IFH 113: Post Production Process – Understand It or Suffer the Consequences
Post Production Process: Understand It or Suffer the Consequences
Filmmaking is a long process and is divided into three stages. The first stage is pre-production stage, the second one is production, and the last one is post-production stage. In this podcast episode, I go into each of the following steps of the post production process and add a few bonus ones as well.
Right click here to download the MP3
Pre-Production Stage:
Pre-production in real is not much difficult. This process starts when the producer of the film select the cast and the crew of your film, and you develop your final script. It is a filmmaker who is trying to convince the people that the shooting will start soon. After that announcement, the producer will wait for the cast to agree to do the work and for the financial partners to fill the banks of the producer.
The Production Stage:
After getting your finances, the production process will get started. This production phase will have all kind of action. You will get started with the tight schedule of nine to eighteen days, working for 14-18 hours in a day. All the activities are carried out at once. The light, camera, action, actors, scripts, costumes, props, schedules and most importantly the temper tantrums due to the long and hectic schedules. Apart from all this, production is somewhat a fun process if you get what you want quickly but if the case is opposite, these days can turn into nightmares for you.
Whether these days are joyful or tiring, the end of the production phase always comes with a party. Everyone in the cast and the whole team will party hard at the end and will go to their homes. Their work is done. In the end, you, the producer is left with all the work. You may wake up after approximately two days because of the continuous hectic routine you followed in last days.
After that, you will have a whole tape of the film which can be twenty hours long, and then the next stage will be the post-production stage.
The Post-Production Phase:
Post-production is not a difficult process. There will be no hectic schedule of working for 14 -18 hours like the production process which includes a lot of work. The first thing to do after the production process is complete, is to call your cinematographer so that he can introduce you to different editors. All you have to do next is hire some good people and keep an eye on their work daily for an hour or so. The production process will be easy for you if you follow it step by step. Here are the 13 steps of post-production process which are to be followed by every producer.
The 13 steps of post-production process are as follows:
Post Production Process: The Selection of the Editing Software:
The first step to follow in post-production is to select an editing program. Selecting your editing application can make your workflow run smoothly or cost you months and tons of cash. You can make that decision based on the needs of your creative editor and the original format you shot your film on. You’ll need to find a balance between the two.
Please consult with a Post Production Supervisor at this stage of production. They can save you a ton of time and cash.
Post Production Process: Selection of a Creative Picture Editor:
The selection of an expert editor for your film is the biggest decision. The proper formation of your film depends on the creativity of your film editor. The editor is the one who will develop the Edit Decision List (EDL). He will go through all of the scripts and the scenes of your movie and decide which shots will be used to create a flow of the story correctly. Here comes the big work of the editor’s creativity.
The best way is to hire an appropriate editor for your film before the start of the production phase. The benefit of having your editor in the production process is that he will guide you about the scenes which are required to make a perfect sequence. The editing of the film is about 8-10 weeks long procedure, and it will involve different stages. The first edited draft is called Rough cut, and the final draft is called an Answer point. A good edit has two ends; the first one is when you are satisfied with all the visual images and the second one is when you are happy with the sound effects of the film.
Post Production Process: Selection of a Sound Editor:
After the preparation of the edited movie, there is a need to improve the sound quality. For that purpose, you have to hire a sound editor who can make the movie look more attractive with different sound effects.
The sound editor will perform some major tasks like he will cut the dialogue tracks and recreate those sound effects and then make the cue sheet for another step in the post-production process i.e. the mix.
Post Production Process: Automatic Dialogue Replacement:
This step is carried out in a big room with the projectors. The central focus of this ADR is to replace the dialogues in the film which are not adequately recorded. All the actors again deliver These dialogues, and the voice is then synced to the edited version of the movie.
Post Production Process: Work with Foley Artists:
Making the sounds of the dialogue clear is not the end of the audio editing process. You have to go again in the ADR room, and with the help of the hired Foley artists, you will include the additional sounds in the edited version of the movie. These sounds will add the sounds of footsteps and others. The sound people are called Foley artists.
