What logistical issues and risks did you face? How did you assess/overcome them?

· One of our rooms seemed to be in use at one point but, it was a false alarm and needed no change.
· Reuben came in one of the days of filming wearing something different to the rest of the week, we overcame this by filming above his neck; cancelling out the outfit beneath.
· He also forget to bring in his SD card, we worked around this by editing the footage we already had uploaded.
· We had forgotten to do the voiceovers after filming, we resolved this by having Reuben record himself whilst Alana and I edited.

Materials: What, in addition to equipment, crew and cast, is needed to make a moving image text? Where/how are they obtained?

Materials such as props, costumes/decorations/scenery and music are needed. These can be obtained by either locating people who create music or creating it yourself also, same goes for costumes/decorations/scenery they can either be brought or made.

The various types of materials you may need for a production:

· Props- these can be made or brought, props are needed in a lot of entertainment to tie the scene together and make it more/ less realistic/entertaining
· Costumes – these can be made or brought, costumes can be clothing or literal costumes i.e. for Halloween or any other occasion.
· Documentations – similar to what they use in ‘who do you think you are?’
· Images
· Music – you can find copyrighted music and pay for it or you can search for non-copyrighted which allows you to use it for free although sometimes they’re not as good as copyrighted music.

What financial considerations are there when using certain materials?

There’s the financial consideration of copyright, if you’re creating a small budget film then it’s less likely for you to spend much on copyrights but, if you’re creating a Hollywood picture film then it’s more likely for you to be more lenient on costs. Another financial consideration would be insurance, for your equipment such as cameras, lights or props it’s helpful for you to have insurance on these however, you’re more likely to be more careful if you don’t have insurance on your materials.

Legal issues:

What legal considerations might there be when using certain materials in a media production?

Legal considerations that you may have to consider in a media production are false statements, which may be morally questionable or illegal and should always have a lawyer review a script before having it produced; this is less likely to happen in a small media production. Photos/videos and music licensing are another major legal consideration as it is illegal to use a copy of copyrighted material, that is why people who are creating a media production must be willing to pay fees to use copyrighted material or use royalty free material.

Logos and trademarks, you should be very careful in avoiding shots of any logos or trademarks, including product labels, street advertisements, and license plates. Although it may seem like free advertisement for the companies involved, even accidental occurrences of logos and other trademarks on trademark on clothing and products are best avoided unless, the companies have gave you permission and that may come with paying a large fee.

Talent release forms, anyone appearing on camera should sign a proper release form, whether being interviewed or appearing in the background of a shot. It is best to have these employment contracts, in case a member of the staff who may have been featured leaves the company where you may have to reshoot parts of your film/video. Location release forms, typically filming would take place in a studio but when this is not the case, a location release form will have to be signed by a manager or landlord when filming on private property. In some cases proof of liability insurance may be required.

Copyright:



Copyright protects your work and stops others from using it without your permission; this is a major problem for people who are taken advantage of. Copyright prevents this and does in fact keep you protected.

You automatically get copyright protection when you create:

Original literary, dramatic, musical and artistic work, including illustration and photography. 
  

original non-literary written work, e.g. software, web content and databases

  

sound and music recordings

 

film and television recordings
broadcasts
The layout of published editions of written, dramatic and musical works.

You can mark your work with the copyright symbol (©), your name and the year of creation. Whether you mark the work or not doesn’t affect the level of protection you have.

Copyright prevents people from:

Copying your work
DIstributing copies of it, whether free of charge or for sale
Renting or lending copies of your work
Performing, showing or playing your work in public
Making an adaptation of your work
Putting it on the internet

Copyright affected our Depict! Production as we were not allowed to use the music we wanted, so we had to compromise and find loyalty free music; although we did really like the music we had set out. We failed to gather forms for people who had walked by whilst filming but, we did our best job of cutting them out of the film.

Clearance is to obtain permission of materials/objects from their owners; this can be location clearance or so on and so forth.

