Fantasy movies are relatively rare compared to other movie genres. At their best, movies of this type can transport viewers to other worlds on an emotional journey. Despite their inherent potential for cinematic greatness, however, few directors choose to venture into the realm of fantasy. So why is that the case?
The first challenge posed by fantasy films is the need for collaboration between artists from various disciplines. Writers, special effects technicians and editors must be able to pull off the complicated fantasy concept. Costume designers, production designers and visual effects teams must work together to bring the world of the fantasy film to life. These kinds of films usually require a huge budget, so a major film studio or production company must be involved to finance and facilitate the process.
The second challenge of fantasy films is the process of production. A fantasy film requires a complex and long-term setup, often with multiple locations and scenes. Shooting a film in this genre can take several months and requires flexibility, since the majority of scenes are built up as a result of post-production special effects such as computer-generated images.
Experts suggest that a further challenge to fantasy films is marketing. A fantasy film can be hard to promote, especially if it is the first of its kind and has no previous films to compare it to. Author and film producer Matt Matheson believes that fantasy films, unlike other genres, require a more sophisticated and accurate advertisement and marketing strategy. Without that, it is hard to make the audience aware of the film.
Another interesting point to consider is the amount of effort required from actors. Fantasy films require a different energy from other types of movies, so actors need to be able to commit to this difficulty and time-consuming genre. Performance artist Robin West believes that only experienced performers can adequately express and portray the sometimes larger-than-life characters found in fantasy films.
Whatever the reasons, fantasy films remain a rarity. The challenges involved in producing them may be too great for a director or film studio to take on and they may simply opt to produce a movie in a different, more manageable genre.
Creative Process
Creative processes are a huge, complex undertaking when it comes to fantasy film production. Fantasy films, after all, feature not only epic storylines and legendary characters but often require a whole fantasy world or alternate universe to be built from scratch. That’s why these films require the input of skilled professionals from a wide range of disciplines, from scriptwriters and set designers to costume designers and special effect technicians.
A good way to understand the process of creating a fantasy film is to break it down into four main steps. First of all, the storyline and the world have to be written and developed. This includes the characters, their backgrounds, motives, and so on. Secondly, the film’s look has to be determined; what will the costume design be? What kind of locations will the film use? Thirdly, all the technical aspects of production need to be taken into account. This involves the selection of equipment and personnel, as well as any other technical know-how required by the production team. Finally, the film has to be completed and released. This includes post-production work, such as editing and special effects, to give the fantasy world the look and feel that the filmmakers desired.
This process can be
