In this video, director Mark Bone provides a comprehensive breakdown of the commercial filmmaking process, illustrating how months of planning and the work of hundreds of people culminate in a single 30-second advertisement.
The Pitching Phase
- The Client & Agency: The process begins when a client seeking to sell a product approaches an advertising agency. If a partnership isn’t already in place, multiple agencies compete for the work through a bidding process.
- Campaign Development: The agency develops various creative ideas and pitches them to the client. Once a direction is chosen, they determine which elements will be TV commercials versus web ads or print media.
- Director Selection: The agency sends out a “brief” to production companies. These companies submit reels of different directors. The agency whittles these down to a top three to interview.
- The Director’s Treatment: The chosen directors must quickly create a “treatment”—a document explaining their visual style, vibe, and specific plan for the shoot—and pitch it to the agency.
Pre-Production
- Scripting & Scouting: Once a director is hired, they finalize the script and send briefs to location scouts and casting agencies. The director then reviews hundreds of photos to select top choices for physical scouting.
- Casting: This involves sitting through massive amounts of in-person auditions to find the right talent.
- Client Approvals: Every choice—from the cast and locations to the wardrobe—must be presented to and approved by the client.
- Tech Scout: The director takes the core crew (cinematographer, art director, gaffer, etc.) to the physical locations to plan the technical execution and scheduling.
Final Preparation & The Shoot
- The PPM (Pre-Production Meeting): This is a massive final meeting involving dozens of people from the agency and client side to review a detailed document (often over 100 pages) covering every aspect of the production.
- Camera Prep: The crew conducts tests on lenses and wardrobe to ensure everything looks correct on camera before the actual shoot day.
- The Shoot Day: While the goal is to follow the pre-production plan, this is often when clients make last-minute or unusual requests. Bone emphasizes that despite the stress and corporate constraints, the process is essential for the economy and provides valuable work for creative professionals.
Avid hiker, bicyclist, motorcyclist and long-time advertising pro. Founder of Skyworks Marketing, Nonprofit Fire and Our Ventura TV (cable TV). One career highlight was working on a small team that built a business from nothing to over $100 Million in 3 years. Skyworks Marketing provides lead generation and video advertising services. We create custom marketing funnels that provide the highest-quality leads and sales.