Editing Post-production

{{short description|Step in film, video, audio or photography process}}
{{more citations needed|date=August 2020}}
{{Use American English|date=June 2022}}
{{Filmmaking sidebar}}
[[Image:linear suite.jpg|thumb|A video editing suite]]

'''Post-production''' is part of the process of [[filmmaking]], [[video production]], [[audio production]], and [[photography]]. Post-production includes all stages of production occurring after [[principal photography]] or recording individual program segments.<ref>{{cite book |title=Video Production Discipline and Techniques |author1=Lynne S. Gross |author2=James C. Foust |author3=Thomas D. Burrows |isbn=0-07-293548-0 |publisher=McGraw Hill |date=2005 |edition=9th |page=G11}}</ref><ref name="Routledge/Focal Press">{{cite book |last1=Hoggan |first1=Michael |title=Art and Craft of Motion Picture Editing |date=2022 |publisher=Routledge/Focal Press |isbn=978-0-367-56878-8}}</ref>

The traditional first part of the post-production process, non-linear (analog) film editing, has mostly been replaced by digital or [[video editing software]], which operates as a [[non-linear editing]] (NLE) system. The advantage of non-linear editing is the ability to edit scenes out of order, thereby making creative changes at will.  This flexibility facilitates carefully shaping the film in a thoughtful, meaningful way for emotional effect.

Once the production team is satisfied with the picture editing, the editing is said to be ''locked''.  At this point the turnover process begins, in which the picture is prepared for lab and color finishing, and the sound is ''spotted'' and turned over to the composer and sound designers for sound design, composing, and sound mixing.<ref name="Routledge/Focal Press"/>

==Processes==
[[File:Tainted blue studios control room.jpg|thumb|A sound control room at Tainted Blue Studios, 2010]]

Post-production consists of many different processes grouped under one name. These typically include:<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.wrapbook.com/blog/post-production |title=Post-Production: A Guide Through the Fundamentals |access-date=2024-02-22}}</ref>
* When content is shot on [[Film stock|film]] it is typically transferred to [[video]], [[DPX]], [[OpenEXR]] with a [[telecine]] or a more modern [[motion picture film scanner]].
*[[film editing|Editing]] the content of the [[film]] or [[television program]].
* Writing, recording and [[Re-recording (filmmaking)|re-recording]], and editing the [[soundtrack]].
* Adding [[visual effects]] – mainly [[computer-generated imagery]] (CGI) which is then [[Compositing|composited]] into the frame.
* [[Sound design]], [[sound effect]]s, [[Dubbing (filmmaking)#ADR/post-sync|ADR]], [[Foley (filmmaking)|Foley]], and music, culminating in a process known as sound re-recording or mixing with [[professional audio]] equipment.
*[[2D to 3D conversion|Stereoscopic 3D conversion]] in the case of content that was shot in 2D which is scheduled to have a 3D release.
*[[Color grading]] (and color correction) in a [[color suite]].
*[[Subtitling]], [[closed captioning]], or [[dubbing]].

The post-production phase of creating a film usually takes longer than the actual shooting of the film. It can take several months to complete, because it includes the complete editing, color correction, and the addition of music and sound. The process of editing a movie is also seen as the second directing, because through post-production it is possible to change the intention of the movie. 

Furthermore, through the use of color grading tools and the addition of music and sound, the atmosphere of the movie can be heavily influenced. For instance, a blue-tinted movie is associated with a cold atmosphere. The choice of music and sound increases the effect of the scenes shown to the audience.

==Television==
In [[television]], the phases of post-production include: [[Film editing|editing]], [[video editing]], color correction, assembly, sound editing, re-recording, [[animation]] and visual effects insertions, combining separately edited audio and video tracks back together and delivery for broadcast.

==Photography==

Professional post-producers usually apply a certain range of [[image editing]] operations to the [[raw image format]] provided by a photographer or an image bank. There is a range of proprietary and free and open-source software, running on a range of operating systems available to do this work.

The first of post-production usually requires loading the raw images into the post-production software. If there is more than one image, and they belong to a set, ideally post-producers try to equalize{{explain|date=July 2015}} the images before loading them. After that, if necessary, the next step would be to cut the objects in the images with the Pen Tool for a perfect and clean cut. The next stage would be cleaning the image using tools such as the healing tool, clone tool, and patch tool.

The next stages depend on what the client ordered. If it is a photo montage, the post-producers would usually start assembling the different images into the final document, and start to integrate the images with the background.

In advertising, it usually requires assembling several images together in a photo composition.

Types of work usually done:
* Advertising that requires one background (as one or more images to assemble) and one or more models. (Usually, the most time-consuming, as often these are image bank images which do not have much quality, and they all have different light and color as they were not controlled by only one photographer in one set location)
* Product-photography that usually requires several images of the same object with different lights, and assembled together, to control light and unwanted reflections, or to assemble parts that would be difficult to get in one shot, such as a beer glass for beer advertising. (Sometimes to composite one image of a beer glass it requires four or five images: one for the base, one for the beer, one for the label, one for the foam, and one or more for splashing beer if that is desired)
* Fashion photography that usually requires heavy post-production for editorial or advertising

==Music==
Techniques used in music post-production include '''{{vanchor|comping}}''' (short for compositing, or compiling the best portions of multiple takes into a single composite take),<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.sweetwater.com/insync/what-is-comping/|title = What is "Comping"? &#124; Sweetwater|date = 27 January 2016}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.soundonsound.com/techniques/crafty-comping|title=Crafty Comping}}</ref> timing and [[pitch correction]] (perhaps through [[beat quantization]]), and adding [[audio signal processing|effects]]. This process is typically referred to as [[Audio mixing (recorded music)|mixing]] and can also involve [[Equalization (audio)|equalization]] and adjusting the levels of each individual track to provide an optimal sound experience.<ref name="Hodgson">Hodgson, Jay ''Understanding Records'', p.231. {{ISBN|978-1-4411-5607-5}}.</ref> Contrary to the name, post-production may occur at any point during the recording and production process.<ref name="Hodgson"/>

==See also==
<!-- please keep entries in alphabetical order -->
{{Portal|Film|Television|Radio|Music}}
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* [[2-pop]]
* [[Cinematic techniques]]
* [[Color suite]]
* [[Direct to disk recording]]
* [[DTE (direct to edit)]]
* [[Dubbing (filmmaking)]]
* [[Film editing]]
* [[Film score]]
* [[Linear video editing]]
* [[Negative cutting]]
* [[Non-destructive editing]]
* [[Non-linear editing system]] (NLE)
* [[Offline editing]]
* [[Outline of film]]
* [[Pre-production]]
* [[Sound editor (filmmaking)]]
* [[Sound effect]]
* [[Special effect]]
* [[Stock footage]]
* [[Tapeless production]]
* [[Tapeless camcorder]]
* [[Video editing]]
* [[Video editing software]]
* [[Video server]]
{{div col end}}

==References==
{{Reflist}}

{{Filmmaking}}
{{Film crew}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Film and video technology]]
[[Category:Filmmaking]]
[[Category:Film production]]
[[Category:Film post-production| ]]
[[Category:Cinematic techniques]]