Budget and schedule the filming of the movie based upon the script. Since the script is the blueprint for the movie it will contain everything you need to know to estimate the cost of filming and the amount of days required to complete it.
Assemble the film crew and cast. If the budget permits you will be hiring qualified professionals. If the budget is more meager, the crew might be comprised of student filmmakers and less-experienced personnel. Professional actors with experience acting in front of a camera should always be used if possible.
Complete preproduction of the movie. This is when everything needed to make the movie is arranged. All permits have to be secured, along with all permissions for filming locations. Camera equipment and lighting packages, wardrobe, props and special effects equipment must be purchased or rented.
Film the script. This stage is called principal photography. Each day, or night, a certain amount of scenes from the script must be filmed. The cameras, lights and sound equipment are placed into position while the actors receive makeup and wardrobe. Once the director is ready for the actors, they come to set and perform the scene. There may be many takes of a scene if the director doesn't get a satisfactory performance or if there are disturbances such as airplane noise. Also, a scene will be filmed several different times to achieve various camera angles, such as: wide shot, medium shot, over the shoulder shots, two shots and closeups. Only the takes the director likes are printed for reviewing later. When one scene has been filmed, the director and crew move on to filming the next scene. This process repeats itself five or six days a week until all the scenes have been filmed.
Watch "dailies," the prints of the developed film, to review the progress of filming. This should be done at the end of each day's filming. This way the director and key crew members can review the scenes to make sure that everything that was supposed to be shot is on film.
Reshoot scenes as necessary. Before principal photography is completed, scenes must be completed while the cast members are still available.