Production Overview

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Part of the difficulty in creating this guide is the multiple definitions available of individual terms. For example, "production" includes all activities involved in the conceptualization and creation of media. For ease of understanding, the entire production process can be broken down into phases, one of which is "production". You can see how confusion can easily enter the discussion.

All media projects, no matter the size or scope, go through all phases of production: development,
pre-production
production, &
post-production.

As a project becomes greater in scope and complexity, maintaining the integrity and clarity of these formal phases becomes more important, but it is impossible to create something without addressing all of the questions these phases raise.

First, we need an idea - this is the development phase. Doesn't matter how vague our idea, it could be "I want to write a song". Use development time to develop your idea, explore the idea from all angles, find its meaning and create the blueprint of what you want to create. Write down the notes on staff, write the script, organize your notes and your outline. Define exactly what you want to create.

Once you've discovered and defined the what you need to figure out how you're going to make this thing, how to turn your idea into reality. What is your plan for actualization? How much money will this cost? Do you need any special equipment? These are the questions asked and answered in the pre-production phase. This is also when you need to address the complex and potentially frustrating issues of financing.

So, you've got your budget in place, your plan is laid out step by step. You have access to all the people and equipment you need, so now it's time for the actual creation of your media, this is the production phase. It's often the most creatively intense, and shortest, portion of the process, and it happens to be my favorite.

Finally, you apply the finishing touches. Fire your sculpture, tweak your layout & finally abandon your baby - this is post-production. Many will tell you that this final phase is when the real creation happens as your work takes its final shape. They might even be right.