Role Of The Production Company

A film production company are the people who are in charge of the complete production of a new film. From organising a set for a scene or hiring the personel required for that scene, the production company plays a crucial role.
Firstly a story for a film is  thought of and a brief summary of the plot is handed to the production company, these can range from 1-2 pages to 5+ pages. If the production company likes the idea for the film, funding becomes available, this is the first role of the production company. From now on, the producer and overall  production company will remain involved until the end of the production process, until it is finally distributed to cinemas.

This is the logo for Hammer, a legendary producer of horror films. 

There are four stages of production while producing a film, the first being Development- when the funding is made available to the company, people are chosen for the jobs needed such as an editing team, marketing experts etc. The next stage in production is the Pre-Production stage- this consists of the production company bringing together the key members of the team for example, the Production Manager, Line Producer and the Heads of Department. This is when the ideas for the film are being drawn up and potential shots and mini-scripts are thought of.
The next stage of production is the actual Production part of the film making process- In this stage the producers are responsible for the day to day tasks undertaken by the company and the general process in which the film is constructed takes place at this stage. For example the production team will oversee filming and approve any amendments to scripts and budgets etc.
The final stage of the film making process which is overseen by the production company is the Post Production stage- This is where the film is edited together and tidied up. This is the final stage in the process so at this point the film needs to be ready to go to cinema. Soundtracks will be added and the production company markets and distributes the film to cinemas all over the country.
An example of marketing a film would be having trailers of the film on television. This is often an effective way of marketing a film or television programme as viewers get a 'sneak preview' of what to expect in the film. There are other ways of promoting films and other media, one of which would be the method of billboard advertising, simply having large posters and bilboards placed strategically to attract the companys audience. All the marketing and advertising is overseen by the production company therefore they have a very important role to play in the success of the film.

Overall, the production company is the crucial element of a film. Without it there would be no film, they oversee every detail of the production process, from coming up with the idea for the film, until the actual distribution process and sending the film to cinemas to be watched world over.

Kieran Browne