How to Tell a Visual Story

Key Elements in a Film

1. The Script/Screenplay
   Without a story, we have no film, even if we have the best actors and/or production.
2. The Actors
   Actors usually play fictional characters. When an actor is miscast, it's harder for the audience to suspend belief, in other words believe that the actor is indeed the character.
3. The Editing
   The images themselves are not sufficient. They're very important, but they're only images. What's essential is the duration of each image and that which follows each image. The editor is the ultimate story teller.
4. The Cinematography
   It's the discipline of making lighting and camera choices when recording images for the cinema. The person responsible for a feature being correctly lit, shot and framed, is also known as the Director of Photography (DP or DOP).
5. The Direction
   The director is the leader who shapes the visual part of the story telling and creates the tone and style as well as guide the actors' performances. The decison maker.
6. The Sound
   The sound is said to be equal or more important than the picture. It's composed of dialog, music and sound effects.
7. The Location
   The accuracy and mood of the movie depend on where it is shot.
8. The Casting
   The casting director finds actors for the parts in the script. This normally requires an audition by the actor. Lead actors are carefully chosen and are often based on the actor's reputation or "star power."
9. The Continuity
   Consistency of the characteristics of persons, plot, objects, places and events. It's particularly a concern in the production of a film due to the difficulty of rectifying errors after shooting has completed. This is handled by a script supervisor.
10. The Art Direction
    The art department makes production sets, costumes and provides makeup & hair styling services.