Movies allow us to travel the world vicariously and experience tragedy, romance, adventure and almost every emotion imaginable – including tragedies based on historical events or depicting moral values or belief systems.
Everybody enjoys watching movies. But how are movies made? With everything from Edgar Wright’s romantic comedies to Martin Scorsese’s thrilling thrillers, there is sure to be something suitable for everyone on screen. But what goes into making one?
Development
Movie development encompasses several steps between their conception and final release. This process, known as movie development, includes everything from initial idea generation to screenplay drafting and beyond. Each phase plays an essential part in filmmaking and helps develop more cohesive stories; additionally it gives directors and writers opportunities to experiment with various techniques and styles that may create more unique films in the end.
At this stage in filmmaking, movie developers must come up with a conceptual plan for their film – this may include plot points such as storyline, characters, locations, visual style and budgeting for production costs and financing arrangements. Furthermore, food services, equipment rentals and festival entries must also be arranged. Unfortunately, development stages can often become stuck due to various constraints including financial issues, casting conflicts and other problems that hinder progress – sometimes for years! This step of production may often become known as 'development hell.’
Once they complete development, producers can present the script to financiers and investors for approval, explore potential tie-ups with corporations for product placement opportunities and find top directors and actors to attract financiers while helping sell their vision.
Movies may be built around original concepts, adaptations of existing stories, or sequels of earlier films. Each has their own set of advantages and drawbacks: adaptations or sequels may be easier to conceptualize as they already contain an established story arc; while original ideas require much more creativity to execute successfully.
Theme
Movies feature various stories, plots, genres and themes that each create their own special effect on viewers and help to set an atmosphere specific to each scene. This explains why some films become iconic while others fade from memory quickly. Movies can be an entertaining escape from everyday life for a bit; they can make us laugh, cry or even be terrified! Furthermore they may inspire us to consider our choices more closely or make us reflect upon ourselves more deeply.
A movie’s theme refers to its central values, principles, or beliefs which the story strives to portray. While these may be difficult concepts to define clearly, they will serve as guides when selecting characters and events for inclusion in the plot. A strong theme will serve to unify and focus all narrative components.
One effective method of communicating your theme through character arcs is through character development. This will enable audiences to empathize with your protagonist and experience the story like they would if it happened in real life, such as with THE GODFATHER’s opening monologue that serves to underline many themes from its narrative.
Music can also help create the atmosphere you need when adding themes. A musical theme can add drama and emotion, particularly during dramatic climax scenes in movies. Musical themes can range from being simple (one note played on piano) to as elaborate as orchestral arrangements – whatever style is chosen it should match the tone of the movie!
Genre
Movie genres are categories used to identify different kinds of films and television shows based on their plot and themes. Genre can range from broad (such as action or romance) to specific (like comedy or horror). Cinematic filmmakers who understand genre well are adept at crafting stories that engage their audiences until the credits roll, keeping viewers hooked until the very last second.
Genre is an essential aspect of movie viewing because it tells audiences the type of experience they can expect and influences how they will engage with it; for instance, comedies often depict characters who find themselves miscommunication each other and forced into interpersonal interactions due to misperceptions and miscommunication.
Dramas tell stories that mirror events found in daily life, like family matters or work-related struggles. These films often rely on character arcs over time to keep audiences interested – for example Goodfellas, American Gangster, Hell or High Water and The Sopranos are prime examples of dramas.
Sci-fi and fantasy films take place in nonexistent worlds such as mystical realms or other planets, offering adventure and drama-rich films featuring hero journeys or elements of suspense – think Lord of the Rings, Star Wars or Game of Thrones for examples.
Horror movies often evoke feelings of terror and tension. Based on real events or tales about creatures lurking in the shadows, horror flicks typically build tension before leading up to an unexpected reveal at the end.
Narrative Structure
Narrative structure of a film provides its audience with the guiding framework necessary to follow it from beginning to end. It encompasses elements such as hero’s journey, climax and denouement as well as plot events – such as an organized sequence of happenings – in such a way that there should be clear cause-and-effect relationships between each beat of plot events; otherwise audiences may become lost and lose interest in its storyline.
One of the initial beats of any film should establish its genre and tone, setting expectations of viewers and determining their emotional responses to it. If a filmmaker fails to fulfill on his/her genre promise, viewers could become disappointed and leave. For instance, audiences attending thriller movies expect suspenseful action scenes while those watching dramas expect characters who undergo dramatic transformation.
Narrative structure is an invaluable tool used by screenwriters to strengthen their movie’s plot. It involves organizing incidents logically that lead up to conflict resolution; Aristotle noted this should make for easy audience comprehension.
A plot should not only include an order of scenes but should also provide an introduction to characters and settings as well as an opening sequence that sets the scene for the rest of the story, including setting out what goals or purposes our hero has in this movie.
A great story will feature an ending which brings its characters back to where they began – either exactly where they started off, or somewhere more or less desirable or detrimental than before.
Characters
As a moviegoer, characters and their interactions are what keep us engaged with the film. How people talk, move or interact can convey emotion and personality; their performance adds depth and makes movies unforgettable.
Dialogue is a vital element in film because it helps writers express emotion, set mood and advance plotlines. But in order to create dialogue that works effectively for characters on-screen, finding an ideal balance can be essential: too much formality can make them sound stiff and unnatural while too much casual slang might come across as unprofessional and rude.
Movies often depict fictional worlds so audiences can escape reality for a brief period. Some movies also feature characters with abilities beyond what humans can accomplish – this can include extraterrestrial powers, natural wonders or majestic beings that go beyond humans in terms of abilities.
Some characters become so beloved, they become iconic figures themselves – which explains why sequels are so beloved among audiences – who want a chance to revisit these beloved figures again and again.
Character development in films is often dramatic; whether due to internal struggles or external forces pulling them in different directions. Yet sometimes these changes become so evident by the end of a film that their characters seem entirely different people! This storytelling tool requires care in its implementation; otherwise it risks falling flat on its face.
Cinematic characters may either be real or digital. Popular examples of digital characters created through motion capture technology, where actors wear sensors that track their movements and translate them into computer-generated imagery, include those created by Pixar and WETA that have taken this technology further by creating digital characters that resemble fleshy counterparts almost seamlessly.