What Is Production Value? Definition & Examples

What is good production value in filmmaking? A filmmaker’s production value is a measure of the level of quality and skill that was used to make the film.

Good production value can be seen in any film, whether it is a low-budget independent movie or one made by a well-established studio.

Trying to figure out what makes a good production value or what constitutes having good production value can be difficult.

In general, the production value is used as an indication of how good something is.

A high-quality or well-made movie probably has high production value while a low-quality movie probably has low production value.

This can lead to increased ticket sales and revenue because viewers are more likely to pay for higher-quality movies.

The cost of sets, props, and costumes is one factor considered when calculating production value.

The more expensive these items, the better-looking the final product will be, which means the movie will have a higher production value.

People who work in movies are also paid higher salaries when film companies are spending large sums of money on sets and costumes.

What Is Good Production Value in Filmmaking?

There are so many factors involved that it can sometimes make your head spin.

But, if you want to understand what it takes to create good production value, you have to start with the basics.

When you are trying to figure out what constitutes good production value for film, there are many things to consider. These things include:

• The story.
• The script.
• The acting.
• The sound.
• The lighting.
• The makeup and costumes.
• Good sound equipment.
• Sufficient lighting equipment and crew to use it properly.

This is not an exhaustive list. Other items may be added depending on the type of movie being filmed.

For example, you never want bad special effects in a science fiction movie.

   

They just wouldn’t work well and would take away from the overall experience of watching the movie. You also don’t want bad special effects in a comedy or horror movie.

Examples of Production Value In Cinema History

Production value is a term used in film and video, analogous to the term “quality” as used in consumer goods. Production value is the level of detail, sophistication, and technical excellence that can be seen on screen or heard in a recording.

Taken together, all of these elements define quality—the amount of care and expense taken to create a product.

For example, one might say that a film has high production value if it has:

• elaborate costumes,
• props and sets,
• high-end computer animation,
• or a star-studded cast.

Conversely, low production value is demonstrated by cheezy effects, flimsy props, costumes, or poor sound quality.

A movie with high production value will have more things going for it than just visual effects or costumes.

A film’s script may be well-written and the actors may be good at what they do. In this sense, it is similar to the concept of artistic merit (or demerit) in the fine arts.

Production value has a lot to do with how the people making the film envision their product.

A low-budget film will have fewer extras and locations than a major Hollywood blockbuster but it can still have high production value if it was made with care and attention to detail.

Why Is Production Value In Filmmaking Important?

So why is production value important in filmmaking? By definition, it’s anything that adds a level of professionalism to your film.

The simplest explanation is that production value comes from the quality of the equipment you use to shoot your film.

Taken to its extreme, a basic point-and-shoot camera can be considered low production value, while the RED Dragon digital cinema camera (or any of the other similar digital cinema cameras) would be high production value. An iPhone would fall somewhere in between.

Production value also includes things like how you light your scenes, whether you use a Steadicam or a dolly shot, and which actors you choose for your film.

The higher your production value, the more likely audiences are going to believe what they’re seeing on screen.

The point here is that there isn’t one “right” way to shoot a movie because every filmmaker has their own vision of what their movie will be.

But no matter what type of filmmaker you are and regardless of whether or not you have access to big budget Hollywood-style equipment, there’s no denying the importance of production value.

It will ultimately separate amateur filmmakers from pros by making their films appear more professional, believable, and engaging than those without it.

The term production value was coined by Darryl F. Zanuck in 1927 when he was asked about his opinion on how important scripts were in relation to actors and actresses.

He said:

“I want good script, good director, good actors – but above all, I want quality production.”

The term was used again by David O. Selznick and Samuel Goldwyn who both insisted on high production values before they would agree to finance a film project. Goldwyn also said:

“The most important thing in motion pictures is the story; there is nothing more important than the story; without story, there wouldn’t be any business.”

Production value can be achieved through different methods.

Recreating Famous Film Scenes Cheaply

As a huge fan of film and film history, I’ve always been fascinated with how much work goes into making a movie.

The process of filmmaking is fascinating and incredibly expensive. Film sets are massive, with hundreds of crew members working for months on end to create everything you see on the screen.

It’s a lot of work to make a movie, but there are ways you can save money on the process if you’re willing to do a little extra work.

Describing how to recreate famous scenes from movies is an interesting subject because it can be done in so many different ways.

Sometimes it’s as easy as doing your own camera setup and altering lighting conditions, while other times it requires building entire sets from scratch. There are even occasions where special effects are necessary to get the right look.

