Roadmap

Film production is a marathon, not a sprint.

Promo Site Creation and Interest Statistics Collection

Creating a promo site for direct engagement with the audience. In parallel with working on theatrical distribution, we are building a database of interested viewers to assess the potential for an online premiere. Visitor feedback will help calculate the marketing budget and make the film accessible to the largest possible audience.

Unlike studio blockbusters, in indie cinema the script is often adapted to the locations available to the team, rather than vice versa. That's why we are currently scouting and documenting interesting places that will form the basis for future scenes. This approach allows us to achieve maximum realism and quality within a limited budget.

The heart and mind of our film. At this stage, we need to find a creative partnership that can not only tell but show our story, infusing it with a distinct authorial style, emotion, and meaning. This is the search for the people who will turn text and ideas into real cinema.

This is an iterative process of story creation, which in the initial stages does not involve detailed screenplay formatting. We write, receive feedback from readers and literary communities, and then rewrite again. Special attention is paid to dialogue: each character's lines must be so unique they can be recognized even without the speaker's name being mentioned. All events must also flow logically from one another, creating a cohesive narrative.

The core vision for the story is ready, and our task now is to assemble a team of key creative specialists who will bring it to life on screen.

Film Editor: We are bringing him in at this very early stage. A fresh perspective from a professional who thinks in rhythm and structure will help us refine the script and ensure the story works as effectively as possible.

Director of Photography (DP): Together with him, we develop the visual language of the film. By discussing each scene, we translate ideas and emotions into the language of light, color, and composition, and also compile a precise list of necessary filming equipment.

Sound Designer: Sound is half the movie. At this stage, we are planning not only for high-quality dialogue recording but for the entire sound atmosphere that will immerse the viewer in our story.

Feedback from each of these specialists helps us make the final revisions to the script, turning it into a true blueprint for the future film

We conduct a live reading of the script with actors hired for one evening. This stage allows us to test the dialogue and the story's rhythm in real-time, hear reactions, and gather critiques. Based on the feedback received, we make final adjustments to the script before filming begins.

At this stage, for the first time, we actually see our future film. The script is translated into drawn pictures—a storyboard—where each scene is broken down into separate shots. For this task, we bring in an artist to visualize the director's vision.

We then take it further:

  1. Each storyboard drawing becomes a frame in an editing program.
  2. We add rough dialogue audio, sound effects, and music.
  3. The result is an animatic - a complete rough cut of the film in the form of an animated comic.

This "rough film" allows us to assess the rhythm, tempo, and dynamics of the story before filming begins, test editing decisions, and make changes that would cost enormous amounts of money and time on a film set.

At this stage, we turn the polished script into a precise technical document, fully ready for filming and legally protected. The process includes three key steps:

  1. Literary and technical preparation: The script undergoes a final edit, receives professional screenplay formatting according to global standards, and is translated into several languages (Russian, Latvian, English) for working with the international team and partners.
  2. Creation of the shooting script: Together with the director, director of photography, and sound designer, we transform the text into a detailed plan for filming. This document is supplemented with storyboards, prop lists, camera plans, and notes on sound and lighting—it is the true blueprint for the future film.
  3. Legal protection: To protect our intellectual property at the international level, we register the script with the Writers Guild of America (WGA). This is an official confirmation of authorship and the date of creation, after which the appropriate mark appears on the title page.

At this stage, our creative project officially becomes a business. We are building a solid legal and financial foundation, which is necessary for attracting financing, signing contracts, and starting production.

Establishing Legal Entities: In collaboration with a lawyer and an accountant, we are registering 2 companies - a "Film Cooperative" for the film's production and a Producer LLC (SIA) for handling business operations and protecting production assets from risks.

Legal Protection: We are developing a package of standard contracts for the entire film crew, actors, and partners. We are also consulting on the trademark registration for the film's title to protect our brand.

