The Guide to Managing Postproduction for Film, TV, and Digital Distribution

Description

The updated third edition of this popular book offers a clear and detailed overview of the postproduction process, showing readers how to manage each step in taking a film, TV, or media project from production to final delivery, from scheduling and budgeting through editing, sound, visual effects, and more. Accessibly written for producers, post supervisors, filmmakers, and students and extensively updated to address current digital and file-based industry practices, The Guide to Managing Postproduction for Film, TV, and Digital Distribution helps the reader to understand the new worlds of accessibility, deliverables, license requirements, legal considerations, and acquisitions involved in postproduction, including the ins and outs of piracy management and archiving. This edition addresses the standards for theatrical and digital distribution, network, cable and pay TV, as well as spotlights internet streaming and various delivery methods for specialty screenings, projection large format (PLF), and formats including 3D, virtual reality and augmented reality. Cover Half Title Title Page Copyright Page Table of contents Acknowledgments Introduction Chapter 1: Scheduling Chapter 2: Budgeting Chapter 3: Digital Workflow Chapter 4: Dailies Chapter 5: Editorial Chapter 6: VFX Chapter 7: Sound Chapter 8: Mastering for Digital Cinema Chapter 9: Deliverables Chapter 10: Piracy Chapter 11: Acquisitions Chapter 12: Archiving Chapter 13: Legal Chapter 14: The Future General Overview Who Does What and for Whom? The Management Team Executive Producer/Co-Executive Producer Producer/Co-Producer Showrunner (TV/Streaming) Line Producer Production Manager Executive in Charge of Postproduction Postproduction Supervisor/Associate Producer Postproduction Coordinator Postproduction Assistant Intern The Postproduction Staff Editor Assistant Editor Sound Design Supervisor Sound Editor Music Supervisor Music Editor Music Coordinator Visual Effects Supervisor How to Use This Book 1 Scheduling Creating a Production to Postproduction Schedule Elements of the Postproduction Schedule Principal Photography Dailies Second Unit Photography Editor’s Cut Director’s Cut Producer’s Cut Temporary On-Line/Temporary Dub Network/Studio View Picture Lock Opticals/Film Titles and Graphics VFX Test Screenings Negative Cut/Conform/On-line Edit/DI Answer Print for Film Finish Spotting Music and Sound Effects ADR/Looping Scoring Color Correction/Final Color-Grading Prelay/Predub Mix/Dub Creating Foreign Tracks Delivery/Air Masters Delivery Air Date Summary Scheduling Samples 2 Budgeting Bidding vs. Estimates Line Items Negotiating Creating a Budget Getting Started A Carefully Planned Nightmare Areas to Budget Production Postproduction Understanding Costs and Bids Purchase Orders Non-Disclosure A Sample Budget Cost-of-Accounting Form Breakdown 3700 Postproduction Facility (aka Film and Digital Lab) 3800 Data Capture Cards/Stock 3900 Second Unit/VR 4000 Dailies/Hair and Makeup Tests 4400 VFX/Photographic Effects and Inserts 4601–4602 Editor and Assistant Editor 4603 Apprentice Editors 4604 Editing Bay and Equipment Rental 4700 Music Editor and Assistant/Music and Effects (M&E) 4701 Music Supervisor 4702 Composer 4703 Musicians – Score or Prescore 4704 Singers/Performers 4705 Orchestra 4706 Music Rights and Licenses 4800 Postproduction Sound 4801 Sound Editor/M&E 4802 Sound Mixer 4803–4804 ADR/Looping/Foley 4805 Final Sound Layback and Export 4806 Dubbing 4807 Foreign Delivery Requirements 4900–4906 Mastering 5000–5001 Titles/Artist/Opticals 5100 Versioning and Localization 