Production Research

Content - The content can be original or optioned. Both require research. Optioning for a screen writer is they can sell a script they have written for a certain amount and if the film is not made within 2 years the screen writer can take the script and sell it to someone else.

Copyright is a type of intellectual property that cannot be used without permission of the owner. As copyright is intellectual property it can be bought and sold anywhere. Copyright owners can choose to licence others to use their content which retaining the right of owning the product. Short film makers don't have the budget to own the song so they most likely buy the rights to use it in their film. For short films they will most likely go to unknown producers to make a song because their songs are not copyrighted yet.

Viability - An important purpose of production research is to demonstrate that your planned product is viable. You need to test to viability of your product at a number of different levels:

• Is the product financially viable?
• Do you have the necessary skills to undertake the production?
• Do you have the right equipment and technology to make the film?
• What help and support will you need?
• Have you got enough time to make the product?

Placement media -

Finance costs - When dealing with financial costs you will need to consider: crew, locations, talent, props/costumes, permissions, equipment and miscellaneous e.g food and drinks. This is all very important when dealing with a film because if the budget is not kept it will lead the film to being in serious trouble so they have to analyse each part of the financial costs very carefully.

Technological resources  - Software is something within the computer. The hardware is something physical. Audio and moving image products will require the use of various types of recording and editing equipment. A range of hardware and software options are available for print and multimedia production. A short film producer could pay for licences to pay for editing software and put them on multiple computers so it will make it cheaper for the budget of the film.

Personnel - You would need creative people to help research and develop your ideas, technical expertise to assist in production stages, and then marketing people to help sell your product and generate income from advertisement, sell and merchandising.

Locations - The filmmakers will undertake research for their locations to identify suitable venues for filming to take place which can assist on the planning of different shots, assess any problems of health and safety issues that the crew might face.