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Glossary of Terms
In General
Films listed in blue text have active pages for that production (which means you can click on them and read about the film.) Films that are listed in black text currently do not have active pages. We continually add new films as productions are announced, so check back to see if these projects have become active.
On the left-hand side, you will find several pull-down lists. Choose a list that best suits your searching criteria, and click on the "Get Listings" button below it, and the site will present the films in that group you have selected.
Regarding updates, we only list the last seven times the site has been updated. Entries will continue to remain on the film's page regardless of when they were posted, even if the update has now scrolled off the "By recent date postings" pull-down list. You may select any of the dates listed in that pull-down list; the site will list your selection for that exact day only. This means that any subsequent updates, such as an update made the next day, will also be listed on the film's page. So check back often and see when there has been updates!
Films are removed from this listing upon the day of their North American release. They are then interned into the 'Old Archives' section, which is located as the bottom section on the left-hand side. This ensues that readers from outside North America can also access the film information.
Film Genre
Note that films can fall into multiple genres as some films "cross over" (Pulp Fiction for instance, which can be considered as 'Action' as well as a 'Drama').
Stages of Development
- Movies Rumored: Whispers and rumblings
are heard about a 'new' project. Sequel? Book adaptation? Remake? Perhaps
a long-stalled project has been linked to a hot star who is a fan of the
source material and interest begins to build...
These are projects that have been speculated about, perhaps by Hollywood to ascertain if there's interest in the project, or by the fan base speculating about the feasibility of such a project, or hinted at by the original creators that these projects will eventually come to pass. Examples include episode one of the new 'Star Wars' trilogy (which only was announced to have entered Stage 3 development in 1994), Forrest Gump 2 and so on. Some go on to eventually become movies (such as Terminator 2), others remain enigmatic or near-impossible to get made.
- Script Stage:
The script has sold to a production company, or a production company is developing
a script for their property. One or more writers have set about trying to construct
the framework for the picture: characters, storyline, scenes and scenario. Little or
no additional detail - such as signed contracts to work on the project by stars or
directors - has been officially announced. Essentially the project remains a 'work-in-progress'
for the moment...
An idea must be a script before it becomes a film, even if substantial changes occur during the shooting. At this level the finished film resides solely in the writer's (or reader's) mind, and no significant amount of money has been spent on developing the script into a feature film. Each script that successfully becomes a movie has its own unique story behind its development: some are sold by professional writers, some are properties or ideas developed by writers-for-hire, some are simply scripts aquired by studios that remain stuck at this level for years. Because of the high ratio of successfully-filmed scripts to scripts sold but unproduced (some say 5:1, others say as high as 10:1), we are primarily focusing upon scripts that have either sold or are in the processes of being sold by professional screenwriters.
- Development Hell:
Money is spent by the production company developing the property, and forward development
occurs on the project. The script is tweaked, perhaps re-written
to whet the interest of a star. Names are bandied about
- who fits this part, who can direct this genre? Distributors are sought.
The project is trying to develop a financial cohesiveness, struggling to
be approved by investors...
The film is in its childhood at this point, usually just a sold script, sometimes even only an idea or premise, seeking funding or interest with a studio or investors to develop the property. This phase can last a relatively short period of time (weeks, months) or years and even decades (the 'Batman' movie took nearly 10 years from various concepts and scripts to the final 1989 version. The rights for 'Interview With the Vampire' were sold for movie development soon after the release of the novel, but took nearly twenty years before the movie got made. The favorite project of the Director of CA at this level is the beautiful treatment by Harlan Ellison for Asimov's I Robot. The difference between this level and the 'Script' level before it is the dissapearance of the writer(s) and the involvement of producers, developers, money and time spent on making the script into a theatrical reality.
- In Development:
The project has attracted interest and funds are spent upon developing
the idea further. Final script premise is being polished off.
Pre-conceptual design work is taking place. More crew and actors 'coming
aboard' project in this phase; positions are being solidified and
officially announced. Tentative release date is announced, usually held to
a 'ballpark figure' (such as "third quarter of '95" or "summer 1996", etc.)
The early stages of 'In Development' can overlap with the 'Development Hell' stage - studios and trade journals have a different means to define when and where a picture moves into a "higher" category. For our purposes, this stage occurs when a picture has a pretty good chance of being made. Some films simply need a star name attached to the film to get pushed ahead - others need a total film budget worked out beforehand, with all major casting decisions made before the studio "moves ahead".
- Greenlighted:
The project has moved to active production. All of the crew and stars
have been selected, and principal photography is scheduled or commenced.
Release date starts to become 'cemented' or fixed. Trailers, movie
one-sheets and advance publicity shots for the film are released.
Post-production work, additional filming, completed soundtrack and final
special effects are added.
The most detailed stage of a movie's development (pre-production, principle photography, post-production, re-shoots, editing, promotion, release date). For simplicity's sake, we use the umbrella term of 'Greenlighted' when a movie reaches any of these sub-stages.
- In The Can:
Movie has been completed in its entirety, and is awaiting release. Release
date may have been pushed back a short time (weeks) to a unscheduled future
date (months), awaiting a more favorable window of opportunity for
commercial success
Movies can be finished months in advance or days before the film's widespread release. A film moves into this stage when all the scheduled principal photography has been completed and post-production is underway/nearing completion. Films are sometimes held back because of scheduling delays but sometimes the waiting period extends into a very long time indeed - months turn into quarters, then it becomes...
- Vaulted:
Extremely rare and unique to each show. The movie has been completed and has been
awaiting release for a longer-than-average length of time. Shows that are 'bumped' more
than six months ahead of their release date are placed here until a 'solid' release date
becomes avaliable.
Because of the high cost of movies, and the simple fact that studios make money when people go to see their shows, this practice only happens in very dire or extremely unusual situations. An example is Blue Sky, whose original studio, Orion Pictures, filed for bankruptcy. Although the picture was completed back in 1990, the movie sat in the vaults of Orion, awaiting the outcome of legal concerns first. A studio picked it up, distributed it, and released it in 1994, in which it garnished an Academy Award in the category for Best Actress for Jessica Lange. On the other hand, the ownership of rights to the Neue Constantine version of The Fantastic Four was simply bought out by Steven Spielberg's Amblin pictures, to make way for a future high-budget version of the film from Amblin.
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herein are held by their respective owners and are used with
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