Film production companies - What do they do
A film production company can do many things for it's clients. It all depends on a film production company's specialisms but all are focused on producing video content in some form or another. Today we discuss what is a film production company, the types of filming they do and what they actually do day to day.
What is a film production company?
A film production company's primary role is to produce video content for television, cinema, social media, corporate promotions, internal business use, adverts or other media-related fields. Video production relates not just to the actual filming but all the preparation before filming and all the editing afterwards. A film production company has lots of different roles to complete when it comes to filming videos.
Different Film Production Sectors
There are many different sectors a film production company may work in. Some may be more public-facing while others can be for a much smaller circulation.
Online
Online videos have grown massively in popularity over the last five years. Many film production companies help businesses create digital videos for use on their website, social media platforms and other marketing campaigns.
Television
A film production company may work primarily on productions that will be shown on TV. This may be terrestrial or digital television channels but the production aspects will be the same for either avenue.
Film
Some film production companies will be focused on film production for cinema or straight to release. These could be entertainment or documentaries.
Public Services
Production companies can be used to produce public service films or advertisements. These could be for use in an educational setting, to advise the public of news or for training for workers.
Corporate
Corporate videos both for promotion or internal training can be the main practice of some production companies. These can be just for the staff or prospective clients and so have a much smaller, specialist audience.
Private
Other production companies specialise in producing private videos for individuals. This may be for commercial reasons such as showreels or self-tapes for actors, or they could even be just for fun personal videos.
What does a film production company do?
As said above, film production is not just about the specific filming on a video. It also encompasses a massive amount of planning and editing, as well as the execution.
Scripting
Most film production companies will produce or assist in the scriptwriting for a video. This is especially useful for businesses that need marketing videos or corporate showreels and are not sure where to start. Some public institutions may already have their own information that needs to be included but a production company can help get the right message across. Of course, if it's a film you are producing, you may already have a script written that you want the production company to bring to life.
Logistics
A film production company will organise all the logistical requirements needed to get the video or film produced. This can include transportation, set design, location selection, accommodation, external contractors and even catering. Dependent on your productions requirements, a quality production company will be able to organise all the essential logistics needed for the shoot.
Casting
If not selected by the client, a film company will be able to source and cast actors for the production. Many production companies work in partnership with casting agencies or have their own portfolio of experienced actors. An experience production company will have a good selection of actors that they can draw from for varies productions.
Makeup & Wardrobe
With actors comes attire. Production companies can organise the makeup and wardrobe for the cast. They may have their own staff or work with external costumers and hair and makeup artists. By having the filming company organise these parts of the production, the logistics on filming days will go a lot smoother.
Crew, Equipment and Filming
Now we are getting to the execution part of the film content. A film productions main role is of course to produce the film. This includes organising the cast, setting up and utilising the right equipment for filming and sound, and ensuring that there is a smooth run on filming day. The crew can involve just a few people up to hundreds depending on the production. A very simple set up for a production company is to organise to have a director, director of photography as well as camera and sound people to capture everything.
Editing
Once the filming is done and everything has been recorded, the work doesn't stop. A film production company can organise all the essential post-production work. Visual editing, sound editing, cuts and additional non-set scenes can all be part of their work. There will be lots of discussion at this point to make sure the finished result is just what they wanted.
A Film Production Company's Role
The above is a basic list of all the things a film production company does but each area is a whole sector of its own. At Isaac Who we provide all the above services because we believe our clients get the most out of filming when there is just one company to deal with. We organise the whole production from conception to completion. We work on both corporate videos as well as original films and documentaries. Get in touch to discuss your needs.