We Can Fix It In Post, But...

The phrase "We'll fix it in post" is used often, and in most every case, it will get fixed. But what impact does this approach really have on the overall quality and cost of the project? More than ever before, one of the most crucial steps in a successful project is getting post production involved from the start. AICP Minnesota brought together experts from leading post houses around the Twin Cities to discuss the many successes and pitfalls that come with decisions - or indecisions - made early on, before production itself even starts. They talked about the entire workflow, from camera all the way to distribution, so that producers understand the importance of approaching a project with post production involved from the beginning.

Panel of Experts:
Moderator - Steve Fait (Splice)
Camera - Steve Speers (Cine-Mechanics)
Ingest & Media - Carl Jacobs (Splice)
Edit/Offline - Charlie Gerszewski (Channel Z)
VFX - Mark Youngren (Fischer)
Color - Dave Sweet (Pixel)
Audio - Kelly Pieklo (Splice)
Finish/Online - Derek Johnson (Drive Thru)
Deliverables - Sven Shelgren (Crash+Sues)

Every person on the panel stressed the importance of communication, communication, communication, and very early on in the pre-pro process. Early decisions will have an impact down the line. Knowing what you need in the end will help determine the post workflow, starting with what happens on set. Here are some considerations from the panel.

Camera: Consider capability, mobility, aesthetic,and budget when choosing a camera. Decide on format, aspect ratio, resolution, and framerate during pre-pro. You can get to any framerate from 23.98. If you are going to overcrank, you'll have to use 29.97. Remember, sync sound is locked to framerate. Are you going to protect 4:3 for SD Broadcast?

Ingest: This starts on set and involves a DIT, DMT, and Assistant Editor. Get the files and create an LTO backup asap! Do all BU from original files! Sync sound, create dailies, transcode and organize. Remember, all these steps take time to copy, transcode, and render.

Edit: With digital, the amount of footage has grown, increasing time in post. Script notes from Script Supervisors are helpful.

VFX: Informs the production and post process. Involve VFX Supervisor asap to choose proper paths during production. Having Edit, VFX, and Color on set is efficient because it saves money in the long run. If you don't have them on set but have a question, don't hesitate to call!

Color: Discuss the desired look as early as possilbe. Know your vision and give samples of desired looks. Digital no longer means flat. With Alexa and RED, latitude went beyond film.

Audio: Sound should be in the pre-pro meeting to prepare. Communication = efficiency. They often don't need more budget, they need more time. Production sound and post sound should be thought of as a team and should communicate - this can solve problems before even getting on set. The more you capture on set, the more time (and money) you save in post. Get room tone, ambient sound, and impulse responses. Note mic and recording equipment used. Get sound reports. Use broadcast WAV at 48. Each network has different specs, so know your distro path to determine workflow.

Finishing: Get involved early and know deliverables. Keep all data from camera intact. Keep legal in mind to avoid last minute removals (plate numbers, logos, etc).

Deliverables: Determine your deliverables early. Clients don't always know what their deliverables will be. HiDef vs SD. Broadcast vs theatrical vs DVD. Render, compression, and decompression time varies and can take days, so plan ahead.

Thank you AICP for a wonderful event!