Much goes into making a film before viewers experience it. The varied filmmaking practices are artistic and commercial, but also social and cultural. Understanding the production, distribution, promotion, and exhibition processes deepens our appreciation of the labor and art of filmmaking, and illuminates the influence of society and culture on filmmaking.

Where and when we see a movie shapes our response, enjoyment, and understanding as much as do the form and content of the film itself. The film experience encompasses rapidly expanding viewing technologies (from HDTV to movies viewed on computers, smartphones, and iPads), changing social environments (from IMAX to home theaters), and multiple cultural activities designed to promote interest in individual films (reading about films, directors, and stars, or consuming video games or special DVD editions connected to a film franchise).