Updated: May 29, 2006
By Hazim Bitar
"Production value" is a term that can be as subjective as determining "broadcast" quality. Yet most would agree that production value is a key pillar of filmmaking success.
From a commercial TV broadcast point of view, production value could mean your film is so good it will generate a handsome profit. Why? Because it will compel viewers to watch it on TV, thus generating advertising revenues.
From a film festival point of view, the production value of selected films could improve the image of the film festival, attracting more viewers, reaping more revenues from ticket sales, and attracting more film distributors and corporate sponsors. The prestige and visibility of a film festival depends largely on its film selection.
From an indie filmmakers' point of view, which includes Cooperative filmmakers, it could mean your film will appeal to viewers with a more specialized taste, or win film festival awards, even if you may never see your film on mainstream TV.
The ultimate judge of production value is the target audience. If you keep them interested in your film, it's a sign of good production value. If they come back for your next film, you are on the right track. If they pay to see your film, well, enough said.
But what if you wish to ensure your film will be "watchable" before the audience sees it?
No one has the answer as to what makes a film successful. But we have few good guesses from past observations.
For filmmakers with limited means, increasing production value with the least amount of cost is important. Hollywood spends tens of millions to add production value to their films, hoping to pack theaters during the first few days of the film's debut. From expensive stunts to special effects, from high-profile movie stars to super soundtracks, all in the quest for boosting production value.
So you can't rent a camera crane. And you don't have enough money to hire a professional cinematographer (not that indie filmmakers are known to relinquish control of this job). And you don't have access to professional studios to capture that great interview in a perfectly lit, audio-friendly environment. What an indie filmmaker to do?
Some of the most successful indie filmmakers had to compensate for a serious lack of material resources with their creativity, originality, hard-work, and technical know-how. This is the beauty of the indie filmmaking dogma: It stretches the imagination, the intelligence, and the muscles of its practitioners above and beyond any form of communication.
For an indie filmmaker, production value can be accomplished, at no cost, by mastering the available tools of production. Of course this process takes time and practice.
Anyone can learn Adobe Premiere or Final Cut Pro. Few take the time to learn the intricacies of their filmmaking tools to deliver films with superior image quality, better editing, and interesting effects.
The same is true for camera techniques. During the Cooperative's filmmaking workshops, we place great emphasis on quality of the shot. It does not cost much to get a good shot; it just takes a bit more effort.
The knowledge of making better editing cuts, writing a good script, or getting the most out of your filmmaking tools, for example, is available freely on the web. Good books on the subject can be had for a few dinars. Not to mention the Cooperative's free filmmaking workshops, which provide filmmakers with a unique opportunity to witness first-hand how films are created, and to learn from industry professionals.
As for the story driving the film, that's also another area for indie filmmakers to excel, at no cost. While Hollywood can erect a town from scratch to match the visions of the screenwriter and director, you may have to write a script that matches the reality around you. Life is full of interesting stories. Developing an eye and ear for a good story can be a matter of reading the local papers and watching plenty of films, with a critical eye.
A good film busts the clichés.
Nothing draws yawns from an audience than a typical story they have watched before with similar script, places, and characters. Even a cliché story can be turned into a fantastic film if the characters, locations, script, and quality of footage are good.
A film is the sum of its parts. For example, so many film documentaries have been produced on the Palestinian experience. A good number of those films slip into oblivion. But a few others make such a powerful impact they eventually leave a permanent mark on the history of filmmaking, and nudge the course of political developments in favor of the protagonists, possibly saving lives in the process.
What makes a film documentary like "Jenin Jenin" so popular internationally while other films on the Jenin massacre never made it beyond the production studio? The timing, location, characters, quality of footage, and of course, promotion and distribution (the last two will fall into place if the production value is high); all of these factors have to stand out when compared to other existing films to endow it with greater production value.
To be realistic, junior indie filmmakers are not expected to roll their sleeves and head to Baghdad or Jenin and start filming, even though producing such documentary films has become the de-facto rite of passage for any serious documentary filmmaker today in our region.
Cooperative filmmakers who have already completed their first films are encouraged to strive to produce their next films with an eye on increasing the production value through better use of their video camera, editing tools, audio recording and, above all, more challenging stories about interesting issues, characters, and places.
Incremental improvements in filmmaking techniques, by new filmmakers, will over time help enhance the production value of their films.
This is one of the main reasons the Cooperative encourages its new filmmakers to focus on the production of short films, less than 5 minu. in duration. Long-form films exhaust the energies of the junior indie filmmaker, yet do not offer a learning experience that is markedly better than that gained from producing a short film.
The cumulative experience gained from producing many short films, combined with expert feedback and audience reactions, will help new indie filmmakers develop a sense of what it takes to increase the production value at minimal cost.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Hazim Bitar is founder and coordinator of the Amman Filmmakers Cooperative. For more information about the Cooperative visit http://JordanianFilms.com
Author can be contacted at: AmmanFilmmakers@alif.com
(c) 2003 By
Hazim Bitar.
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