For almost 2 years now, the pandemic has shaken up Hollywood’s plans. Filming has been sporadic and movie release dates have either been delayed or canceled altogether in theaters. Studios plan and tease new movie releases to maximize on their investments into screenplays. Studios have always used movie trailers to promote films. However, Disney, Marvel, and Fox Studios have created a science to movie promotion. They have learned to maximize the returns on their investments through movie promotion.
- Build buzz.
- Stir curiosity.
- Lay groundwork for an upcoming release.
The ultimate goal of a trailer is to increase a movie’s success. Just because a movie’s trailer has been released doesn’t mean the movie is finished shooting. A studio may release a trailer to get early feedback from film goers before the movie has wrapped shooting.
It is possible that a studio may release images from the set to help stir interest in the upcoming movie. This most often happens when a movie is in post-production. There are no shortcuts in movie making. As I write this post an investigation is underway into a tragic shooting on the set of a new Western movie entitle Rust. Reports claim that producers tried to cut corners possibly to save time in the film’s post-production.
Post-production!
Post-production is the stage many in film making look forward to, this is actually the longest part of making a movie. It takes time to get the raw footage polished, edited and special effects added before the final product is released. Below is a list of what happens in post-production.
- Edit: This is when the raw footage is transferred to an editing system (i.e. Avid or Final Cut Pro). An editor begins digitally cutting the movie guided by the vision and direction of the director.
- Sound Edit:Audio tracks of the film are edited to remove unwanted sounds and sound effects are created (i.e. explosions, crashes, gunfire).
- Music: This is where original scores (music) highlighting the mood of a scene is added. If a director wants to license songs for the soundtrack, a music supervisor secures the recording and publishing rights.
- Visual Effects: Artists and engineers design and add special effects to the film. This is done through computer-generated visuals which can be costly and time-consuming.
- Sound Mix: After all audio tracks are finished, sound mixers adjust audio levels to ensure music or sound effects don’t drown out actors’ dialogue. This also ensures that the audience can keep up with what is happening in the story.
- Color Correction: After the picture is locked (no more edits or changes), a colorist goes through every scene and digitally adjusts and refines the hues and light to create continuity and strike a mood.
- Graphics: Title, credits, and other graphics (such as date stamp) are created and added.
- Trailer: Another editing team takes over to cut the movie’s trailer, this 2 ½ minute preview is meant to entice a paying audience to go see the movie when it comes out in theaters.
The post-production stage is a crucial way to ensure a screenplay has been followed to create the best possible story. And to ensure that the film is polished and professional before it is presented at a movie’s premiere.
Big Day!
By the time a screenplay makes it to the big screen, it has likely been years since it was originally written. Screenplays can change a lot before a movie is presented to the public. Remember, after the sale, studios own the concept and can do whatever they choose.
Post-production is the next to last step to make a story come alive. Sometimes movies have a bad final product because this process was rushed. When Marvel released a teaser for its film Black Widow, fans didn’t like the mask of the character, Taskmaster, which led to Marvel changing the look of the character before the film’s release. Below are a few movies whose final product wasn’t the best visually regardless of the found success.
Although some of these have become cult classics years later, some of them are better known for their lackluster editing or special effects. No one really knows if a movie will be a hit or a dud, but we do know the importance of its post-production!
Martin Johnson survived a severe car accident with a (T.B.I.) Traumatic brain injury which left him legally blind and partially paralyzed on the left side. He is an award-winning Christian screenwriter who has recently finished his first Christian nonfiction book. Martin has spent the last nine years volunteering as an ambassador and promoter for Promise Keepers ministries. While speaking to local men’s ministries he shares his testimony. He explains The Jesus Paradigm and how following Jesus changes what matters most in our lives. Martin lives in a Georgia and connects with readers at MartinThomasJonhson.com and on Twitter at mtjohnson51.
We love helping your growing in your writing career.
