film production

thumb|Film crew and cast members working together during principal photography

Filmmaking, or film production, is the process of creating a motion picture. Traditionally, filmmaking is thought of as a process specific for the creation of feature films; however, its iconic methodology has been used in the creation of other types of filmed products, including movies and episodic series for streaming and network broadcasting, commercials and advertisements, animations, music videos, and documentaries. It involves a number of distinct stages, including an initial story idea or commission, followed by screenwriting, casting, pre-production, shooting, sound recording, post-production, and screening the finished product before an audience, which may result in a film release distribution and exhibition. The process is nonlinear, in that the filmmaker typically shoots the script out of sequence, repeats shots as needed, and puts them together through editing later. Filmmaking takes place in a variety of economic, social, and political contexts around the world and uses a wide range of technologies and cinematic techniques. While originally films were recorded on photographic film, most modern filmmaking is now digital.