Key Roles

Screenwriter

A screenwriter creates screenplays for the films. They create the blueprint for the input of the Producer, Director, Production Designer, Composer and Editor, cast and crew. The screenplays that are written should be easy for everyone else to understand so that they are able to produce the film how it was imagined as well as having a good plot that would make a good and successful film. Screenwriters have to work to strict deadlines as well as having to product highly creative writing.

Producer

Producers have overall control on every aspect of a films production.  They are often responsible for coming up with the idea for a production, or selecting a screenplay. They secure the rights, choose the screenwriter and story editing team. The producers also approve locations, studio hire, the final shooting script, production schedule and budget. Once the film is in production, Producers are responsible for the day-to-day smooth operation of the team.

Casting Director

Before the film is being made, casting Directors work with the Director and Producer to create the perfect cast for the film. This means that Casting Directors must have in-depth and up-to-date knowledge of new and existing acting talent. They are responsible for matching the ideal actor to each role based on factors such as experience, ability, reputation, availability and box office appeal. They also work closely with the Production Accountants to prepare the casting budget. They organise and conduct interviews and auditions for each role in the film and they are in charge of coming up with the fee for an actor to appear in the film. They need to have a good knowledge of a different range of actors and a good understanding of their capabilities. They need to be patient, hard-working and diplomatic.

Director

A Director is responsible for transferring the film’s written script into the film in images and sounds. This means that they are responsible for the films artistic and commercial success or failure. In pre-production the Directors make the decisions such as selecting the right cast, crew and locations for the film. They then have to direct rehearsals and the performances of the actors once the film is in production. They manage the technical aspects of filming including the camera, sound, lighting, design and special effects departments. When the film has then finished being made, the Director then works with the Editors through the processes of editing. Ultimately, a Director is in charge of motivating the team in order to produce the best results.

Film Finance

The Film Finance stage happens whilst the story is being made, the development stage. This is where they plan how much money can be used to make the film compared to how much money they think the film will make once it has been released. This is an important stage of the process as they need to make sure that they will not make a loss on the film. Once the amount that is going to be spent on the film is decided this then will have to be split on different parts of the film, this is therefore important as it affects the whole film.

Camera Operator

A Camera Operator carry out instructions from the Director of Photography and the Director. These will be the first people to assess the scene through the eyepiece of the camera to make sure that all of the different areas, such as lighting and art direction, are making the correct cinematic experience. Camera Operators start at the end of the pre-production stage. The Camera Operator decides where to position to camera and what lenses and supporting equipment to use. They make sure that all of the equipment is prepared for the required set-ups and ready for any last-minute changes that may have to be made. They work closely with the performers by guiding them on what the camera can and cannot see.

Editor

The Editor works closely with the Director to put all of the different clips, which have been filmed, together into a full movie. Each shot has to be carefully chosen and edited well to ensure that each and every scene amounts to a good finished product. The Editors have to work long, unsociable hours and have to cope with a lot of pressure. Before the making of the film, the Editor works closely with the Director to decide how to maximize the potential of the screenplay. The Editor has to have a good knowledge of the film as the scenes are shot and edited out of sequence. This means that they may be editing the end of the film before some of the scenes at the beginning, the Editor has to be able to know how to put these scenes in the right order that they are meant to be.

Production Designer

Production Designers are responsible for the entire art department and help Directors define and achieve the look and feel of the film.  They begin to work at the early stages of pre-production, sometimes being asked to look at scripts to provide an estimate for the amount of money they should be spending. They meet with the Director to then discuss how to shoot the film best, including whether to use sets and/or locations, what should be built and what should be adapted and whether there is a visual theme that recurs throughout the film. Production designers consider design elements, calculate budgets and design sketches. They then have a lot of people to manage once shooting starts as well as carefully monitor the budget.

Marketing

The marketing team are in charge of getting people to know about the film. They have to make sure to get the film heard about to ensure that the company are able to make as much money as possible from the film. They will have to ensure that there is a hype for the films release to make sure that people go and watch the film or buy it. Without marketing, films may not be as popular as they could be and many companies may not be as rich as they are meaning they would have to spend less on making new films.

Exhibition

Exhibition is the sharing and promotion of the film, these are things such as premiers and cinemas. A premier is a good way to further promote the film and make it more popular as well as an event that celebrates everyone's hard work on the film. Cinemas then further promote the film by advertising it and then allowing people to watch it. Company's not only make money from the tickets to go to the cinema but they then can make more money by the people who have seen it in the cinema then going and buying the film once it is out on DVD.