Post-Production
In theory, once your shots are completed, it’s time to go into the Post-Production phase of the project. During this time, the Director will work with a completely different set of staff and skills to achieve the final film.
It is worth noting here that while this chart is very simple, in VFX-heavy projects, the actual Post-Production process will take much longer than the Production process and employ many times to the staff as well as cost a large portion of the budget.
Also no project is ever perfect and it is highly possible that at some point during the Post-Production process it will become obvious that more shots are needed. These shots are called pick-up shots and involve the same processes stated in the Production page.
Acquire All Shots – The footage has been taken by the cameras and stored in their respective format but now it needs to be transferred to the editing system. In today’s age, most of this is done digitally, even if a film was shot on actual film and not through digital cameras. Also the formats of the film may differ and will require some form of conversion for them to all synch together.
The next step of the process is highly individualized according to the project’s specifics, but basically this is the time when the director will start finalizing the project’s sequence as well as add any additional qualities to the shots. All these aspects will essentially be juggled during the process as the Director works towards the final images for the project.
VFX – or Visual Effects is the complicated process by which additional imagery is added to the shots after they have been taken. These VFX can be simple things like a stick figure walking in the scene to huge elaborate computer-generated characters and backgrounds. In most cases, the VFX will have it own set of pipelines and will not be added to any footage until after the Director has completed the first round of Editing due to its expense. However, last minute changes can happen before the final edit is made and therefore it is placed here.
Editing – The process by which the Director and Editor takes the final footage and puts them into the ideal sequence for the project. This is an incredibly important step and a good Editor is one of the most important people on the entire project. Basically the Editor will work with the Director and look at the shooting script, breakdowns, and actually footage, and put them in the correct order. A good Editor will also use their ability to time the shots to create dramatic tension and emotion for the final project. Much of the editing should be finished before the VFX are completed. However there will also be a final editing pass.
Sound Editing – The sounds and dialogue of the project will most likely fluctuate due to the chaotic nature of Production. As such, the project needs to take all the sounds in the film and adjust the various levels to the right consistency as well as synchronize the dialogue to the visuals. Sounds or dialogue from one may also be taken of a shot and put into another. Sound editing also includes adding all the sound effects and foley necessary to the film.
Scoring – The score of the project’s musical soundtrack and can vary widely from project to project. Some projects will use pre-existing music while others will have scores composed and written specifically for the project. In the cases of a composer writing music specifically for the project, it is good to hand them the original script so they can get started and given consequent edits so they can continue to refine the music until the final version of the film. At that point, the soundtrack will be recorded.
Picture Lock – The editing is complete and the sequence of the project is finalized. However there are still some adjustments that need to be made:
Color Grading – No matter how much effort is put into the lights, when shots are made quickly over several days or even months, the lighting may not be consistent after the final edit. As such, colors need to be adjusted to create a more streamline individual shots in a sequence. Additional changes may also be made to create specific color moods for the shot and scene. Basically, there is some kind of visual manipulation being made to the film for either practical or creative reasons.
Sound Mix – Now that the dialogue and sound effects have been finalized, but adjustments still need to be made to make sure they are both timed and balanced within the final sequence.
Music Mix – The score is added to the film and edited to fit in perfectly with the final project sequence.
Final Sound Mix – Now that all the sounds and music are timed together, it is time to adjust their various levels so that they do not conflict with each other in the final cut.
Print Final Film – The project is completed and its time to print and air!
As you can see, the process of taking an idea and taking it all the way through the Production Pipeline to a final product is long. arduous and not without its financial risks. But it is also rewarding and I hope this guide will help people understand more about what’s involved to help them on their own creative journeys.
