ESSENTIAL STEPS OF POST PRODUCTION IN VIDEOS AND FILMMAKING
A successful film is not possible with the raw footage. The success of a movie or video depends on the many steps that are taken after filming. One of them is post production, which involves the process of editing raw footage and adding visual effects, sound, and color grading a movie to make it cohesive and compelling.
But Before diving into post production, you need to navigate through the stages of production. They will help you to get your head around post production in a much better way. Here is a brief explanation of production steps:
1. Development: This is the initial phase of the creation of the story for the movie. You can either create it from scratch or adapt it from a play, book, true story, fairytale, or another source. This phase is where the screenplay and financing are secured for the production of the film.
2. Pre-production: At this stage, the filmmaker hires actors and crew, determines shooting locations, and builds props or sets. Post production services companies are very particular about this phase.
3. Production: This stage records the raw footage, as described above.
4. Post production: This stage revolves around the editing of the film.
5. Distribution: Once the film has been completed, it is distributed and marketed to be shown in theaters or on DVD.
Now it is about time to take a deep dive into different post production stages:
· Choose An Editing Format
There are multiple types of post production services in Maryland. The digital way is arguably more famous than any other method.
You can go digital if you choose. There are many post production tools that you can use, including Adobe Suite and Final Cut from Apple. However, it is worth looking at other products such as VEGAS which allows you to combine audio and video editing in one seamless workflow. More on the tools later.
· Adding Visual Effects
Next, engineers and artists design computer-generated visual effects. Backgrounds and other effects are possible during this stage.
· Color Grading
A color editor looks at the film frame by frame to adjust the mood and color consistency. Color grading’s goal is to maintain consistency in shots and create a mood for the scene.
· Get A Campaign Image
One image is worth a thousand words. a campaign image can be used to serve several purposes along the way.
· Get A Trailer
A trailer of 90 to 120 seconds should be enough to capture the mood and atmosphere of the movie. The trailer is often used as a basis for programming and distribution decisions.
Tools To Use During Post Production Process
Unlike in the past, there are several post production tools available today. You can leverage them to ease off the process and get results that are the closest to your expectations.
We are mentioning the list of post production tools utilized by the most popular post production companies in Maryland:
Adobe Premiere Pro: This non-linear editor (NLE), allows you to perform different post production processes in any sequence. You can use the handy tool to edit audio, video, and graphics.
Final Cut Pro: It also falls into the category of NLEs. This type of NLE is easier for those who are familiar with Mac operating systems and their apps. Moreover, you can edit audio and visual files with the software.
Apple Logic Pro XAndAdobe Audition: These powerful tools are ideal for sound editing and mixing.
Lightroom: We all want to share photos on social media. Lightroom allows you to quickly and efficiently edit your photos. Lightroom has a simpler interface than other image editors, making it easier to edit.
Preset editing can be applied to multiple images at once when we talk about the editor’s automation options. This tool can also be used as a post production editor for your photographs.
DaVinci Resolve: It is known for its ability to color-grade. This tool purifies faster than Adobe, and it is also completely free. So you don’t need a strong financial standing to afford it. That is perhaps why most of the low-scale post production services in Maryland make it a point to exploit the tool.
Are you wondering what is the impact of post production on a scene from a movie? To give you a better idea, here are the examples of the two scenes that stood out primarily because of the excellent post production process:
1. Solo The Boulder Problem
· Before you see Jimmy Chin’s Oscar-winning documentary Free Solo, you’ll know that Alex Honnold climbed El Capitan to a remarkable 3,000ft. Honnold was not tied to any ropes. Even with ropes, this section is very difficult. Honnold is perched on a rock face and the editing captures this moment. The sound mix features his breathing, which is prominent in the sound mix. Even though we know the end, it keeps us on edge.
2. The Shower Scene
· Although Psycho was released almost six decades ago, the Psycho shower scene is still an iconic one. Janet Leigh (played here as Marion Crane) enters the shower and the music stops. Hitchcock used editing to make a regular shower into a bloodbath using imagination and editing.
The Takeaway Message
While the cost of post production is the same across all visual media, it can vary depending on the media used (film, television, or video games) as well as the project’s size. Post production is a collaborative process that can take several months to complete.
Post production services involve a variety of tasks, including sound effects, music editing, raw footage cutting, dubbing, and many other processes. Trust and open communication are essential to the success of a film.
While the cost of post production is the same across all visual media, it can vary depending on the media used (film, television, or video games) as well as the project’s size.