As a result, we get a company that is fully ready for operation, legally protected, and financially transparent. This is a key step that opens the door to the next stage - the search for financing..

With a finished script and a detailed production plan, we are moving to the key stage – securing resources for the project and building its path to the audience. We are using a multi-channel strategy to diversify risks and maximize the chances of success.

  • Financial Planning: We are creating a detailed estimate (budget) for the film, which covers all stages from filming to marketing. Based on this budget, we are calculating the potential return on investment (ROI) for future partners.
  • Working with the Industry: We are pitching the project to film distributors and looking for theatrical release partners. Simultaneously, we are applying for public (state) and private grants intended for film production support.
  • Crowdfunding and Direct Support: We believe in the power of community. For this, a special section will be launched on the company's website, as well as pages on leading crowdfunding platforms, where anyone interested can support the film and become part of its story.
  • Private Investment and Sponsorship: We are actively seeking private investors ("business angels") and negotiating partnerships with brands. Special attention is given to companies whose products or services can be organically integrated into the plot, for example, manufacturers of luxury goods and ATMs.
  • Seeking Support: We are reaching out for support to public organizations and foundations that share our project's values.

This comprehensive approach allows us to be flexible and provides the project with a solid financial foundation for its successful realization.

Preproduction

This is the preparation stage where we create project documentation and step-by-step instructions for the entire film crew. The goal is to minimize surprises on set and use filming time as efficiently as possible.

  • Production Bible: We collect all key information into a single document. It includes full contact details for the team and vendors, schedules, detailed job descriptions, as well as all location information, including addresses, permits, and travel routes.
  • Location Strategy: Each scene is numbered and linked to a specific filming location. For all key locations, we find and work out backup options (Plan B) in advance to be ready for any force majeure.
  • Visual Plan (Blocking and Mise-en-scène): We don't wait for filming to start to decide where the actors and camera will stand. For every scene, floor plans are drawn up, detailing the "dance" of the camera and the movement of the actors. This blueprint allows the cinematographer and director to speak the same language and arrive on set with ready-made solutions.

As a result, we get not just a script, but a precise "roadmap" that will lead us to the finished film with minimal costs and maximum creative results.

With a full package of documents and an action plan, we move to the most exciting stage – gathering the people who will become the face and driving force of our film.

  • Casting Actors: We begin searching for those who won't just play but will become our heroes. The casting process is built on principles of creative collaboration. At the heart of our work with actors lies a "mutual promise" — honest dialogue and creating an atmosphere of trust where every artist can fully reveal their talent and contribute to the character's image.
  • Hiring the Crew: In parallel, we are fully staffing all production departments. We hire the remaining specialists — from the production designer and gaffers to assistants and makeup artists. Our goal is to assemble a cohesive team of professionals where everyone clearly knows their task and is passionate about the common cause.

Now we have not only a plan but also a dream team ready to bring it to life.

This is the final stage of scouting and planning, where we approve the "look" and "sound" of our film. Every detail the viewer sees and hears is worked out even before the camera turns on.

  • Technical Location Scout (Tech Scout): The key team – director, director of photography, and sound designer – personally visits every approved location. The visit is planned for the same day of the week and time as the future shoot to assess natural light and potential noise interference. On-site, all technical and logistical rules are agreed upon: access to electricity, parking, and areas for equipment and crew rest.
  • Production Designer's Work: Having received final photos of the locations, the production designer develops the overall color palette for the film and each individual scene. They create a detailed estimate for props and set decoration and, after budget approval, make all necessary purchases.
  • Creating Looks (Costume and Makeup): The costume designer develops a wardrobe for each character. They also inspect the actors' personal clothing – if it fits, this saves budget, and the actor receives a small additional payment. Doubles are prepared for every key costume in case of damage. In parallel, a full kit of cosmetics and supplies necessary for creating and maintaining looks throughout the entire shoot is being assembled for the makeup artist.

As a result of this stage, we have not only a complete understanding of what we are filming, but also how, where, and with what.

