Why Post-Production Is Important
Post-production happens almost immediately after filming has wrapped. Visual and audio material gathered in production are assembled together, with music, dubbing, visual effects added, just to name a few.
This is a highly collaborative process that involves creatives from different disciplines and even those from the production stage. Post-production usually spans across weeks and sometimes months, depending on the scope of the project.
The Steps Involved In Post-Production
- Video Editing Working with the pre-production and film team, editors will look at the rushes filmed and start making edit decisions based on the agreed concept of the video. Assembling footage takes time — it could take anywhere from weeks to several months. The first draft of the film is called a Rough Cut, and the final version will be called the Final Print. When the director is happy with the visuals, they’ll “lock the cut,” and the sound editing can begin.
- Sound Editing Once the picture is locked, it’s time for sound editing. They’re responsible for assembling the audio tracks of your film, cutting dialogue tracks, adding music tracks, removing unwanted noise, and even enhancing your video with sound effects.
- Visual Effects Visual Effects or VFX is usually spearheaded by a VFX Supervisor managing a team of artists and other engineers using computer-generated imagery, or CGI, to create visuals impossible to capture on set. VFX artists start working once the picture is locked. This is because they work frame by frame, so it causes a real headache if they have to add extra frames, or if a shot is swapped, have to go back in and start all over.
- Coloring Color correction and color grading are usually done after the edit is locked and VFX done. As long as the picture is locked, a colorist can go in and digitally alter the shots. They lighten frames to and adjust hues for continuity as well as to reflect the scene’s tone.
Why is Post Production Important?
Without the film post production process, there is no finished product—you simply have raw footage. In fact, raw footage is often not shot in the order it is meant to be presented in, but rather, the order that was most efficient for the actors, location, and other factors. Presenting unedited footage likely wouldn’t make sense, let alone tell a compelling story.
Every piece of the post production process works to tell the overall story of the video. For example, setting the mood and tone of the piece through a series of thoughtfully created shots—which is further enhanced by color grading and an appropriate music piece. With skillful editing, a movie or video can reach its full potential.