You have finished your film and you are now staring at your tapes, memory cards or VHS. It is time to put all the magic into your story and to cut the scenes together.

Finally, the production period has begun. Also known as principal-photography, you are now on set making the magic happen.

Contractual issues are often overlooked because there seems to be so much going on around that it becomes less important. However, after you shoot, this becomes the most important for image rights and releases.

Pre-production is the all-important preparation period that ensures your film gets made the way you envisage it.

Casting is an essential element in finding good actors to play the right parts in your film. This is often overlooked because a first time filmmaker wants the production to look great, and have the professional touch

Now that you have your script polished and you feel comfortable taking the next step, you need to think about how much everything is going to cost.