Phases of a Multimedia Project
1)The Idea Stage or "Hey, I got a great idea!"

The idea stage, sometimes called brain-storming, is one that makes use of loosely formed intentions and fluid, dynamic thinking to stimulate creativity. Through the use of creative intention a variety of ideas are considered, filtered and built upon. Eventually one main idea comes into focus as being the most desirable and is expanded upon until it is ready to move into the next stage.

Ideas and desires are sometimes confused. A desire is an intention to create, procure or produce. One may want to create a multimedia project or film or web site, but this is a desire to create, not an actual idea. An idea is the thing that one seeks to create.

Most multimedia projects meet their death in this stage of development. The idea generator may conclude that the idea is unworthy of continuance or may lack the passion, commitment or know-how needed to move it into the next phase of development.


2) The Conception Stage or "Here’s what I was thinking."

The conception stage is one that takes the idea and brings it into concrete conceptualization. The idea is expanded, trimmed, manipulated, altered and formed into a complete concept. This means that the idea generator has determined a complete pathway for the multimedia project including a beginning, middle and end. This stage determines what will be created and what form and format it will take.

A concrete conceptualization may take the form of a script, a diagram or a blueprint. It maps out the entire concept of the generator’s idea, filling in specific details about what is to be created and putting it into a form that others can comprehend and facilitate.

This is the second most likely stage of death for a multimedia project. Almost everyone has a great idea, but very few have the dedication and discipline to form the idea into a complete, concrete concept.


3) The Development Stage or "Is this thing really going to happen?"

The development stage is one in which the generator shows and explains the concept to others for feedback and support. This is the most dynamic and fluid stage of the process because it involves the viewpoints of others. The generator receives input and incorporates it into a revised concept to bring it to the next stage.

The generator must carefully sift and filter the input that is provided, to determine its validity and value, before incorporating it into the concept. The generator must be careful to choose or secure developers that have something of value to bring to the project that will help move it forward, such as knowledge or expertise, financial support, equipment, talent or valuable connections to others.

This is the third most likely stage of a multimedia project’s demise. The generator must locate, solicit and secure developers who can and will provide the project with further value. Not only is it difficult to locate such individuals, but the developers must believe that the concept is worthy of production and must be willing to apply effort and resources towards its creation.


4) The Preproduction Stage or "Who’s going to do what, where, when, why, with whom, and how?"

The preproduction stage determines and establishes how the multimedia project will be physically created. It takes into account the resources that the generator and developers have been able to assemble. These may include people, their individual talents and abilities, physical resources such as locations and equipment, time, weather and logistical constraints, financial issues such as costs and budgets and of course, creative objectives, just to name a few. All these elements, and more, are reviewed and analyzed and a detailed action plan is developed that hopefully takes advantage of all the resources available, using them in the most efficient and effective manner possible.

This stage of development is absolutely critical to the successful outcome of any multimedia project. In this stage of development the most minute detail must be taken into consideration and dealt with. A detail that escapes notice in preproduction can result in the very thing that shuts down the process, causing much pain, anguish, time and money later on. The more effective preproduction is, the more successful the multimedia project will be. Preproduction is not complete if there remains even one unanswered question about what is to take place and this includes contingencies if and when something should break, or not go according to plan.

If a problem surfaces in the later stages of a multimedia project, the roots of it will be found in preproduction. Preproduction sets the foundation for the multimedia project and determines the outcome of every action that is to follow. If your multimedia project has made it to this stage, you're on your way to actualizing the concept.


5) The Production Stage or "Just do it!"

In the production stage all elements of planning come into effect. If preproduction was properly done, all involved will carry out their individual portion of the plan, creating a synergistic machine that functions organically. A real sign of success is when one part of the machine spontaneously anticipates the action of another, creating a perfectly-timed symphony of spontaneous action and reaction.

This stage of a multimedia project usually begins slowly as the machine starts to heat up. Very quickly any flaws of preproduction become apparent as parts of the machine break down, bringing the process to a crawl or even a halt. But even if preproduction was perfection itself, the unexpected inevitably occurs. This is when the solid foundation of a well-built machine gets its metal tested. If the multimedia machine is essentially running smoothly, the problem will be quickly solved and production will roll on. But if chaos already reigns, then the unexpected occurrence can bring the entire operation to a grinding halt.

One clue that production is not going well is if one hears the comment, "We’ll fix it in post." If anyone, especially the principals involved, makes this comment, the production is in deep trouble. The goal of production is to make the next stage, post production, run smoothly and seamlessly. Production provides the raw components that will eventually be blended together to create the final outcome of the multimedia project. If the components are flawed, the end product will also be flawed.


6) The Post Production Stage or "Let’s put it together and see what we’ve got."

The post production stage is where the multimedia project either sinks or swims. The goal of post production is to blend all the components together in such a way as to hide, overcome, or repair, the flaws or deficiencies that inevitably occur in the other stages, to add needed elements, and to do so in a way that is ever mindful of the original intent of the generator and developers.

If all the stages were done well, the result will be exactly what was intended, or perhaps even something greater. If the multimedia components were not effectively created than all the post production resources of the world will not turn the project into what it is supposed to be. This is why the post production process needs to be including and considered during in the preproduction stage.

Those responsible for the various post production processes, should have been part of the preproduction phase, in order to ensure that the multimedia components were created in a way that will allow post production to run smoothly and efficiently. And, in order to take advantage of any technological improvements, specialized equipment or new techniques.


7) Marketing and Promotion or "Now that we made it what’re we gonna do with it?"

This stage of a multimedia project should have been addressed in the development stage. The idea generator and developers should have already established the ultimate intent of the multimedia project, whether the project was strictly experiential, headed for a specific use and application, or was intended to be mass-marketed Hollywood style. So at this stage of development one should simply be carrying out the original plan. If there was no plan, it had better be developed fast or the multimedia project will sit on someone’s shelf until it’s eventually taken out with the trash.


8)Point of Sale or "How are we gonna get paid?"

This stage is obviously married to the marketing and promotion stage, which should have been established in the development stage. Hopefully the importance of planning and goal setting has been driven home, by now. If so, then this stage is a simple matter of assembling all the elements and formats required by the buyer(s). Some of these can be very specific, time-consuming and costly. In fact, some buyer requirements, unless planned for at the preproduction stage, may not be deliverable at all.