5200 Miscellaneous Postproduction 5201 Additional Postproduction Staff 5203 Masters/Stock/Storage/Transfer/Shipping 5300 Stock Footage Use License 5400 Fringe Benefits – Postproduction A Few Additional Budget Tips Summary 3 Digital Workflow and the Film Laboratory Digital Workflow Dailies Capture/Camera Files Dailies Archiving Editing Data VFX Mastering Distribution Archiving Wrap-up Food for Thought The Film Laboratory Film Formats Two-, Three- and Four-Perf Film Aspect Ratio Negative Processing Path Processing Dailies Laboratory Processing Schedule Scheduling Film Processing Inform the Laboratory Special Handling Flashing – It’s Not What You Might Think Camera and Makeup Tests Film Cans, Bags, Cores and Blank Camera Reports Color-Correcting Dailies Film Damage Perforation/Edge Tears Scratches Fogging/Light Leaks Film Loaded in Reverse Double Exposure Camera Running Off-Speed Skiving Water Damage Density Shifts (Light Shifts)/Breathing and HMIs X-Ray Damage Laboratory Errors Stock Damage Film Weave We Just Meant to Inform, Not Frighten Creating Other Negatives and Prints Acetate vs. Estar Adding Sound Cyan and High Magenta Sound Tracks Creating YCMs What Are YCM Masters? Why Create YCM Masters? What Is the Process? Is the Result Always Positive? When Are YCMs Needed? Shipping Exposed Negative Summary Footage Conversions 4 Dailies Dropping Film at the Post Facility Camera Reports Camera Report Breakdown Shot Log Sheet Shot Log Breakdown Film-to-Digital Dailies Digital-to-Digital Dailies Framing Chart Production Audio Recording Tips Transfer Log Road Maps and the Multi-Camera Shoot Road Map Timecode Size Matters Having “Safe” Picture Title Safe Screeners Never Early Enough Troubleshooting Dailies Problems Summary 5 Editorial The Editor and Assistant Editor Off-Line Edit Bay Equipment Film Edit Room Equipment Viewing Dailies Editor’s Log and Script Notes Off-Line Editing VFX from Off-Line to On-Line Managing Editorial Stock Footage Clips Aspect Ratio – There Is No Stock Answer Editor’s Cut Director’s Cut Producer’s Cut Temporary Dub or Prelay Network/Studio View Picture Lock VFX Negative Cut (for Film Finish Shows) On-Line Editing On-Line EDL On-Line Session Requirements What the On-Line Facility Needs to Know Summary 6 VFX Open EXR DPX Framing Charts A Note on Color A Note on Dimensions: 2D or 3D The VFX Pipeline Preproduction Previsualization Production Animation Compositing Summary 7 Sound Audio Sweetening Production Sound The Sound Recordist Sound Report Sound Report Breakdown Production Sound Recording Formats Use a SmartSlate, Dummy The Dos and Don’ts of Electronic Slating Electronic Slate Gotcha 1 Electronic Slate Gotcha 2 Not Too Bright: Electronic Slate Gotcha 3 General Slate Loss: Jumped the Gun Production Sound (Continued) Temporary Mix/Temporary Dub (Temp Mix/Temp Dub) Do You Need One? Temporary Insanity Sound Effects Sound Design Elements Sound Effects Spotting Creating Sound Effects ADR/Looping Scheduling ADR/Looping Be One Step Ahead What’s It Gonna Cost? Foley Music/Scoring Scoring Methods Electronic Method Orchestral Method Music in a Can Obtaining Music Clearances A Word of Advice Laydown Predub/Prelay Audio Mix Be Prepared How Long Should It Take? Getting the Right Mix Final Sound Masters Sample Sound Masters M&E Tracks for Animation Layback Film Prints with Sound Sound Quality and Sibilance Laugh Tracks Foreign-Language Dubbing Localization Localization File Specifications Sample Foreign-Language Digital Masters Foreign Dubbing in the United States Foreign-Language Film Prints Foreign Dubbing Materials Dubbing for Theatrical and Digital Use Anti-Piracy Issues When Do You Dub? Foreign Laugh Pass Sound Advice 8 Mastering for Digital Cinema and Film Completion What Is a DCP? DCP Is Easy as One, Two, Three Steps Compression Encryption Packaging Some Technical Specs for the Techies QC Choosing a Facility, or Not Gotchas Other Mediums MXF What Is E-Cinema? 