The post-production process is one of the most important parts of filmmaking. Post-production is essential whether you’re making short films for your LinkedIn or Oscar-winning feature films with dozens of editors and cinematographers as part of the collaborative process. It’s the part of the filmmaking process that pulls everything together and gets the video across the finish line.
So, what is post-production, and why does it matter? What are the different stages of the post-production process, and why is it important to know the differences? in this article, we will cover all of these elements and more to give you a full understanding of post-production in the various parts of the filmmaking structure.
What Is Post-Production?
There are three stages in the video creation process — pre-production, production, and post-production.
Pre-production is when everything is planned out and organized, including processes like scriptwriting, storyboarding, and casting.
Production is the stage in which footage is captured and when the actors are on the set.
The post-production phase is the when everything in the film production process comes together and is transformed into the final product.
Video post-production is about synthesizing all the elements that have been gathered, created, or designed during the whole filmmaking process. It often involves non-linear use of video editing software like Avid Media Composer, Adobe Premiere Pro, or Apple Final Cut Pro to make everything look smooth and perfect. The filmmakers will line up all the footage into a rough cut and then shape that rough cut into something finalized.
Many other kinds of artists also come into play, working on things like sound design, special effects, color correction, sound mixing, and more. Often, the goal in this stage of video production is to take footage that was already created and enhance it. This stage is all about optimization and refinement, so the final product is something everyone can be proud of.
Why Is Post-Production Important?
Post-production is the part of the workflow of a film that finalizes everything. When post-production isn’t done or isn’t done well, certain elements may feel unprofessional, rough, and off-putting. For example, post-production will likely involve a sound mixer dealing with unwanted noise, a colorist ensuring continuity, and a foley artist using sound effects to make the film sound natural.
While the actual shooting of footage is important, you won’t be able to create the finished product you’re looking for without a post-production stage. Post-production allows editors to create a shot list of the best shots and compile them together with non-linear editing. The raw footage is turned into a beautiful collection of high-quality shots in the editing process, leading to the final product.
Post-production is also critically important for applying VFX (Video Effects) and CGI (Computer-Generated Imagery) to the film. When footage is shot over a green screen, visual effects can be added during post-production. This special kind of picture editing can make even the most fantastical situations look like real life.
In layman’s terms, the post-production process is where all of the “movie magic” happens. It smooths out issues that the raw material might have and compiles a professional, high-quality finished product.
Example of Post-Production Processes
Here are some examples of steps that happen during the post-production process.
Sound Editing
Sound editors are some of the most important artists involved in filmmaking. They deal with audio tracks, audio levels, ADR (Automated Dialog Replacement) voiceover placement, over-dubbing, and more. While audio components of a film might initially seem less important to a film, they are sometimes even more important than the visual elements.
Many production companies follow the common wisdom that the ears are more easily offended than the eyes. If the sound quality is subpar, viewers will cast negative judgments about the film more quickly than if the camera looks amateurish. Focusing on sound quality in the post-production process is essential for final film quality.
Color Correction and Grading
Lighting and color are also essential to creating a film. Despite your best efforts to get all of the cameras in sync, you’ll notice variations in color between shots. This can make jumping between different shots look off-putting and unprofessional.
A colorist will fix the differences in colors. After that, all of the shots in the final video composition will have the same color filters in a process called color grading.
Video Editing
Editing a film requires the skill and knowledge of a high-level video editor to make sure everything flows smoothly and tells a compelling story. Video editors know how to make the best use of every frame of the film and can use splicing and filters to make every aspect of the video as effective as possible.
High-level video editing takes a good film to a new level. It’s an essential part of post-production.
Conclusion
If you’re looking to expand your own filmmaking, you can do that by working with a team that knows what they’re doing. Of course, hiring high-level editors, videographers, sound engineers, and other professionals can be expensive and difficult.
That’s why 7 Wonders exists — to provide that level of quality and expertise to all kinds of companies, ranging from small startups to Fortune 500 organizations.
If you want to work with the best of the best in the industry, contact our teams here at 7 Wonders. It’s our passion and mission to create films that move people, and if you want to join our roster of partners, the first step is to reach out.
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