The business of film

Making a film is a creative endeavour, but it's also a business project. And just like any other business, most films are intended to make money.This free online course, The business of film, will show you how film production works. It has been created with Pinewood Studios – the leading provider of studio services to the global screen-based industries.Using the value chain concept and film case studies, with input throughout from individuals involved in making those films, the course provides a practical, in-depth exploration of how film financing works, and the key business decisions that are made along the way.It addresses questions like:Why do films fail?Why are intellectual property and copyright important?Why do films get public funding?What is the relationship between marketing, box office returns and film success?The course will examine these topics in the film industry as it stands today, as well as considering how further changes could impact the industry and its stakeholders.This course material was originally written for FutureLearn in 2015. It was published on OpenLearn in February 2019.

• Week 1: The value of film
• Week 2: Developing a film
• Week 3: Where do films go to?
• Week 4: Where does the money come from?
• Week 5: Making the film
• Week 6: Film: past and future