EA case study - Production of film, video and TV
The foundation of the business architecture in IAF are Business Services and Logical Business Components, but how to define them in complex scenarios is not always straightforward.
We have described both Capabilities and Business Events in the Business Context part and the different types of film production in the prior article, so this is our starting point for the definition of the architecture-
Process approach
Our approach is to look at the different sub-processes in Productions action of Film, video and TV on a more granular leven instead of 100% top down approach.
The statements we do about sub-processes is based on our experiences from different types of actual productions over a number of years and they will be verified when the are described in much more detail.
Defining business services
For development and pre-production do we have two different main options for Business Services.
Development (narrative)
Pre-production (narrative)
or
Development (non-narrative)
Pre-production (non-narrative)
In both cases, we also need to think about the need for external funding or not. If it’s a narrative story, we need actors, otherwise people act as themselves.
Production differs a bit and is more dependent if it’s a live event or not, but also if it’s acting in front of a camera or an animated film. In a live production, we also need to know if we broadcast or not.
Production (live & broadcast)
Production (live & non-broadcast)
Production (non-live)
Production (animation)
Post-production have two different options and the could be combined and done at a later stage.
Post-production (broadcast)
Post-production (non-broadcast)
Distribution have a least four different options and several of them could be combined or done at different times
Distribution (broadcast)
Distribution (non-broadcast, internally)
Distribution (non-broadcast, externally)
Distribution (commercial)
How to use business services
We go back to our Capabilities and look at our current Business Events and those that are prioritized.
Production of corporate video (Production)
Production of a commercial video (Production)
Production and distribution of a live event video (Production)
Production of a feature film (Production)
An normal feature film is a very straight forward from a process perspective and the proposed Business Services are:
Development (narrative)
Pre-production (narrative)
Production (non-live)
Post-production (non-broadcast)
Distribution (non-broadcast)
Production of commercial video resembles the process for a feature film, but the funding is always internal. A commercial video can also be animated so this gives us two options in production. Finally, you pay for distribution, not getting paid.
Development (narrative)
Pre-production (narrative)
Production (non-live) or (animated)
Post-production (non-broadcast)
Distribution (commercial)
A live event is a little more trickier as it could be either narrative or non-narrative film production. If you have a live event where artists perform, then it’s a narrative production, but a sporting event or if we are documenting an event will we have a non-narrative film production.
Development (narrative) or (non-narrative)
Pre-production (narrative) or (non-narrative)
Production (live)
Post-production (broadcast)
Distribution (broadcast)
The process for a creating corporate video can be very different depending on the type of video.
A training video is more like a narrative, often with actors that follow a detailed script. It may be animated, but it’s not a live event an not broadcasted.
An promotional video, e..g. a testimonial is less scripted and with persons as themselves in front of the camera.
An communication video should be scripted and with persons as themselves in front of the camera. Otherwise, the trust for the message disappears.
Fourth, a corporate video could be an non-narrative event, that is broadcasted or published at a later stage.
Conclusion
We have now defined the main Business Services in Production of Film, video and TV for some of the Business Events on a high-level in a first iteration.
The next three steps are first to go into detail in the prioritized Business Events and define Business Activities and Roles. Second, define Business Services for the rest of the defined Capabilities. Third to detail rest of the prioritized Business Events.
In parallell, we have to work with the information aspect area is it describes inout and output from the processes.
One thing not described in the industry’s processes for film production is project management as a Business Service. We have it included and use one of the standard project management methods as film production is very much waterfall, even if you make series of productions.
We also have more undefined Business Events when a customers wants documentaries, reportage etc., but we have to prioritize our work and this will not be done right now and not in the example.