A Comprehensive Guide: How to Plan and Create a Commercial Film

Introduction

Commercial films are a creative and effective way to boost a brand's visibility, promote products or services, and connect with a vast and varied audience.

They are a blend of art and science, balancing storytelling and marketing strategies.

Embarking on the journey of creating a commercial film takes careful planning, creative vision, and thorough understanding.

Here's how to plan and execute a compelling commercial film.

#1 The Pre-production Stage

Step 1: Set the Goals

The very first step is to outline the objective and goals of your film. Whether it's to increase brand awareness, reveal a new product line, or drive traffic to a website, the objective will be a significant driving force dictating the film's concept, medium, length, message, and target audience.

Step 2: Define Your Target Audience

As mentioned in Step 1, the target audience has a considerable influence on the elements of your commercial film. Factors such as age, gender, interests, and cultural backgrounds come under consideration. Understanding these demographics will help you appeal to your target audience effectively.

Step 3: Create a Budget

Determine a budget that covers all costs, including pre-production, production, and post-production. Factor in costs like scriptwriting, location fees, production crew, talent, equipment rent, catering, transportation, post-production, and marketing. It doesn't have to be an exact number at this stage, but having a ballpark figure can help guide your decisions.

Step 4: Craft the Message & Build the Story

Start by brainstorming and developing a unique and creative idea to convey your message. Ensure the concept aligns with your brand's tone and target audience. Next, write the script to tell your story effectively and compellingly. If you're not a writer, it's wise to bring in a professional screenwriter who can collaborate and develop an engaging story with you.

Step 5: Assemble the Production Team

Put together a team of professionals and creatives to bring your vision to life. Essential roles include the director, cinematographer, producer, screenwriter, and actors. It's also crucial to consider supporting roles, such as the art director, sound engineer, costume designer, makeup artist, and location manager.

Step 6: Dive into Pre-Production

During the pre-production process, you'll work on storyboards, shot lists, location scouting, casting, and production schedules. Here are a few essential tasks:

• Storyboard: A sequence of sketches outlining every shot in the film. They guide you through the visual development of the film, ensuring clear communication with the cinematographer and the entire crew.
• Shot List: Each scene has to be meticulously planned out beforehand. By creating a shot list, you'll have a clear outline of camera positions, angles, and movements to make your shoot more efficient and organized.
• Location Scouting: Research and visit locations that align with your script requirements. Consider aspects such as lighting, noise levels, permits, and accessibility.
• Casting: Find the perfect actors to bring your characters to life. They need to embody the spirit of the brand and connect with your target audience. Hold auditions or collaborate with talent agencies to find the suitable talent.
• Production Schedule: Create a detailed shooting schedule that outlines daily tasks and activities during the shoot. This should include location changes, crew call times, and shooting times.

#2 The Production Stage

Step 1: Production Design

The production design involves creating the look and feel of the film set, including props, costumes, and makeup, depending on the requirements of the script. Collaborate with the art director, set designer, and costume designer to ensure every element matches your film's visual tone.

Step 2: Prepare Your Gear

Having the proper gear is essential for the production process. Consider cameras, lenses, tripods, lighting equipment, and sound equipment. Research and rent the right tools depending on your budget and production needs.

Step 3: Focused Rehearsals

Rehearsals benefit the entire team by making all the members familiar with their roles and expected actions. Actors can refine their lines and movements, the camera crew can practice framing and shot compositions, and the director can make adjustments to the scene or blocking as needed.

Step 4: Shoot the Film

The shooting stage is the most intense and time-consuming phase of production. With a well-prepared plan, a dedicated team, and effective communication, you can shoot the film smoothly and efficiently.

• Set the Scene: Ensure all technical elements, like lighting, camera placement, and props, are ready before starting a shot.
• Keep Track of Shots: Record each take and note the best takes—this will help during the editing process.
• Maintaining Continuity: Ensure consistency between shots, such as costume, makeup, props, and weather.

#3 The Post-production Stage

Step 1: Film Editing

Film editing is a crucial step in creating a seamless flow of the story. Review the footage, select the best takes, and arrange them in a logical sequence. Popular editing software includes Adobe Premiere Pro, Final Cut Pro, Avid Media Composer, and DaVinci Resolve.