Public Liability Insurance covers any awards of damages given to a member of the public because of an injury or damage to their property caused by you or your business. In other words, if you or your business injures a third party (that doesn't mean someone who works for you, they're covered by Employer's Liability), or their property, PL insurance provides financial protection against damages that might be awarded in a lawsuit (and, depending on your policy, legal fees etc.). An example of this is: You own a shop. One of your customers trips over some boxes of stock you carelessly left in an aisle. The policy will cover the costs of treating the injury caused to the customer.

Completion guarantee/ insurance is a financial contract that insures a given project will be completed even if the producer runs out of money, or any measure of financial or other impediment occurs during the production of the project. Completion guarantees are used in many industries, including major films and construction projects.

Regulation: What is a regulatory body and what do they do?

What is OFCOM and what is its function?

OFCOM is the communications regulator in the UK. They regulate the TV and radio sectors, fixed line telecoms, mobiles, postal services, plus the airwaves over which wireless devices operate. They make sure that people in the UK get the best from their communications services and are protected from scams and sharp practices, while ensuring that competition can thrive. They make sure that people who watch television and listen to the radio are protected from harmful or offensive material, they ensure a wide range of high-quality television and radio programmes are provided, appealing to a range of tastes and interests, they do these among other things to protect and ensure protection to listeners and viewers.

Who regulates the BBC and why is this different to OFCOM?



BBC is partly regulated by the Office of Communications (Ofcom). However, The BBC is intended and expected to censor the programmes it transmits. Ofcom is the watchdog for the UK communications industries, replacing the Independent Television Commission (ITC), the Broadcasting Standards Commission (BSC), Office of Telecommunications (Oftel), the Radio communications Agency and Radio Authority. It has responsibilities across television, telecommunications, radio and wireless communications services.

 

 


What is the BBFC and what is its function? (http://www.bbfc.co.uk/)

 

The British Board of Film Classification (BBFC), originally British Board of Film Censors, is a non-governmental organisation, funded by the film industry and responsible for the national classification of films within the United Kingdom. It has a statutory requirement to classify videos, DVDs and some video games under the Video Recordings Act 2010.
The BBFC rates theatrically released films, and rated videos and video games that forfeited exemption from the Video Recordings Act 1984, which was discovered in August 2009 to be unenforceable until the act was re-enacted by the Video Recordings Act 2010. Legally, local authorities have the power to decide under what circumstances films are shown in cinemas, but they nearly always choose to follow the advice of the BBFC.

The Video Recordings Act requires that video releases not exempt (music, documentary, non-fiction, video games, etc.) under the Act had to be classified, making it illegal to supply any recording that had not been certified. Certificates could restrict release to any age of 18 or under, or to only licensed sex-shops. The government currently designate the BBFC as the authority for certifying video releases. As the law requires the certificate to be displayed on the packaging and media labels of the video recording, in practice only UK releases can be legally sold or hired in the UK, even if a foreign release had identical content.
Video games with specific themes or content (such as the Grand Theft Auto series) must also be submitted to the BBFC to receive a legally binding rating (contrast with the advisory PEGI ratings) in the same way as videos, however, under the Digital Economy Act 2010, responsibility for rating games that include violence or encourage criminal activity will pass from the BBFC to the Video Standards Council. Other video games may be submitted at the publisher's discretion.

All films and video games rated by the BBFC receive a certificate, along with "consumer advice" detailing references to sex, violence and coarse language. If a certificate specifies that a film or video game is only suitable for someone over a certain age, then only those over that age may buy it.
The BBFC can also advise cuts for a less-restrictive rating. This generally occurs in borderline cases where distributors have requested a certificate and the BBFC has rated the work at a more-restrictive level; however, some cuts are compulsory, such as scenes that violate the Protection of Children Act 1978 or Cinematograph Films (Animals) Act 1937. The final certificate then depends on the distributor's decision on whether or not to make the suggested cuts. Some works are even rejected if the distributor refuses the cut.
Both examiners and the directors of the BBFC are hired on a permanent basis. Examiners are required to watch 5 hours 20 mins of media, to a maximum of 35 hours a week. Turnover is low and vacancies, when available, appear on their London job vacancies website.

