Wizardry AT ITS BEST

A nuanced analysis of the sprawling cosmos of post-production: where the magic really happens

- Anisha Gakhar

One might think of it as an incantation or a spell - which, when murmured - translates a movie scene into an ethereal visual, exuding vibrancy and a splurge of blended colours. The process of film production can be categorised into phases: development, pre-production, production, postproduction and distribution. Each phase is a requisite for the next. Production and post-production are generally the two most imperative stages, which determine the final look-and-feel of the film. Producing a film is one aspect, post-producing it – another. A movie is almost always brought to life in a post-production room. Editing, VFX, animation, colour grading, audio editing, are some components of the postproduction process.

“Because of funding and backing from global players, producers and content companies are producing content at will. Post-production houses are investing heavily in upgrading their facilities as per international standards to cater to the huge demand, especially in 4K HDR,” said Anant Roongta, MD, Famous Studios.

“Post-producers don’t have it easy. With an ever-increasing number of platforms for distribution and target languages to cater to, getting one’s content to the global market can be challenging to say the least. To top it all, given the current competitive landscape, producers are always under pressure to reduce costs and meet tight deadlines!” said Morgan Swift, director, Account Management, Prime Focus Technologies.

THE STAGES