Movies for TV - Early Television Foundation

FILM COMMERCIALS 309
script should be examined to find out what it calls for in the way
of sets and whether any of these are on location or all in the
studio. If any are on location the question of traveling and trans-
portation costs become important when compared to the cost of
making equivalent sets in the studio or even using stock shots in
back-projection equipment to save the cost of building or traveling.
If quality is the aim, it is best to avoid use of stock shots unless
they are known to be good. If process shots are called for, the
question of cost arises again is it optical effects, slow-motion,
miniatures (costly), back shots, or any one of a dozen other types
of effect?
What of the writer? Is he good and has the script he prepared
made the best use of all the facilities you have available at the
cheapest rate? Does it call for special lighting effects which will
run up big bills or elaborate wardrobes and scenery which requires
a specially large studio to produce? If you have to go on location,
will it entail taking a large amount of equipment along to add to
transportation costs? Are the director, cast, and narrator if
narration is used all capable of good work in return for a good
day's pay? Speaking of sound brings
us to music. Will there be
music and if so, how will it be produced? The AFM has now commenced
to set rates for musicians for television films and the
amount and type of musician required is important. Sound effects
and animation can run up costs, the latter to fantastic amounts.
Generally speaking, animation and live action will not be combined
in one spot or commercial due to the enormous cost of ani-
mation. Film stock (raw) and editing have a very direct bearing
on the cost of production. If the producer and editor can work
well together and eliminate expensive retakes and discarded film,
the shooting ratio that is, the ratio of exposed film to actually
used film which is usually four or five to one can be reduced
perhaps to three or four to one.
These are the things which run up the costs of film production.
There are others, of course, which do not appear and are not as
easy to separate. But before even starting to think about quoting
a price for a film, it is essential to read the script through very