The film and video production industry in the US has been grappling with major challenges in post-pandemic times. The recovery has been slow, and production companies are struggling to maintain a healthy flow of projects as competing online streaming services are steadily reducing their budgets for original content.
IBIS World notes that revenue from the industry is projected to grow steadily through the end of 2025, but coming nowhere near the income reported in the five years before Covid hit.
In this competitive filmmaking landscape, the speed at which your project gets on the floor matters. Fast approval for project ideas gets you on track for bringing a project to life, so you can move on to pitching your next idea and stack up commissions. While this is certainly true for film projects intended for cinematic release, it’s also the case for smaller ideas, like TV shows, ads, branded video content and games.
However, the pre-production phase can be the most challenging part of the journey. Ideating for the screen is an art, and even the best creative teams may have a hard time trying to convince stakeholders about the potential of their ideas. In this article, we will share a few actionable tips to get your project concepts approved faster.
The Role of a Script in the Pre-Production Phase
A movie script is more than just a collection of scenes and dialogue. Think of it as the foundation on which a film is built. Eventually, it is the basis for a blueprint that details your plans for how the film should be made, from its narrative structure to character arcs, and visual elements like mood, locations and casting decisions.
A script also serves as a guide for every stakeholder and department involved in the production process. It sets the tone and direction and influences key decisions on budget allocation. Team members can be on the same page with a unified vision for the project by following the script. In this sense, other assets like pitch decks, storyboards and mood references can be highly impactful.
Considering all that a script does for a film, writers are not given a lot of time to work on it. According to No Film School, the usual contract for scriptwriting allows for an average of 12 weeks for the delivery of the first draft. Imagine how hard you will need to work on the draft to create something that clicks. After the writing part, you may struggle to get approval for it.
While there are no shortcuts to impress sponsors, producers and other key stakeholders, you can definitely try some things to get a nod. We will now list the tips to streamline and speed up the approval process.
Understanding Your Audience
Selling a film idea can be compared to marketing a high-value product. You cannot do it without understanding your target audience. Clearly defining personas who are most likely to engage with your idea is the only way to create a storyline that resonates with them.
While creative flair can give you an upper hand, it’s also important to invest in in-depth research on audience demographics, interests, and preferences. This knowledge will help you craft a narrative that will captivate these people – and to make the business case for the eventual success of your project.
Indeed, it will make your concept more appealing to producers and investors. A script that resonates with the audience has a better chance of being greenlit because it has a higher potential for market acceptance and success.
Creating a Succinct Outline
A well-structured treatment outline that presents your idea effectively is the next step to boost the chances of approval for your script.
It should clearly convey the story’s premise, plot twists, main characters, and resolution. For producers to give a nod, the outline should present a story they can understand and connect with.
A tool like Celtx can simplify outline creation by automating standard tasks and letting you focus on crafting a compelling narrative. For example, auto-formatting keeps your script in industry-standard format, saving time and ensuring consistency. You can write for various formats, from screenplays to production guides to game scripts, as Celtx’s multi-format support has you covered.
Communicating Ideas with Visual Concepts
What will impress a stakeholder more than a compelling script? Concept visuals, of course. Visual storytelling can take the presentation of your script idea to the next level. When the people you’re pitching to are able to envision the final product, they will be more inclined to green-light the project quickly.
LTX Studio can help you create storyboards that bring your concept to life. You can convey the tone and style of your project by visualizing key scenes and sequences using AI from Lightricks.
This tool can transform basic ideas into comprehensive storyboards and pitch decks, allowing users to customize style, setting, mood, character design, settings, effects and camera motion on a granular level. LTX Studio also enables seamless collaboration with team members to ensure they can edit ideas together, keeping everyone aligned when it comes to the project’s vision.
Being Prepared to Address Questions
When trying to bring stakeholders to your side, you will have to do more than impress them with a narrative. They will likely have questions and concerns, specifically regarding the project’s feasibility and budget. After all, they intend to earn profits from the finished project, ensuring that their investment is safe. Be prepared with answers beforehand.
That requires knowing your script inside out and having valuable information at hand. StudioBinder is a tool that helps you with script breakdowns to answer these queries from a production perspective.
You can use it to tag and categorize script elements, from props to locations. Further, you can generate reports and share breakdowns with your team.
Implementing Changes Based on Feedback
Feedback is an integral part of the approval process, no matter how confident you are about the narrative. You should be open to revisions and adopt a flexible and proactive approach to make quick changes according to the feedback you get.
A tool like Highland can streamline this process. You can use Highland’s revision mode to track changes, collaborate with others, and refine your script efficiently.
The platform also offers a drag-and-drop navigator that simplifies the process of reorganizing scenes and assets and makes script revisions more intuitive.
The Speed of Yes
Filmmaking is a complex process, and obtaining script approval is perhaps the trickiest part. Fast approval requires more than a great script to get stakeholders to green-light your project. Creativity, effective communication, and strategic planning can set you up for success. You can also leverage these tried-and-tested tools to make your concept stand out and maximize the chances of expediting a green light.
