Film Production and Pitching An Idea

Film making consists of high costs to finance the three main stages a film must go through in order for it to be released to an audience:

Production.
Distribution.
Exhibition.

The people who put up the money - investors, financers, distributors and exhibitors - should have a noticeable influence at certain key stages over the film.

The producer has multiple roles. The main job is not just raising finance, but raising confidence in the initial idea. Getting people aware of the potential the product has to offer and getting things roling through money and charisma. The idea could come from anywhere; a book, play, television series, comic strip, computer game or film. The idea needs to be thought through and discussed with the producer and have him kept in the loop.

The package needs key elements and selling points, put together by a producer and presented to potential investors, financiers and distributors. These include:

Script treatment - in depth story, famous actors and locations.

Generic Characteristics - common genre or hybrid genres.

Proposed budget

Storyboard of key scenes

Director/Write - famous name, proven track record.

Potential Cast - very few successful British artists do British films.

Key creative Personnel - cinematographer, art director, editor and special effects team.

Possible marketing spin-offs - Give film publicity and profitability.

The pitch is the term used for the presentation of the package by the producer to a potential financial backer. Pitches tend to create a simple plot that is easily understood, with characters and narrative introduced but simplified. They are designed to present ideas that are high-concept.

High Concept films are commonly reproduced films, actors and directors. High-concept is a response by Hollywood to the risks of such huge investments. They repackage what was successful, the director that consistently makes good science-fiction films, the actor who stars in the best action films, the sequels to the highly popular films out there.

Pitching a movie idea

In class we were asked to think of a film and pitch it to our teacher and the class. We would then receive feedback from it and discuss if it was a good concept or not, what could change and how we could improve. My idea was of a slasher-thriller called stalk, the plot would be boy meets girl, boy falls in love, girl hardly notices him, boy kills off competition and tries to get close to her. The idea that we already know the killer was brought up, so I suggested there's at least three suspects all making friends with her at the same time, leaving suspicions high. I linked the story to the ending of Sorority  Row, where a all girl Sorority were being hunted and killed by the boyfriend of the main character. I placed my target audience as 18+ men and women which seems about right for a horror/thriller. We also heard other pitches such as a action take on a film like Catch Me If You Can type film, where the criminals are escaping from the law. A drama based on a homeless man, living on the streets and we see the lives they lead through their eyes. When comparing these ideas with others we all agreed that, though mine was good, both those ideas surpassed mine. Therefore I am putting that story into the back of mind, in case we want to go back to it, and looking at other ideas which I can discuss with in the group. Perhaps a film like Kidulthood, showing the life of teenagers and gang warfare.