3D Projection How Does DLP Work? Color Correction Why Color Correction Is Necessary Who, What, When How What Can Go Wrong How Long What Happens Next Can I Do It at Home? Film The Color-Blind Producer Summary Credits and Titling Credits Tips for Creating Credits Credits for Features Credits for TV 90-Minute Programs/Pilots Credits for Episodics Union Rules Regarding Credits WGA DGA SAG Choosing a Font Mine Is Bigger Red Alert Titling Title Parts Titling Requirements Textless – It’s Not a State Digital in, Film out So, What Is This Film-Out Thing? Understanding Data Resolution Film-Out Specifications The Film Recorder Sound for Film-Out 2-Pop Film Completion Film Finish Film Opticals vs. A/B Cutting Single-Strand Opticals: Fades, Dissolves and Effects A/B Opticals: Fades and Dissolves Only Choosing the Right Method Negative Cut/Negative Conform Accessibility Closed-Captioning It’s Not Just for the Hearing-Challenged Captioning Needs Sample Caption Work File Specifications Understanding Closed-Captioning in Theaters Captioning Your Master Captioning vs. Titling Subtitles Video Descriptions As-Broadcast Scripts Summary Wrap-Up 9 Deliverables A Long Labor Get the Delivery Agreement Makin’ a List and Checkin’ It Twice Know Who Gets What Network/Domestic Delivery Network Resources Network Meetings Feeding the Promotions Department Network Delivery Packet Cover Sheet Rate Card Format Sheet Delivery Requirements The Network/Studio Delivery Checklist Credit Guidelines S&P Guidelines Music Cue Sheet Instructions Technical Broadcast Specifications Framing Guidelines Making Use of the Delivery Packet Sample Delivery Duplication List Granting Access Foreign Delivery Checklist Foreign Formatting Production Company Delivery Cast/Crew Copies Technical Requirements for DVDs Production Company Delivery Checklist When the Producer Sells the Rights It Rings True When the Producer Retains the Rights Taking Stock Executive Quality Delivering 10 Piracy The Big Picture Dailies Editorial Screeners In the Theater Broadcast TV and Streaming The Little Guy How to Protect Your Content Some Things to Think About Regarding Piracy It’s a Global Issue Summary 11 Acquisitions What Is an Acquisition Title? What If You’re Just a Little Guy? Determining Delivery Elements Technical Acceptance Other Common Causes for Rejection Missing Sound Effects Production Sound Problems Film Dirt/Film Damage Electronic Cleanup and Fixes Textless Other Delivery Items Rejected Delivery Materials Written Rejection Report Common Artifacts That Cause Rejection Aliasing Macroblock or Blocking Dithering Rendering Errors Dither Other Reasons for Rejection Conditions of Acceptance Fixing Rejections Is a Fix Required? How Much Will the Fix Cost? How Long Will the Fix Take to Complete? What Needs to Be Redelivered? Acceptance Acquired Libraries Summary 12 Archiving Reasons to Archive What to Archive How to Archive Animation and VFX Where to Archive Cloud Storage Film Vaults Summary 13 Legal Worthwhile Advice Five Reasons to Check with the Lawyers Stock Footage Music Products References Film Clips Disclaimers Sample Disclaimer Is It Clear? 14 The Future The Cloud: Storage and Beyond Physical File Storage Premium Large-Format Exhibition Camera Technologies Drones LED Monitors Sound Improvements: Object-Oriented Sound Accessibility More Data VR AR 4D Multiscreen Formats Studios’ Technical Standards Conclusion Glossary Index