Principal photography
Encyclopedia
Principal photography is the phase of film production in which the movie is filmed, with actors on set and cameras rolling, as distinct from pre-production
and post-production
.
Principal photography is usually the most expensive phase of film production, generally due to actor, director, and set crew salaries, the costs of certain shots, including any props or on-set special effects. Its start generally marks a point of no return
for the financiers, because until it is complete there is unlikely to be enough material filmed to release a final product needed to recoup costs. While it is common for a film to lose its greenlight status
during pre-production (for example, because an important cast member drops out), it is extremely uncommon for finance to be withdrawn once principal photography has commenced, and it is usually regarded as a catastrophe.
Once a film concludes principal photography, it is said to have wrapped, and a wrap party may be organized to celebrate. During post-production
, it may become clear that certain shots or sequences are missing or incomplete and are required to complete the film, or that a certain scene is not playing as expected, or even that a particular actor has failed to turn in a performance of the required caliber. In these circumstances, additional material may have to be shot. If the material has already been shot once, or is substantial, the process is referred to as a re-shoot, but if the material is new and relatively minor, it is often referred to as a pick-up.
Pre-production
Pre-production or In Production is the process of preparing all the elements involved in a film, play, or other performance.- In film :...
and post-production
Post-production
Post-production is part of filmmaking and the video production process. It occurs in the making of motion pictures, television programs, radio programs, advertising, audio recordings, photography, and digital art...
.
Principal photography is usually the most expensive phase of film production, generally due to actor, director, and set crew salaries, the costs of certain shots, including any props or on-set special effects. Its start generally marks a point of no return
Point of no return
The point of no return is the point beyond which one must continue on his or her current course of action because turning back is physically impossible, prohibitively expensive or dangerous. It is also used when the distance or effort required to get back would be greater than the remainder of the...
for the financiers, because until it is complete there is unlikely to be enough material filmed to release a final product needed to recoup costs. While it is common for a film to lose its greenlight status
Greenlight
To green-light a project is to give permission or a go ahead to move forward with a project. In the context of the movie and TV businesses, to green-light something is to formally approve its production finance, thereby allowing the project to move forward from the development phase to...
during pre-production (for example, because an important cast member drops out), it is extremely uncommon for finance to be withdrawn once principal photography has commenced, and it is usually regarded as a catastrophe.
Once a film concludes principal photography, it is said to have wrapped, and a wrap party may be organized to celebrate. During post-production
Post-production
Post-production is part of filmmaking and the video production process. It occurs in the making of motion pictures, television programs, radio programs, advertising, audio recordings, photography, and digital art...
, it may become clear that certain shots or sequences are missing or incomplete and are required to complete the film, or that a certain scene is not playing as expected, or even that a particular actor has failed to turn in a performance of the required caliber. In these circumstances, additional material may have to be shot. If the material has already been shot once, or is substantial, the process is referred to as a re-shoot, but if the material is new and relatively minor, it is often referred to as a pick-up.