This stage mainly consists of planning and conceptualising a script, based off a book, another movie, a true story, or can even be an original concept. After approval, the director works with the writers to come up with a step-by-step outline of the progression of the film.

In this phase, the key objective is to narrow down options and plan the development of the movie in terms of film cast, film crew, and budget. A line manager or production manager is usually hired during this process to create a schedule and manage the budget for the film. Pre-production also includes figuring out the shoot location.

The production stage is when the actual practical film production work begins. The primary aim is to stick to the budget and schedule, which requires constant attentiveness. The film director works with the cast and crew to ensure that everything goes as planned. Communication is key between all the involved parties.

Photography is essentially the most expensive phase in film production. This is because of the salaries owed to the actor, director and set crew, as well as the costs of certain shots, props and special effects, if needed. All the previous stages have been set to ensure the smooth transition of photography. This is where the camera rolls, so it is important for the film director to follow the schedule and remain within the budget.

The period immediately after the shooting ends, when all the cameras are turned off. During this stage, everything gets disassembled and the set is cleared of the cast and crew. All equipment and props must be returned in a functioning order, to the suppliers and there must be an inventory list.

In most cases, this stage will overlap the stage of photography but not always. A rough cut of the film is drafted, and the film director will begin reviewing and editing the footage as he coordinates additions which may be required from visual effects, music and sound design.

Distribution is the final stage of the production process. The film must be distributed for the producers to make their money back. It is the work of these producers to strike a lucrative deal for distribution amongst the cinemas and other platforms such as Amazon Prime, Netflix, HBO etc. It is also important to secure the correct deals because they will determine the film’s reach and rake in the right amount of money to ensure the return on investment.