Post-production and editing

Video production is not only the recording and a quick rough cut followed by a delivery of material. Post-production is one of the main keys in video production.

Post-production, starts after the production has ended and the material has been logged (which means it has been backed up on a server or a editing computer).

It’s in this process that we adjust colors, sounds, produce the info graphics, put music on and finally mix all the sounds: Natural sounds (sounds recorded on set of e.g., cars, dialog or people walking), music and interview, so everything is on the same volume and doesn’t annoy the viewer.

The beginning of the post-production

So, the post-production starts with the editing of the video/film. We look at the bigger perspective in the beginning by looking at all the material and divide all the material in cover material (pictures that doesn’t consist of an interview and sound) and the interview material.

The material gets indexed in our editing program and we start the process of organizing the interview on the timeline, which marks the first step towards the final movie. The editing process takes approximately a half to two days – depending on the productions size.

Editing, editing and editing

When the story has been edited (when the interview and speak has been organized on the timeline, so it matches the manuscript) the storyline is almost good to go. Now the trimming and smoothing out starts. This is where the editor takes out alle the “uh”, pauses and jump cuts in the sound. In that way the interviewed person looks as professional as possible in the final video.

It’s also at this point of the production that we start using the cover material or B-shot (a second camera angle of the interviewed person) on the timeline. This timeline usually lays above the main track with the speak or interview. Those pictures help covering the gaps (where the person e.g., says “uh” or a long pause has been cut out) or to illustrate a subject that the person is talking about.

Next step is to visualize where we are going to use graphics or other types of effects, which will be used in the final film.

Underneath you will find examples of videos, which only use graphics and effects with speak produced in a sound studio:

Graphics, motion graphics and infographics

Typically we work with three different states of graphics: simple graphics, motion graphics and infographics.

Simple graphics is just a static word or a picture as a top layer of the film. It’s similar to what you know from Power Point.

Motion graphics is graphics which can move, where the graphics either follow a object in the film or “fly” into the screen.

Infographics is a graphic or animated universe / film, where the graphics replace the live pictures. This is really useful when complicated things has to be explained.

WATCH A CASE: Graphic animation for Telia

Color correction and color grade

When we are done with the editing and placing the pictures we are taking a close look at the colors.

Typically we record in a colorless format so it’s easier for us to color correct in the postproduction.

We adjust the colors so the skin color and other colors looks as natural as possible – in some cases we change the colors on purpose to give the movie a colder (bluish) or warmer (redish) look in the movie.

Sound mix

The last step is sound mix. We adjust and fits the sound levels so all the talking are on the same volume.

If we have used speak, we adjust it, so it doesn’t dominate the other parts. Natural sounds are adjusted as well, so you can hear it but doesn’t annoy you when people talk.

Finally we adjust the music so it’s louder where people don’t speak and lower during the speak. Then we have a look at our decibel meter and adjust it when all the sounds are supporting and not interferring with each other so all the layers are soundable 

Video export

Finally we can export the film out of the editing program in a predefined format. The format has been defined with you.

An export normaly takes about 10-15 minuets, where the program converts all the things explained abow to one combined file which can be used for upload on e.g., Vimeo, Facebook or just directly to you. Be aware it take us 10-15 minuets every time we have to export the film from the program.

See a number of examples of: Professional video production

We deliver a final film and provides subtitles