Taking care of your post production needs.

Post-Production Tips: Keeping the Workflow Flowing Despite COVID  By Michael French With so many health and safety limitations on production these days, a lot of the onus to bring a project to life falls on the post-production staff. Making something out of almost nothing is not an easy task, but we need to find a creative way to do so if we want to be working these days.  With this in mind, we have outlined 8 tips to help you keep the lights on and your output at top notch. 1.      You still need high quality equipment, so you have two options if your team doesn’t already own a workstation at home: One, find a post house that takes the COVID situation seriously and allows your team to come in to a safe, distanced space (ahem…we have that covered at 16:9 Post); Two, rent high-quality, customized workstations (we have that covered too). 2.      Map out team communication protocols with regular team calls/video conferenc...

17 TIPS FOR WORKING REMOTELY By Michael French Working from home is today’s normal. While it seems like a dream situation, working from home has its own difficulties…distractions, anti-productivity traps, lack of social outlets, miscommunications, work-life imbalance… We checked in with our colleagues who have year-round work-at-home situations to bring you advice for making this new reality work for you.   1.      Set up a dedicated workstation . Your work space should not be in the middle of your personal space. Find a spot tucked away from family members or roommates that may also be setting up shop at home. A permanent place where you can have privacy and space to accomplish your work in an organized fashion. 2.      Be flexible with your workspace . When you are not being productive, or when you aren’t physically comfortable, sometimes a change of scenery can do you good. Try a different room or even working outside. Stand...

POST PRODUCTION TIPS:  Best Production Company Logos and Title Cards  By: Michael French Looking to brand, or rebrand, your production company? The good work you do will build your reputation in the industry. But for those that don’t know you already, a solid logo and title card will be what builds awareness. So, let’s get to the heart of what makes the best logo and title card. BE UNIQUE – While it’s wise to look at other brands for best practices and inspiration, do not be derivative of another logo. Apply what makes their logo exciting to your own, fresh idea. CATCH THE EYE  – Find one strong element of attraction that will engage the viewer. Just one that makes them look a little longer and take it in. Too many competing elements will result in a jarring jumble of focal points. EMBODY YOUR PERSONALITY  – You don’t want people to just know your name, you want them to know what you are all about; how they should feel about you. For exampl...

POST PRODUCTION TIPS:  Building Your Communication HUB  By: Roberto Cardinas When the director shouts “That’s a wrap!”, it’s only just the beginning for the post production team. Post has a ton of moving parts and deliverables that need to happen efficiently and on time, so it the project can stay on budget. The best way to make sure this happens is to have a solid communications plan and tracking method in place. Here’s a breakdown of the key ingredients of your hub: Deliverables Schedule It’s a tedious job, but someone’s got to create a calendar of ALL of the tasks and deliverables for the project. Every scene, every sound mix, every visual effect, every graphic, every…you get the picture. Be meticulous, be all-encompassing, and be  realistic  about the timeframes needed to get each task accomplished. Roles & Responsibilities Make sure to assign a team member to each task, so you know who is responsible for its forward progress. It is a...

POST PRODUCTION TIPS:  PROTECTING YOUR ASSETS  By Michael French You’ve got your footage, a unique vision, and the right people and equipment in place to bring your project together. Well, you may have overlooked a critical component of post-production. No one wants your project compromised due to a lack of security and protection, so make sure to get the right security protocol in place as well. Below is a list of 15 key measures you should take to protect your assets while in post. 1.   Designate one team member with the appropriate knowledge/capabilities to take responsibility for ensuring security of the project. 2.   Implement an effective process for secure asset management, transportation, tracking, storage, recall, destruction, and incident management. 3.   Document your security protocol and pass it to everyone engaged in the project, including remote locations and third parties. Foster discussion at the beginning of their inv...

Post-Production – Trailers That Deliver  12 Tips for Success  By: Roberto Cardenas Your project may be Oscar-worthy, but without an attention-grabbing trailer you won’t have an audience. So, take in a few tips for building out a trailer that will bring in the crowds. 1.      Seek out the “defining moment.”  What is the moment in the movie that demonstrates the film’s logline? That moment of purpose, the dialogue that cuts to the core, the instant conflict begins…get to the point of what drives the film. 2.      Tell a story.  Remember that the trailer is a narrative, just like the film – albeit abridged. Viewers need to understand the story, not just the “vibe” of the film. Have a through line and a three-act structure, in which you introduce characters, the situation, the inciting event, and their struggles into resolution…but don’t show the resolution! That’s just not cool, man. #spoileralert 3. ...