Technical specialists compile a list of necessary equipment, while the production designer compiles and purchases all essential props so that every frame looks authentic. All expenses are officially processed through our production company, protecting the purchased assets from risk of loss.

Before the first day of filming, we fully secure the project. We obtain all necessary insurance policies: general liability for working on locations, full coverage for all equipment, and, most importantly, health and accident insurance for every crew member. This guarantees that we are prepared for any contingencies and can focus entirely on creativity.

This is the final stage of signing all contracts that ensure smooth operations on set. We officially secure filming rights for all locations, sign a catering agreement to organize crew meals taking into account all needs, and hire all necessary transport for moving people and equipment. This allows us to begin filming confident that all practical and logistical issues are resolved.

This is the last point on the pre-production map. We gather the heads of all departments to synchronize plans and set the tone for productive and respectful work on set.

General Coordination Meeting: We hold a final production meeting where we once again go through the schedule and key aspects of the shooting plan.

Creating a Feedback System: We believe in a culture of continuous improvement. To achieve this, two simple tools are introduced: an anonymous complaint and suggestion form, allowing for the prompt resolution of any emerging issues, and an internal document for recording both successes and mistakes. This helps us learn from our own experience and makes the workflow maximally efficient and healthy.

After this meeting, the preparation phase is officially considered complete.

Production

This is the first and one of the most important stages of Production, where we turn theory into practice. Over the course of a month, the team immerses itself in the material, and all processes are fine-tuned to automaticity.

  • Actors' Rehearsals: For a month, the actors work on their roles under the director's guidance. Rehearsals take place both in the studio and directly on the filming locations, allowing the performers to "merge" with the space. We use proven techniques and exercises to achieve maximum authenticity and emotional depth.
  • Breaking In and Settling In: New costumes and shoes are "worn in" by the actors so they look natural on camera, not "fresh off the rack." The same happens with key props - the heroes get used to their things. This process helps create a sense of lived-in life.
  • Setting up Communication: Clear communication on set is the key to success. We establish and test the radio communication protocol in advance: defining channels for each department and introducing strict rules (for example, "First state the name of the person you are addressing"), to avoid chaos and save precious filming time.

As a result, by the first day of shooting, the actors are fully living in their characters, and the team works as a single, cohesive organism.

This is a strategically important stage where we not only create the main marketing tool but also conduct a "test drive" of the entire production process. The trailer allows us to fine-tune teamwork and technical aspects in real-world conditions before filming the main material.

  • First Shoot: We start by filming scenes for the trailer, moving from simple to emotionally complex ones. This allows the team to cohere and get into rhythm. All trailer material is immediately checked on smartphone screens to ensure the picture quality is sufficient for the main shoot.
  • Test Post-Production: We put the trailer material through a full post-production cycle: from editing and color grading to sound design and creating the master copy. This mini-project allows us to identify and correct any errors in the workflow and to accurately calculate future costs.
  • Marketing Launch: The finished trailer, which has a universal G rating (for any audience), is published on YouTube and on all key social media channels. Simultaneously, a professional press kit is published on the website. It contains everything necessary for journalists: press-release-ready news texts and announcements, as well as no fewer than 50 high-resolution photographs (300 dpi), fully ready for print.

This is an organizational stage, after which the project enters the active filming phase.

  • Script Lock: We create the final, numbered copies of the script. From this moment, changes to actions or dialogue are prohibited—only character lines are subject to correction. This guarantees that the entire team is working from the same document.
  • Schedule Creation: A detailed shooting schedule is approved. It incorporates "contingency days" for possible rain checks or reshoots. If these are not needed, the team receives additional days off.
  • Call Sheets: Based on the schedule, daily plans (call sheets) are created. They contain all the information for the day: who needs to be where and when, and which scenes are being filmed. After the first call sheets are distributed, the project is fully ready for filming.

