Post-Production (cont'd)

Digital technology has also affected the way work is performed in the sound department. Sounds are still occasionally recorded on a tape, but more often are recorded or stored onto DAT (digital audio tape), a CD, or a hard drive. Sound from these sources is uploaded directly into a digital audio workstation, such as Pro Tools®. The sound effects, dialogue and music editors sync their respective elements with the picture. Sound designers manipulate multiple sound effects to design multi-layered sounds for more complex actions on screen. The assembled sound is then ready to be mixed.

At the same time, visual effects artists are hard at work creating hundreds of computer-generated effects shots, depending on the film. Effects artists may simply add a shadow or clouds in the sky, or remove a wire or harness from a stunt actor. More often they create lush backgrounds, insert thousands of extras, or add meticulous details to wardrobe, props or sets. The effects are cut into the digital assembly of the film for the editor to view.

The studio’s Post-Production Administration team oversees the whole process, acting as a liaison between the studio and the director, editor, producers, music and sound supervisors to keep track of the budget and schedule. The studio Post Admin team also assists in making the crew deals and negotiating with vendors.

A studio may decide to test-screen a picture. These preview screenings are organized by an outside film research group. A work-in-progress version of the film is screened for a recruited audience, which completes a questionnaire about the film. This helps the director, producers, and studio determine the response of the focus audience and consequently, what, if anything, should be changed.

After the studio and director are satisfied with the audience preview results, the film is locked, meaning no more picture changes are made. The sound department cuts in the final sound effects and dialogue, and the score is recorded on a sound scoring stage where a full orchestra plays the score in sync to the film, which is projected on a screen. The original negative is cut by a negative cutter, who conforms the film to match the digital assembly by following a list of key codes, or numbers embedded onto tape from film during telecine. The film undergoes color timing at a lab so that the color of the film is uniform.