Regardless of the specific task, there are some basic steps that apply to recreating famous scenes from movies.

The first step is researching the scene and making sure you have all of the necessary equipment for it.

This can sometimes be more difficult than it sounds since many popular films use their own proprietary equipment that may not be available to the public.

What Is Production Value In Film?

A lot goes into making a successful film, from the script to the actors to the director, but the production value of a film is one of the most important elements that make a film memorable.

If a movie isn’t well-produced, it won’t appear professional and will be more difficult for audiences to enjoy.

The definition of production value is “the overall cost of making a movie”. The higher the production value a film has, the more money was spent producing it.

As you probably know, Hollywood blockbusters tend to have high production value.

On the other hand, independent films often have low production value, which makes them appealing to those who are just getting into filmmaking.

What Makes Up Production Value?

When you read the term “production value” in the context of filmmaking, it generally means the overall quality of a film.

There are many different aspects that go into determining production value.

For example, movie posters can affect how people perceive a given film’s quality and appeal.

They should be eye-catching and designed to reflect what’s happening in the scene depicted on them. Production value is a combination of many different factors – from the writing and direction to the cinematography and sound design – and each one contributes to how much people enjoy a movie.

There are several elements that make up production value, including:

Script

The script itself is important because it is what drives the film forward. It’s important that the script be well-written and engaging so that viewers will want to stick around for the whole thing.

Direction

The director has a lot to do with how successful a film is in its production value.

A director who is skilled at making movies that are engaging and interesting will be able to create high-quality films as well as have an easier time selling them to distributors.

Cast

An actor’s performance can also affect production value. If an actor puts on an excellent performance, people will want to watch their other films as well.

If they’re not good, people might not want to see that actor in any other films either.

High vs. Low Production Value In Film Production

If you are a filmmaker, then you’ve probably heard both terms, production value and low-budget film.

But what do they really mean?

High Production Value: A movie that has been filmed with cameras and lights that are high quality, usually costs around $1 million or more to make. 

Low-Budget Film: A movie that has been filmed on cheaper equipment and is normally under $1 million to make.

Production Values vs. Budget

Production values are generally determined by the type of equipment used in filming, as well as the number of extras and technical crew involved.

If you’re watching a movie and one scene looks like it was shot in a professional studio with tons of lights, cameras, etc., then chances are it was probably shot for a higher production value than another movie, even if it was made for less money.

Production value is a term used in the film industry to determine the overall cost of making a film, as well as the amount of money spent on props and special effects.

The term itself is not technical, but rather used by laymen.

A film with high production value is one that has been made with lots of money and effort.

For example, a movie studio may spend millions of dollars to ensure that the film’s special effects are top-notch. Similarly, a low production value film may have been made on a shoestring budget.

Production value can also refer to a film’s aesthetic quality or its artistic merit. A high production value aesthetic often includes elements like a cinematographer who is famous for their work, as well as good acting, sets, and costumes.

Low production value aesthetics can sometimes be seen in amateur films or movies shot entirely on cell phones.

Production Value On A Low Budget In Filmmaking

Production value, in the field of filmmaking, refers to the quality of a film’s visual and audio presentation. For example, when audiences watch a film with a good production value, they might notice that the images are crisp and clear. The sounds are also distinct from one another.

This term is often used to compare two different films or two parts of the same film. For example, you could talk about how the first half of a film has better production value than the second half does.

Or you could say that the first scene of a movie has a higher production value than the last scene does.

Production value is important because it makes a difference in how people perceive your film. If you want to create an artistic masterpiece for all audiences to enjoy, then having high production value is essential to making that happen.

Even if you are making a low-budget film, there are ways to make it look as if it cost much more than it actually did.

High Production Value Isn’t Everything In Filmmaking

You might be thinking that making the leap from YouTube to Netflix is the best thing that could happen to your channel, but there’s a massive difference between the two.

What makes a good content on YouTube is NOT the same with Netflix. And if you’re going to make your way to the big leagues, you have to understand how to get there.

There are several key components that make up a great piece of content. Your audience won’t care about how professional it was shot and edited unless they like the story and characters. If you’ve got a great story and fantastic characters, then you’ve got yourself a winner.

But if those elements aren’t there, you can’t rely on fancy editing or expensive cameras to make up for the fact that your movie sucks. When it comes down to it, high production value isn’t everything in filmmaking.