To create a living and realistic atmosphere in the frame, we are casting supporting actors and extras. This casting is done purposefully for specific scenes and shooting days indicated in the production schedule. Our task is to find individuals who will organically complement the world of our film.

The most exciting stage begins – the main filming of the movie! We are announcing this to all our subscribers and are fully immersing ourselves in the production process. Our work on set is built on three key principles:

  • Working with Editing in Mind: From day one, we systematize all captured material. A strict file and folder structure is created on the drives, and for the editor, a visual board with still frames from each scene is prepared. This allows us to significantly speed up the subsequent assembly of the film.
  • Real-time Quality Control: We constantly check the image quality not only on professional monitors and large-format televisions but also on smartphone screens. This guarantees that the picture will look excellent for the end viewer.
  • Flexible Planning for Pickups: We proactively allocate several days in the budget and schedule for "pickups" – additional shooting of small details or shots at the request of the editor. This thoughtful approach ensures the highest quality of the final material without rushing.

After the last shot is recorded, the filming period—the most intensive and complex stage of production—is officially over. This is a huge achievement for the entire project.

Following old film tradition, we organize a wrap party to bring the entire team together. It's an opportunity to chat informally, share impressions, and, most importantly, to thank every actor and crew member for their incredible hard work, talent, and dedication.

This is an important moment that allows us to celebrate our collective victory and put a beautiful finishing touch on this chapter before the film moves on to editing.

Postproduction

Filming is complete, and all the footage is sent to the post-production studio, where it will be turned into a finished film. This stage begins not with editing, but with thorough technical and organizational preparation.

  • Creating the project's technical passport: We prepare a comprehensive package of documents for distributors and post-production studios. It contains all key technical information: the shooting format, codecs used, exhibition formats, as well as a complete list of finished marketing materials (deliverables) and the planned project completion date.
  • Applying official timecodes (SMPTE): Unique timecodes are applied to all footage. These "addresses" for each frame are invisible to the viewer but are absolutely essential for the precise work of the editor, VFX artists, colorists, and sound designers.
  • Planning for commercial breaks (Chapter Breaks): Thinking about future distribution, we place special markers (Chapters) in the material in advance. This is a technical requirement for many online platforms, allowing them to correctly insert ad breaks without disrupting the rhythm and integrity of the narrative.

This meticulous preparation ensures that the entire subsequent editing and processing workflow will go smoothly, quickly, and without technical surprises.

The assembly of the film begins. The entire process is accompanied by daily backups of the material for complete security. Our creative method is to first create a very fast and dense cut to find the "pulse" of the story, and then carefully add pauses to let important moments "breathe" and find the ideal rhythm.

We select music that will create the right atmosphere. First, we acquire all necessary licenses to guarantee the project's legal compliance. Then, the music is added to the film. Finally, we compile a detailed report (cue sheet) of all music used, as required by distribution rules.

At this stage, we add the final layers of sound that make the world on screen completely authentic. Simultaneously, we are preparing the film for an international audience, making it accessible and understandable for viewers worldwide.

Finalizing the Soundtrack:

  • ADR (Automated Dialogue Replacement): If necessary, we re-record individual lines of dialogue in studio conditions to achieve ideal clarity and diction.
  • Foley: We record and add all the "live" sounds that couldn't be captured on set - footsteps, the rustle of clothes, a door creak, the clinking of dishes. It is these details that create the effect of full immersion and make the world on screen realistic.

Localization and Accessibility:

  • Subtitles: We create text subtitles. They not only make the film accessible to deaf and hard-of-hearing viewers but are also necessary for festival screenings and in countries where dubbing is not common.
  • Dubbing into other languages: Upon request from distributors, we will organize a full re-dubbing of the film into other languages, adapting the dialogue for foreign audiences.

As a result of this work, we receive a technically perfect soundtrack and a full package of materials for the successful distribution of the film in the global market.

