How Long Does It Take to Film a Movie, with (Horror) Examples

The process of filming a movie can be lengthy and complex, involving a variety of stages from pre-production to post-production. If you’re talking about specifically just the principal photography (the part that involves the actual filming), you can skip to the below portion of the answer. While, if you are asking “how long does it take to film a movie” and you’re talking about the entire process, it’s important to address each stage of development.

The exact timeline for filming a movie can vary depending on a number of factors, such as the size of the production, the complexity of the story, the number of locations, and the availability of the cast and crew. In this essay, I will explore the typical timeline for filming a movie, with examples and details about the process.

The process of creating movies presents a myriad of technical and artistic challenges for filmmakers, which all come into play when assessing the length of time it takes. Pre-production requires them to tackle tasks such as storyboarding, scriptwriting, casting, location scouting, set design, and budgeting. Production requires them to consider various aspects such as achieving the right composition such as utilizing high and low angle shots, focusing techniques like split diopter shots and rack focus, lighting design, camera movement, sound recording, and directing actors. In post-production, they must edit, grade color, design sound, create visual effects, and compose music. To achieve these tasks, professionals must have a deep understanding of various film formats, aspect ratios, lenses, audio equipment, and digital software tools. Moreover, they must possess knowledge of storytelling, genre, character development, pacing, and audience expectations as all of these elements work together to create an engaging cinematic experience for viewers.

How Long Does It Take to Film a Movie: Pre-Production

Short answer: This part of the process could take as little as a few weeks for low budget films to more common 6-months to a year for larger budget films.

The first stage of filming a movie is pre-production. This is the period of time when the filmmakers prepare for the shoot. It involves a lot of planning, from scouting locations to casting actors to designing sets and costumes. This stage can take anywhere from a few months to a year or more, depending on the size and scope of the production.

During pre-production, the filmmakers will usually develop a shooting schedule that outlines the order in which scenes will be shot and how long each scene will take. This schedule is based on a number of factors, including the availability of actors and crew, the locations where the scenes will be shot, and any special effects or stunts that need to be coordinated.

For example, the pre-production process for the movie “Avatar” took several years. Director James Cameron spent a long time developing the story, designing the world of Pandora, and creating the visual effects. The actual shoot for the movie, however, only took around 6 months.

1. The Exorcist (1973) – Pre-production for The Exorcist took around a year. Director William Friedkin and writer William Peter Blatty spent several months developing the script, casting the actors, and scouting locations before the shoot began.
2. The Shining (1980) – Pre-production for The Shining took around 6 months. Director Stanley Kubrick spent a long time developing the script with co-writer Diane Johnson, casting the actors, and designing the sets before filming began.
3. Halloween (1978) – Pre-production for Halloween took around 3 weeks. Director John Carpenter and producer Debra Hill had a very tight schedule and had to move quickly to get the movie made. They wrote the script in about 10 days and then cast the actors and scouted locations in a hurry.
4. A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984) – Pre-production for A Nightmare on Elm Street took around 6 months. Director Wes Craven spent several months developing the script and casting the actors before filming began.
5. Get Out (2017) – Pre-production for Get Out took around 2 years. Writer/director Jordan Peele spent a long time developing the script and casting the actors before filming began. He also spent a lot of time researching the history of race relations in America to inform the story.

How Long Does It Take to Film a Movie: Principal Photography

Short answer: There are examples of movies being filmed in only about a week or less, but most films take at least 3-4 weeks to film, with some taking 1-2 months. And of course, there are unusual examples of movies filming for longer. For a short answer, 3-6 weeks tends to be the most common time it takes to film a movie.

The second stage of filming a movie is principal photography. This is the actual shooting of the film, and it is the stage that most people think of when they think of making a movie. The length of time it takes to shoot a movie can vary widely, depending on the factors mentioned above.

For example, the movie Jaws was shot over a period of 159 days, which is definitely on the long side.

During principal photography, the cast and crew will work together to shoot each scene according to the shooting schedule. This involves setting up lights and cameras, rehearsing the scene, and then shooting multiple takes until the director is satisfied with the result. Depending on the complexity of the scene, this can take anywhere from a few minutes to several hours.

• The Blair Witch Project (1999) – Principal photography for The Blair Witch Project took only 8 days. Director Daniel Myrick and Eduardo Sánchez shot the entire movie with handheld cameras in the woods of Maryland.
• Halloween (1978) – Principal photography for Halloween took around 20 days. Director John Carpenter and his crew shot the movie in Pasadena, California, using practical effects and suspenseful music to create the scares.
• Hereditary (2018) – Principal photography for Hereditary took around 32 days. Director Ari Aster and his crew shot the movie in Utah, carefully constructing and lighting the sets to create a claustrophobic and unsettling atmosphere.
  

  

• The Conjuring (2013) – Principal photography for The Conjuring took around 40 days. Director James Wan and his team shot the movie in North Carolina, carefully designing the sets and using practical effects to create the scares.
• The Thing (1982) – Principal photography for The Thing took around 60 days. Director John Carpenter and his team shot the movie in the freezing cold of Alaska, using a mix of practical effects and puppetry to bring the titular monster to life.
• The Babadook (2014) – Principal photography for The Babadook took around 40 days. Director Jennifer Kent shot the movie in her native Australia, carefully constructing the sets and using shadows and lighting to create a sense of dread.

How Long Does It Take to Film a Movie: Post-Production

Short answer: This is commonly the longest stage of production, since it involves the editing of the film which involves a number of different pieces. While there are examples of post-production only lasting 3-4 months, it is more common for post-production to last 6-12 months.

The third and final stage of filming a movie is post-production. This is the period of time after the shoot when the film is edited, sound is added, and visual effects are created.

During post-production, the editor will work with the director to assemble the footage into a cohesive story. This involves choosing the best takes, cutting out any mistakes, and adding special effects or other visual elements as needed. The sound team will add sound effects, dialogue, and music to the film, and the colorist will color-correct the footage to make it look consistent.

1. The Exorcist (1973) – Post-production for The Exorcist took around 10 months. The film required extensive special effects work to bring the possessed Regan to life, and the editing process was very involved as well.
2. The Shining (1980) – Post-production for The Shining took around 11 months. Director Stanley Kubrick was a perfectionist and spent a lot of time editing the film and working on the sound design, as well as things like color and effects add to the process.
3. Halloween (1978) – Post-production for Halloween took around 3 months. Director John Carpenter and his team had a tight deadline to finish the movie in time for its theatrical release, but managed to complete the editing and sound design in time.
4. A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984) – Post-production for A Nightmare on Elm Street took around 6 months, which is impressive considering the dreamworld effects and other things that must have been difficult in the edit room. Director Wes Craven and his team had to carefully edit the film to make sure the dream sequences were clear and effective.
5. Get Out (2017) – Post-production for Get Out took around 6 months. Director Jordan Peele and his team spent a lot of time working on the sound design and visual effects to make the movie as impactful as possible.

Answer to How Long Does It Take to Film a Movie:
While technically a tight deadline could get the entire process done in 6 months, most films take 18-24 months. If you’re only talking about principal photography, common lengths are 3-6 weeks to film a movie.

Last Updated on May 6, 2023.