Higher Media Studies Production Unit

Module 2: Who Does What

Lesson 5Post-Production

Post-Production Supervisor

Like the Production Manager, but who specialises in the post-production.

Co-ordinates the labs, editors, financiers, and facilities companies.

Often has worked for labs or facilities companies, and has expert knowledge of all the technologies needed to bring the film to screen

special effects On big budget films, this would be a

separate department that is in charge of all the effects that are to be shot on set, and not done digitally. This includes things like fires, smoke, snow, ice.

Bye-Child’s special effects were very simple and achieved by the art department.

Special Visual Effects

Different from SFX because they create the digital effects for the film.

Some films will need to prepare for inserting digital effects in the edit with certain techniques in production.

Experts in green-screen technology. Help cinematographer and director to plan shots that will work with digital effects.

EDITOR Though this job is officially post-production, sometimes an

editor will visit the location to get a feel for the film and its mood.

Will then construct the story in pictures, using the raw footage. First cut is known as the ‘assembly cut’ and is rarely the final

cut.

Re-recording Mixer/Dubbing

Like the editor, this is a job that takes place in post-production, but can be very important while the film is being shot.

Can give advice on what effects can be achieved on location, or back in the studio.

On Bye-Child, this was the final stage of the editorial process, and only at this stage was the flashback sequence made to work.

Music After the picture has been ‘locked’ the

soundtrack will be recorded. The composer will have been involved

from as early as possible, in order to develop his/her own ideas.

Recording can involve huge orchestras, or simply the buying of pre-recorded music.

Buying pre-recorded music can be cheaper if the owner of the music allows you to buy the rights from them.

Credits There is always a fight over credits. ‘Above the title’ refers to getting a name

before the title of the film. The big stars and important players get this.

‘Single card’ refers to one person on a screen, and not part of the long list of credits that rolls at the end of the film.

Contracts for many crew state that they are not even guaranteed a credit on the film.

Delivery

Delivery of the produced film occurs when the producer has completed the film with all its sound and credits and edit completed.

It then moves on to the marketing people and they decide where it can be sold to.