What is principal photography? In a nutshell, it is a type of photography that involves a lot of planning and long hours of shooting. Principal photography can either be pre-recording or post-recording. In pre-recording, principal photography usually takes place when the director is filming his or her movie and all the principal photography happens during a shoot in a private location. For most movies, this is usually done on an independent basis while studios usually hire a main videographer for principal photography.
The term pre-recording refers to non-recording activities. During this stage, there is no editing of the footage. The director is free to do whatever he or she wants with the film; the only restriction is the type of footage that he or she will be using. For example, if he wants to shoot in the rain, he just has his people go out and take shots. If he wants to shoot inside a building, he has the people exit through the windows.
Post-production on the other hand, is the stage where all the editing, sound, and vision has been integrated to turn the film into a product ready for release. There are two types of editing that can be done during principal photography. These include cutting away extra footage or using Steadicam to get actors moving around in tight spaces. Visual effects, which includes everything from smoke and fog to explosions, are also edited in post-production although they are not considered part of the film itself.
With principal photography, the crew will already have the film developed and edited. Most directors prefer to do their own lighting and sound, so they do not have to hire anyone for this task. However, in some cases, the director will hire actors or crew members who are skilled in order to complete the film.
When shooting a commercial, the first day of filming is referred to as the “day of no sight.” No one on the crew will be doing anything. It is during this period that the principal photography begins. Many filmmakers refer to this period as the “break” because it allows them to go back and edit what they have filmed.
As mentioned earlier, principal photography refers to the filming of a television show or commercial. The second phase of this process is known as “breakage.” This is when the film is being edited. Each actor, director, and other crew members are allowed to look at the film and make any changes that they may wish to make. In the case of movies, all actors are required to agree with what is shown on the film before it is released.
Another question that must be asked is, what is principal photography in film? The answer is simple: it is the beginning. No one ever goes into a filmmaking shoot thinking that it will last for hours upon hours. Most shooting schedules range from two to four days. Each takes place in one location only, but because the film is a commercial production, the creativity comes to the forefront at each step along the way.
As mentioned earlier, what is principal photography in the film is the expensive phase of production. The second phase, breakage, often occurs even at the beginning stages of production. When an actor is killed or injured during the shooting of a television project, the film company may need to re-shoot the scene to match the actor’s appearance. However, this is not always the case. Sometimes, shots must be taken again to match what was originally thought to be the appearance of that character. Every aspect of film-making is affected by principle photography.