After all sound elements—dialogue, foley, effects, and music—are ready, the stage of combining them into a single, harmonious soundscape begins. This is the final step that determines how the film will "sound" to the viewer.

  • Sound Mix:Our sound designer mixes dozens of individual audio tracks into one cohesive whole. Every sound—from a whisper to an explosion—is carefully balanced so that the dialogue remains crystal clear, the music creates the right mood, and the effects work for full immersion.
  • Quality Control (Testing): We test the resulting mix not in an ideal studio, but on the very equipment that the viewer will use—from the cheap speakers of a laptop and smartphone headphones to TV speakers. This guarantees that the film will sound excellent for any person, in any conditions.
  • Creating Stems (Master Tracks): The final result is consolidated into several key master tracks (usually 4: dialogue, music, effects, atmosphere). Such a structure is the industry standard and is necessary for distributors to create versions of the film in different languages or for different exhibition formats.

As a result, we get a professionally mixed, balanced, and universal audio track, ready for both cinemas and home screens.

This is the moment of truth, when the film first meets its audience. We organize closed test screenings for focus groups to get honest and unbiased feedback before the official premiere.

  • Feedback Collection: After the screening, viewers fill out detailed questionnaires, answering key questions: is the plot understandable, are the jokes funny, is the actors' performance convincing? Their opinions and critiques are invaluable material that helps us look at the film with fresh eyes. Based on these reviews, we conduct a final re-edit, refining the rhythm, the clarity of the story, and the emotional impact.
  • Choice of Ending: We have prepared two different versions of the film's ending. We are offering the choice of which will become the official one to the most important people for our group: the viewers who voted at an early stage, our investors, and participants in the test screenings. This interactive approach is our gratitude to those who believed in the film from the very beginning.

As a result, we don't just get a good version of the film, but a version that the audience loved and chose themselves, which significantly increases its chances of success.

This is the home stretch, where the film gets its final polish and turns into the finished product that audiences will see. Here, we perfect every visual and audio aspect.

  • Color Correction (Color Grading): At this stage, we work with the color, light, and contrast of every single shot. This is not just a technical adjustment, but an artistic process that creates the unique atmosphere, mood, and unified visual style for the entire film.
  • Preparation for Theatrical Release: For a potential theatrical run on the big screen, we acquire the necessary licenses (for example, Dolby) to guarantee the highest sound quality in cinemas..
  • Creating the Final Credits: We approach the credits with special care. Instead of a standard list, our team (optionally) will appear on screen with photographs. We also want to thank our investors by placing a list of their names and photos in the credits. And for the most patient viewers, we are preparing a surprise at the very end—a compilation of funny outtakes (bloopers).

After completing these steps, we create the final master copy. The film is completely finished.

This is the culmination of our long journey. The film, into which so much effort, talent, and faith has been invested, finally sets off to meet its audience. A release is not just a date, but a whole complex of events designed to give our project the best possible start.

  • Premiere Screenings: We are organizing a special premiere screening for the entire film crew, actors, and partners. This is our way of saying a final "thank you" and celebrating the birth of the film together.
  • Exclusive Meet & Greet with Investors and Fans: As a special thank you, we will hold a separate party-meeting for our investors and viewers who believed in the project from the very beginning. This will be a unique opportunity to chat informally with the film's creators, ask any questions, and celebrate our shared success.
  • Festival Strategy: The film is submitted to specialized international and local film festivals. Participating in festivals is an opportunity to receive critical acclaim, awards, and attract the attention of distributors worldwide.
  • Distribution: In accordance with previously concluded agreements, the film is released. This could be a limited theatrical run or a release on leading online platforms, making our story accessible to viewers in different countries.
  • Active Marketing Campaign: We are launching a full-scale advertising campaign, including working with the press, bloggers, and active promotion on social media, so that as many people as possible learn about our film.

From this moment, the film begins its own life. We will eagerly follow its journey, read your reviews, and cherish every new encounter with the audience. Thank you for walking this path with us!