Alternative spellings

• film making

Noun

filmmaking (uncountable)

1. The activity of preparing edited video works, formerly principally films, whether for entertainment or other purposes.

Related terms

• filmmaker

Filmmaking (often referred to in an academic context as film production) is the process of making a film, from an initial story idea or commission, through scriptwriting, shooting, editing, directing and distribution to an audience. Typically, it involves a large number of people, and takes from a few months to several years to complete. Filmmaking takes place all over the world in a huge range of economic, social, and political contexts, and using a variety of technologies and techniques. Technically, the art and science of recording images to film differs significantly from that of recording images to video. Thus, by definition, a "filmmaker" captures images on film, and not video.

Stages

Film production occurs in five stages:

• Development—The script is written and drafted into a workable blueprint for a film.
• Pre-production—Preparations are made for the shoot, in which cast and crew are hired, locations are selected, and sets are built.
• Production—The raw elements for the finished film are recorded.
• Post-Production—The film is edited; production sound (dialogue) is concurrently (but separately) edited, music tracks (and songs) are composed, performed and recorded, if a film is sought to have a score; sound effects are designed and recorded; and any other computer-graphic 'visual' effects are digitally added, all sound elements are mixed into "stems" then the stems are mixed then married to picture and the film is fully completed ("locked").
• Sales and distribution—The film is screened for potential buyers (distributors), is picked up by a distributor and reaches its cinema and/or home media audience.