Post Production Process: Music:
The next step for the post-production process is to include the desired music in the film. The best thing is to hire a musician with his studio so that he can create new music for your film. Producers never use the previously used music in a movie as it is against the laws. If you have already bought the rights to use that old music than you can add into your movie.
Producers never prefer the usage of pre-cleared CD music because of its low quality. It is better to use a contemporary type of music in your film because the usage of traditional and public domain music will be hazardous.
Post Production Process: The Mix:
The mix or the re-recording section of the movie will include the setting of the sounds in the whole movie in a row where they fit. After all of the above steps, you will have a series of the music which will include the songs, the background sounds, etc. All you have to do is manage these sounds effectively in the whole film.
Post Production Process: Music and Effects (M&E):
This is a part of the film production that you have to sell the rights of your movie to the foreign nation. There is a requirement of the international buyers that they need the soundtrack which is free from the English dialogues so that they can dub the dialogues in the desired manner. So, it is better to get the only music and effect version of your film.
Post Production Process: Creating Your Opening and End Credits
After the formatting and the finalization of the sound effects and track, you have to finalize your titles for the movie. The producer has to get the 6 – 8 opening cards of the title and finally the Rear title crawl. These title files are then added to the final tracks.
Post Production Process: Digital Cinema Package:
For the final print of your film to be delivered to the cinemas, you need your digital cinema package or DCP. It will contain the final edited film in a hard drive. This hard drive will be used for the distribution of the movies into the theaters.
Post Production Process: A Dialogue Script:
A film without subtitles in a foreign country is of no use. You have to create a dialogue script for the foreign people so that they can create the subtitles accordingly. This dialogue script will contain the codes for each and every pause and the dialogues so that the subtitles can be created by the scene and the actual dialogue.
Post Production Process: Campaign Image for the Film:
Getting an appropriate campaign image for your film is imperative. The picture of the film should depict the storyline of the movie and should include the name and the credits for the films. This image will create a first impression on the distributors and the programmers of the movie.
Post Production Process: Trailer:
The last step in the post production process is getting a perfect trailer for your film. The trailer should be 90-120 seconds long. It should have the ability to deliver the moods and atmosphere of the movie. The success of the movie will depend on the strength of the trailer.
This is all you need to know about the post-production process of the filmmaking. If it is followed appropriately, the film will get a good reception.
LINKS AND RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE
- IFH 014: Post Production Workflow – Understand it or DIE!
- Sound for Indie Film: Recording Audio Like a Pro – Online Course
- This is Meg – Feature Film
- Indie Film Marketing 101: Design a Website for your Film
SPONSORS
- VideoBlocks.com – (IFH Discount SAVE $50)
- Werner Herzog Filmmaking Master Class
- Aaron Sorkin Screenwriting Master Class
- Kevin Spacey Acting Master Class
- Amazon.com
- FreeFilmBook.com (Download Your FREE Filmmaking Audio Book)
KILLER RESOURCES!!!
- INDIE FILM SYNDICATE Filmmaking Community
- IFH’s Online Film School
- Six Secrets to get into Film Festivals for FREE!
Action Items:
- Subscribe to the Podcast on iTunes, Stitcher, Soundcloud or via RSS.
If you like Post Production Process – Understand It or Suffer the Consequences, then click below:
How to Build a Pimp’d Out BlackMagic Cinema Camera Rig on the CHEAP!
Enjoyed Post Production Process – Understand It or Suffer the Consequences? Please share it in your social networks (Facebook, Twitter, email etc) by using social media buttons at the side or bottom of the blog. Or post to your blog and anywhere else you feel it would be a good fit. Thanks.
I welcome thoughts and remarks on ANY of the content above in the comments section below…
Get Social with Indie Film Hustle:
Facebook: Indie Film Hustle
Twitter: @indiefilmhustle
Instagram: @ifilmhustle
YouTube: Indie Film Hustle TV
Podcast: IFH Podcast
Podcast: Film Festival Hacks Podcast
IFH: Filmmaking Hacks
