Production refers to the shooting phase of a film — the period during which footage is captured on camera.
Technical Details
A standard production is typically divided temporally in a ratio of 3:1:6 between phases – for a 100-day shoot film, this corresponds to approximately 300 days of pre-production, 100 shooting days, and 600 days of post-production. The production team hierarchically includes the Producer, Executive Producer, Line Producer, and Production Manager. Budget distribution follows the 50-30-20 rule: 50% Above-the-Line (talent, direction, screenplay), 30% Below-the-Line (crew, equipment), 20% Post-Production.
History & Development
Thomas Edison founded the first film production studio, "Black Maria," in West Orange, New Jersey, in 1893. The studio system became established in Hollywood from 1920 onwards with vertical integration of production, distribution, and cinema operations. The Paramount Decree of 1948 broke up these monopolistic structures. From the 1970s onwards, package-unit productions with project-specific teams emerged. Streaming services have revolutionized financing models since 2010 through direct content investments exceeding 15 billion dollars annually.
Practical Application in Film
"Avatar" (2009) demonstrates modern large-scale production: 4 years of pre-production, 2 years of shooting, 3 years of post-production with a budget of 237 million dollars. Indie productions like "Paranormal Activity" (2007) show the opposite: 7 shooting days, a 15,000 dollar budget, a 3-person crew. Netflix productions work with data-driven development – algorithms determine cast, genre, and storylines based on viewer data from 230 million subscribers.
Comparison & Alternatives
Studio productions differ from independent productions through financing sources and distribution guarantees. Co-productions share risks among international partners and utilize funding from multiple countries. Service productions outsource shooting to cost-effective countries – the Czech Republic saves 40-60% compared to German production costs. Virtual Production with LED walls (as seen in "The Mandalorian") is increasingly replacing location shoots and reduces travel costs by up to 70%.
Current News
Cine Gear Expo Los Angeles celebrates its 30th anniversary in 2026 and will take place on June 5th and 6th at the Universal Studios Lot. The trade show presents the latest film production equipment and cinema technology for the industry. In parallel, the Achtung Berlin Film Festival focuses on young German productions from Berlin and Brandenburg with competitions in various categories from short to feature films.