Conversely, in 2002, a few local authorities, apparently under pressure from distributors and cinema chains, ignored the BBFC's ruling that Spider-Man receive a 12 rating, and allowed children younger than 12 to see the film. However, the BBFC were already in the process of replacing the 12 rating with a new 12A, which allowed under-12s to see the film if accompanied by an adult, so shortly afterwards, Spider-Man was reclassified as 12A. The first 12A certificate awarded was for The Bourne Identity.

Regulation of moving image products distributed through the internet:

Ofcom ensures TV and radio audiences are protected in areas such as taste, decency, fairness and privacy. But Ofcom only has control over material broadcast over an analogue or digital TV signal. Online videos are much harder to regulate because anybody anywhere can upload a video to the internet. But responsible sites have systems for users to tell the administrators about inappropriate material. For example, YouTube does not allow pornography, violence or dangerous or illegal acts.

The Ofcom Broadcasting Code ("the Code"), the most recent version of which took effect on 21 March 2013, covers all programmes broadcast on or after 21 March 2013. The Code Guidance can be found here http://stakeholders.ofcom.org.uk/broadcasting/guidance/programme-guidance/bguidance/. There are 6 ways of using the code: Harm/Offence, Size/composition, Expectation, Exposion of Nature, Desirability of securing identification and the desirability of maintaining the independence of editorial control.

  Every 4-5 years, the BBFC carries out a major public consultation exercise to find out what the public thinks about the age rating of films and videos before they are released and whether the BBFC’s classification standards meet public concerns. The BBFC adjusts its standards and criteria in response to any changes in public attitudes; they take in consideration as to what we as the audience see as suitable for what age group; although they could probably overrule this. These standards are laid out in the BBFC’s Classification Guidelines which can be downloaded below. The Guidelines detail what is acceptable at each age category, from U to R18. They also set out the laws and principles which impact on the BBFC’s work. There are two key principles, laid out in the Guidelines, under which they operate to follow: to protect the younger audience and impressionable adults from potentially harmful or otherwise unsuitable content, which is your insults/ pornography/ harmful content. Also they empower consumers, particularly those who are parents and those with responsibility for children, to make informed viewing decisions.

   

I have learnt that media online is regulated in many different categories and that it is safer to regulate harmful content then let it spread out, people that use the internet are very impressionable, same goes for those who listen to the radio/ watch the TV; things that they see or hear affects them and people around them, I support most of what the regulators ban but some are pointless and idiotic. This could relate to our Depict! As our content is very basic and we know as a group it wouldn’t be regulated to harsh standards such as, if it was given an age range it would possibly be 12A.

Trade unions and trade associations: What are they and what do they do?

A trade union provides help, support and representation to people who are employed by companies, etc. They are important because they make sure the worker is paid for the skills he or she has, that it is equal pay for equal work, they have on the job safety, that they are given overtime if they work more than 8 hours, that they are given breaks and lunch/dinner break in the work day, that they are protected from abuses by the employer, that they are given health and other benefits, that the employer follows state and federal regulations, that they are protected from discrimination or retaliation for reporting abuse/breaking the law, that work conditions meet a standard for providing for heat/cooling/bathrooms/drinking fountains/lunchrooms/breakrooms.
One case in the 1920's was a shirt factory where the workers were chained shut into the building and a fire broke out. The workers couldn't get out of the building because the doors were locked. There have been cases where workers were not allowed to go to the bathroom by a supervisor and if they did they were fired.

What are PACT and BECTU and what do they do?

 


PACT is the trade association that represents the commercial interests of UK independent television, film, digital, children’s and animation media companies.

Pact is socially responsible and seeks to influence the wider industry to commit to diversity on and off the screen. Pact works closely with broadcasters and producers groups to create training opportunities and promote fair access for all. Click here to learn more: https://www.pact.co.uk/home/

BECTU is the UK's media and entertainment trade union; sectors covered include broadcasting, film, independent production, theatre and the arts, leisure and digital media. Click here to learn more: https://www.bectu.org.uk/home

A trade association is a group of companies, etc. who all provides the same or similar services and the aim of the association would be to represent the interests of that trade, or to lobby on its behalf.