Step 2: Color Grading

Manipulate colors and tones to enhance the film's visual mood and style. Whether you want to create a specific look or enhance existing footage, consider using professional color grading tools available in most editing software.

Step 3: Sound Design

The sound designer enhances the film's auditory experience by adding background scores, sound effects, and adjusting audio levels. Good quality sound makes your film even more engaging.

Step 4: Gather Feedback and Make Adjustments

Before finalizing your film, gather feedback from your team, stakeholders, and a selected focus group. Fresh perspectives can help identify areas for improvement or polishing.

Step 5: Distribution and Promotion

With the finished commercial in hand, it's time to share it with the world. The distribution strategies will vary depending on the platform, be it Television, Cinema, Social Media, or Online platforms. Good promotion ensures the commercial film reaches its target audience and achieves its goals.

Recommended Tools to Plan and Create a Commercial Film

From pre-production planning to post-production editing, there are a myriad of essential tools that can aid in this process.

Whether you're a seasoned filmmaker or a beginner, here are some must-have tools that will help you breathe life into your vision.

Pre-Production Tools

1. Final Draft: This is a popular scriptwriting software known for its intuitive interface and industry-standard formatting options. Final Draft simplifies the process of writing, making it a highly recommended tool for creating memorable dialogues and remarkable scenes.
2. Celtx: Celtx is a comprehensive pre-production tool that allows you to write scripts, create storyboards and shot lists, schedule your shoot, and even breakdown your script into production costs. It is web-based, allowing for real-time collaboration with your team.
3. StudioBinder: A cloud-based pre-production software, StudioBinder is excellent for managing shooting schedules, call sheets, storyboards, and scripts. It allows different team members to stay connected and coordinated during the pre-production phase.
4. Shot Designer: This app helps to plan camera and character movements within a scene. With the help of the diagrams, the communication between the director and the cameraman becomes much easier.

Production Tools

1. Digital Cameras: Selecting the right camera is a crucial decision. Whether you choose a professional cinema camera like those from ARRI and RED or digital SLR cameras from Canon and Nikon, ensures you get the right tool that fits your budget and needs.
2. Tripods and Rigs: For steady and smooth camera movement, tripods and stabilizers are must-haves. Brands like Manfrotto, DJI Ronin and Joby GorillaPod are popular for their robust design and versatility.
3. Lighting Equipment: Lighting can dramatically affect the look and mood of your film. Consider using various types of lights such as key lights, fill lights, backlights, softboxes, or reflectors to create the desired lighting setup.
4. Sound Equipment: Good quality audio is equally important in film production. Essential audio gear includes shotguns and lavalier microphones like those offered by Sennheiser and Rode. Additionally, consider audio recorders like the Zoom H series.
5. Portable Monitors: A good monitor is crucial for reviewing shots on location. Atomos’ line of portable monitors are high quality with numerous inputs and recording options.

Post-Production Tools

1. Adobe Premiere Pro: An industry-standard tool for video editing, Adobe Premiere Pro offers powerful editing features, color grading options, and audio enhancement capabilities.
2. Final Cut Pro: Exclusively for Mac users, Final Cut Pro provides proficient tools for editing, sound design, graphics, and delivery. Its Magnetic Timeline feature improves flexibility and control over the editing process.
3. Avid Media Composer: Avid is a strong industry contender, favored by professionals. It has advanced editing tools, 3D effects capability and is perfect for larger and high-resolution projects.
4. DaVinci Resolve: Free for basic use with an optional paid version, DaVinci Resolve combines editing, color correction, visual effects, motion graphics, and audio post-production in one tool.
5. Adobe After Effects: Useful for adding visual effects to your footage, Adobe After Effects is a powerful tool for graphic animation and compositing.

The process becomes much smoother and effective when you're equipped with the right tools. With an investment in these recommended tools, your journey from pre-production to distribution can be more organized, efficient, and productive.

Conclusion

Creating a commercial film involves careful planning and execution, blending storytelling and marketing strategies in an appealing way.

The journey might seem daunting, but with the right preparation, communication, and creative vision, you can certainly turn your conceptual thoughts into a compelling commercial film.

In addition, the process becomes much smoother and effective when you're equipped with the right tools.

With an investment in these recommended tools, your journey from pre-production to distribution can be more organized, efficient, and productive.

Stay dedicated, stay organized, and always be open to learning new tricks of the trade to achieve success in the world of commercial filmmaking.