How Movies are Made --  Facts for Kids From the Wonder Rotunda

This material is drawn from the "Learn More" reading opportunities in the "You're The Star- Movie Adventure" at the Wonder Rotunda, an on-line educational them park for ages 7-12.


The Role of the Director

The director is like the conductor of an orchestra. The director coaches and guides the actors, and issues instructions to the cinematographer, the script supervisor and the sound mixer.   
 
The cinematographer is responsible for the giving the director what he wants when it comes to the framing of a scene (what is seen on film), including the lighting, camera lens, camera angle, camera movement, and special effects. The cinematographer has a team of assistants known as grips and gaffers. The grips move cameras around the set for each scene. The gaffers are responsible for lighting.
 
The script supervisor is responsible for taking notes on the different scenes that have been shot, camera angles used, script changes and the running time of the scenes. The director uses these notes to ensure continuity in the scenes, and during the editing process.  
 
The sound mixer is responsible for recording all sound during filming, including the choice of microphones. The sound mixer decides on the volume level for all microphones and their placement on the actors and set.

Role of the Screenwriter

Every successful movie begins with a script, also known as a screenplay. The screenwriter is responsible for telling a story. A story told and performed in the theater, or for film is known as a drama.
 
In a typical drama, we learn of a problem and then the tension builds scene by scene until we reach a point of the highest tension, known as the climax, where the problem is resolved for better or for worse. With the problem resolved, the story moves very quickly to a conclusion, also known as a denouement.  
 
Writing screenplays is different than writing books, because the writer must always keep in mind how the dialogue and action will appear on screen. Sometimes screenwriters are hired to turn a book into a screenplay. Other times they are asked to turn an idea into a script.  Often the idea or story comes directly from the screenwriter.

Sound Stages

Sound stages are large buildings as big as airplane hangers, which enable a director to film a movie in a controlled space. Lighting, sound and sets can be built to meet the precise specifications of the director.  
 
Most sound stages are designed to accommodate any lighting requirements and many are equipped with silent air conditioning to allow for continuous shooting and a quick exhaust system for special effects. Sound stages are large buildings as big as airplane hangers, which enable a director to film a movie in a controlled space. Lighting, sound and sets can be built to meet the precise specifications of the director.  
 
Most sound stages are designed to accommodate any lighting requirements and many are equipped with silent air conditioning to allow for continuous shooting and a quick exhaust system for special effects.

Sets and Facades

As you've learned, facades can be used to create the illusion of real structure, such as a house or office building. Facades allow the director to film a scene without the cost and dangers associated with filming at great heights. Many people are typically involved in the creation of the sets and facades. The production designer works with the director to conceive and oversee the construction of the scenery, sets, facades and props.
 
The film's art director works for the production director and is responsible for the design of sets. Design often begins with detailed drawings and the production of scale models.
 
The set decorator dresses the set with props, furnishings and other elements. A set construction crew, which typically includes carpenters, electricians and welders, builds the set.

Camera Angles

Cinematographers use many different camera angles to create different moods and emotions. You will recognize many of these angles from movies or television shows you have seen.  
 
The Close-Up shows a fairly small part of the scene, such as a character's face, in great detail so that it fills the screen. In doing so the character seems isolated or separated from the outside world. Close-ups focus attention on the feelings or reactions of a character.
 
The Long View Shot shows all or most of a character and much of the surroundings. This type of shot is often used to show the larger natural or social setting around the character.
 
An Establishing Shot is the opening sequence that introduces the audience to a scene. An overhead view of a city, or the outside of a house are examples of establishing shots.
 
A Point of View Shot places the camera close to the sight line of the actor, so that the audience sees what the actor is seeing.

Lighting

Soft and hard lighting can be used to alter the mood of a shot and the audience's emotions towards a setting or a character. The way light is used can make objects, people and environments look beautiful or ugly, soft or hard, artificial or real.  
 
Soft lighting creates few shadows and makes the character look more approachable. Soft lighting can be used to create a romantic mood. Hard lighting can cast more shadows and make a character look more mysterious or threatening.

Lighting a scene typically involves three components, the key light (which illuminates the subject of the scene or character), the back light (which gives depth and creates a halo effect between the subject and the background) and fill light (which diminishes shadows around the subject).

Blue Screen Technique

As you have learned, blue screen technique allows the director to put any background he or she desires behind the actors. This saves time and money that would be needed to shoot a full scene with actors on location. It also reduces the risk of injury to an actor in a scene that involves great heights, such as our ledge scene, or other danger.
 
The way blue screen technique works is fairly straight forward. It involves combining two different pieces of film into one.  In the ledge scene, the director first went on location to New York and shot the view of the street and traffic looking down from the top of a tall building. This background shot is known as the background plate. He then shot our young actor hanging off the ledge with a bright blue background screen below. This is where the name blue screen technique comes from.
 
In post production editing, the two shots were combined together. This is done by making mattes, or silhouettes, of the actor and then placing the silhouette into the background film footage.

Post Production Editing

Editing is the process of stringing together the different shots created during the filming of a movie in just the right order to tell a story.  
 
The Editor employs techniques such as fades which is a gradual transitions between shots. Fades are often used to suggest the passage of time or flashbacks.  
 
A cut is a sudden change of shot from one location or viewpoint to another. Editors try to match the pacing of their cuts with the story telling and drama.

Another popular technique, which you have probably seen on television, is the split screen, which can show action taking place at the same time in two different places.

Audio Editing

As you have learned, sound editing is one of the last stages of film production. But, it is extremely important because it gives the director a final opportunity to mold the film into his creative vision.   
 
Foley Audio are sounds added to a film during post-production.  
 
In the case of the ledge scene, such sounds included the meow of the cat, sounds from the crowd below, and hands grabbing and then slipping on the ledge. Foley Artists are the specialists who perform or create sounds in a sound studio such as creaking doors, foot steps, among so many others. Film production studios typically have sound libraries with just about any sound you can imagine. Sound mixing is the process of taking all the sounds which are on many different audio tracks and blending them together for the final cut of the movie.
 
Moods can be created using the right music or background effects. Sometimes directors use music or background noise to hint at possible plot developments. The sound editor must also clean up the dialogue tracks of a film to make sure that voices are at consistent sound levels and clear.

About the Wonder Rotunda

The Wonder Rotunda is an educational theme park (for ages 7-12) that sparks curiosity, helps kids find their interests and passions, and inspires them to think about making a mark in the world. Topics explored include marine life, space exploration, animal life, classical music, nutrition, American government, globalization, climate change, money and business, the visual and performing arts, film making and climate change. Take the Free Tour.

About the "You’re the Star-- Movie Adventure"

You appear for a back lot tour at a Movie Studio, and next thing you know you’re replacing an actor that didn’t show up for the shoot. No problem right? Except, the part you’re playing requires you climb out on a narrow ledge 20 stories above a city street to rescue a cat. On this adventure you learn how movies are made