Production process and genres

The essentials

Like television, film production moves through stages, but it also needs distribution and exhibition to reach audiences. A documentary deals with real people and events, while a feature film tells a mostly fictional story. Genre theory studies how films can be grouped by shared features.

Key points

• Development and pre-production: idea, story, screenplay, budget, finance, casting, locations, crew and schedule.
• Production (shooting): filming scenes under the director's guidance.
• Post-production: editing, dubbing, background score, sound effects, visual effects and colour grading.
• Distribution and exhibition: distributors take the film to theatres, television or online platforms, where it is exhibited to audiences.
• Films in India need certification from the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) before public exhibition.
• Documentary production relies more on research and real interviews; the script often develops during shooting and editing.
• Genre: a category of films sharing conventions of story, setting, characters, music and style, for example action, comedy, horror, romance, thriller, musical, science fiction, war and mythological films.
• Genre theory says genres help audiences know what to expect and help producers market films; genres also change and mix over time (for example romantic comedy).

Exam tips

Remember that distribution and exhibition are extra stages specific to cinema's business. Be able to name the genre from its typical conventions.

Common mistakes

A genre is not a stage of production; it is a category of film content. A documentary is a form of film, and it can itself cover many themes.