What to expect from line production company ?
Line production is an integral part of a film production company. Line producers are usually the first ones to be employed before the actual filming begins. Even though a key member of the team, line producers are not usually involved in the creative part of the film. They manage business aspect of film and ensure that day to day function of production goes smoothly and that the project is finished on time. If a script demands shooting in multiple locations across different cities or countries with a huge number of crew/ extras, it is always advisable to look for a local line production company, to save your time and money.
When looking to hire a line production team, one should expect the professionals to have considerable industry experience and in-depth knowledge of scheduling, budgeting, and technical processes of filmmaking. Excellent industry contacts and exceptional communication skills are must for line producers as they work as a bridge between producers and the filming crew. You can get the following benefits for line production support;
- Location Scouting:
A landscape that looks like straight out of fairy tales, a white church in a quaint cozy town, beautiful backwaters in faraway land or a fast paced city life; if a script demands it; a line production team is there to help you get that perfect location for your film. They have strong network of local contacts around, ready to find locations suitable for different moods of your film.
- Shooting permits & security:
Acquiring shooting permits can be quite a daunting task since different laws are applied across different geographies. Even if shooting within the same country in various locations, there might be different rules and regulations basis the cultural heritage or historical significance of that place. A skilled line production team is well versed with local laws and has strong connections locally to help obtain necessary shooting permits for filming company. They ensure that appropriate police and security measures are in place for crowd control and the shooting is not interrupted due to any unpleasant situation.
- Crew and Equipment Hire:
Great crew makes great films. An expert production crew is vital in ensuring the best execution of your directorial vision. A skilled camera person, stunt director, sound recordist, grip or gaffer is as important as getting the right equipment for shooting. If travelling with a big team in multiple locations, it is easier to rent the gadgets like cranes, lights, grips, dollies etc. from local suppliers to avoid unnecessary hassles and losses in transition. Local line producers are the best bet to acquire essential equipment, crew and extras at fairly competitive price to make your life easier.
- Logistics:
Whether the film demands five-stars, budget hotels or mid-range stays, the line production team can easily organize accommodation for entire crew basis the location, budget and safety of people working on the set. They also have a local network of reliable car rental companies with knowledgeable, experienced and safe drivers, which can save your energy and time on more important things like shooting.
- Interpretation/Translation:
Shooting on diverse locations makes it essential to have someone with the knowledge of local language or dialect. It is the responsibility of a line production company to ensure that the team has skilled interpreters for smooth workflow across culture and the filmmakers do not fall into any troubles during the shoot while dealing with the complex customs, traditions and taboos in a sensitive manner.
- Post production assistance:
During the shoot, line production team work closely with art director, production managers and assistant directors to ensure that shoot commences as per the schedule and finishes within the specified budget and timeline, and also oversee the ‘wrap’ or winding down of the shooting. Basis your need, experienced production team can also help you with post production phase by hiring the best editing professionals and supervise the post production work like editing, VFX, sound design and overall packaging of your project.
