Post-production, sometimes shortened to post, is the stage in film, photography, or music production that occurs after shooting or recording ends. It takes place after the pre-production and production stage and involves all of the tasks that it takes to turn the raw material into a finished product that is ready for distribution.
Film and television post-production
Oftentimes post-production is thought to only encompass film or television. Below is a list of some common steps in the post-production process of movies and tv shows.
- Picture editing is cutting together the raw footage into one cohesive film or video with video editing software.
- Sound editing adds sound effects and removes any unwanted noise.
- Music is exactly what it sounds like adding a soundtrack to the film.
- Visual effects, or VFX, includes adding any CGI or animation.
- Sound mixing is making sure that the sound effects, dialogue, and music are layered and work well together.
- Color correction involves adjusting the lighting and ensuring that the color is consistent and matches the tone and mood of the film.
- Graphics can include adding any text, graphics, or credits that will appear on the screen.
- Advertising is often the last step of post-production and can include making and releasing trailers as well as advertising for the film s release.
Photography post-production
The post-production process in photography is significantly simpler than film and only involves editing the photo with photo-editing software. Fashion, product, and advertising photography often require more extensive editing than other types of photography.
Music post-production
Post-production in music is often referred to as mixing and can include the following steps.
- Compiling the best takes into one master take
- Adjusting timing
- Pitch correction
- Adding effects
- Equalization
