All you need to know about post-production

December 22, 2022 | By Good Vibes

Post-production refers to a well-defined process that occurs post-filming and pre-release. It is essentially the 'putting together' part when all the content that has been captured and visualised is blended together by leveraging various skill sets and professional software to create the final version of a story.

Every part of post-production works together to produce one cohesive result. This article is a brief guide covering various aspects of the post-production process. Read on!

Content of the article

• Introduction to post-production and its importance
• What are the various stages in post-production?
• Who is involved in post-production?
• How long does it take for the post-production to complete?
• On finding the best post-production studio

Introduction to post-production and its importance

To better understand the 'post-production' process, let us first look at what its two prior processes, namely pre-production and production, mean.

• Pre-production

It is phase one of producing a well-crafted movie or video. It is when all the planning and coordination happens before full-scale production begins. In other words, this stage sets the groundwork. During this process, the filmmaker works with various departments to accomplish various goals, such as scripting, location scouting, costume and makeup creation, setting project timelines, set building, budgeting, insurance etc.

• Production

In stage two, the 'production' phase, your story begins to take shape. Here, the footage is captured by filming scenes, and it essentially involves setting up sound, lighting and video equipment, filming, reshooting, on-location recording of sounds etc.

• Post-production

Now that a video or film has been planned, and the needed content has been captured and gathered using all the necessary tools, you still have raw footage, not the entire story in the systematic order you want to see.

Also, the footage is often shot in no particular order but suiting the demand and need of location, performers, weather, the overall setting and other deciders. To put it differently, unedited footage - no matter how efficiently it has been planned and captured - is lifeless and unfinished without post-production.

Generally speaking, post-production brings life to the story, gives sense to the footage captured, and puts things in order and the proper perspective, as per the demand of the video. It turns all the content into an actual, finished and usable product and involves a range of activities, from organising, cutting, mixing and editing, colouring to animation and more.

What are the various stages in post-production?

Now that we have a basic understanding of post-production, let us find out how it works. In other words, what are the core stages of post-production? Please note that every video is different, and post-production processes may vary from project to project, but they typically follow these fundamental steps.

• Editing
• Sound and music
• Visual effects
• Sound mixing
• Colour grading

Editing (Stringing out shots in meaningful order)

Generally speaking, the post-production phase starts with editing the shots captured during the production phase. In this stage, the editor strings out various shots of the video or film in a specific order, as the script demands. Simply put, the raw footage is blended in a way that makes sense and tells the overall story as needed.

The job is half done even when different shots are pieced together into a complete story. In fact, editing involves various steps. The editor will understand the script, watch the footage, review them, and decide which shots to use and which to eliminate and in what particular order. It takes a lot of refinement, skills and experience from the editor and their coordination with the director (if needed) until they have a final edited version of the content ready.

Sound and music (Making sense of every single sound)

After the shots are captured and processed perfectly in the editing stage, it's time to add/edit and refine the sound. The sound editor will assemble audio tracks, edit dialogue tracks, remove unnecessary noise and improve the video with suitable sound effects that match the story's feel and flow. If the sounds recorded on set are not well enough and do not complement the actual footage, the editors may need to re-record them. However, re-recordings may be required in other situations as well, such as to support a creative context or on screens that need off-screen dialogues and voiceovers.

Visual effects (Taking visual storytelling to the next level)

Short for VFX, Visual effects is another crucial stage in the post-production process for many movies. In it, VFX artists and engineers work on computer-generated visual effects. Used well, these effects enhance the quality of visual storytelling, helping filmmakers to create things that would have been too time-taking to create in real-life or not practical or feasible.

Sound mixing (Ensuring everything sounds just perfect)

Sound mixing is done when you need to match audio levels concerning all the sound that will go into a film - from dialogues to the musical score and more. The sound mixer will closely monitor all the volume levels, adjusting them accordingly, and ensuring all audio files are clear, seamless and crisp. Basically, sound mixing is all about ensuring everything sounds just perfect.

Colour grading (Creating a consistent colour tone)

Colour grading refers to creating consistent colour tones throughout a video or film. It supports directors to follow a specific colour palette, thus representing their artistic choices and maintaining a unified look. A colour editor, in this stage, will examine the frames and, if needed, adjust the respective colours for consistency, quality and mood.

The post-production process also involves editors creating titles and credits to give the final product a final touch.

• Who is involved in post-production?

Professional post-production involves a wide-ranging team of specialists with various skill sets. From film editors, Foley artists, Sound engineers, VFX supervisors, music editors, colourists, composers, cinematographers etc., everyone works together to produce outstanding final content.

• How long does it take for the post-production to complete?

The duration of post-production is not set and differs from one project to another based on what type of film or video is to be produced. A big film with multiple actors and locations, sounds and music, settings and special effects will take longer than a short film or a TV feature.

• On finding the best post-production studio

The post-production process adds life to your film or video and requires the skills and expertise of a slew of professionals. Finding the right video editing company with the right skills, tools and resources are essential to make great things happen. If you are searching for a video editing company in India for your post-production needs, we can help. Good Vibes Entertainment is a film production company in Delhi providing various film production services to clients across different spectrums. Contact us to learn more!