Imagine going to your favorite Italian restaurant. There are so many authentic things you love about the establishment. The trip there – is about a 20-minute drive into a quaint part of the city with homes and mom-and-pop eateries on every corner. Since you made the reservation a month ago, the anticipation is the kid version of waiting for a trip to Disney—your mouth waters when you think about the bread and dipping sauces. You think long and hard about what wine you want to pair with the same pasta dish you’ve ordered since childhood. The smell punches you in the face as you step foot through the old wooden doors with the stained glass front. The friendly greeting by the host and a big smile from the 2nd generation owner who is milling about glad-handing regulars in the dining room sets your night off right. You dreamt of the red tablecloths and bolstering laughter that echoes throughout the dining room. Think, for one moment, about all the behind-the-scenes that take place weeks, days, and hours before you arrive.
What if, this time, you hit traffic on your way there and missed your reservation? That’s okay. You add your name for the next available table. What if the owner wasn’t there when you walked in, and no one was behind the host stand to greet you? You would wait until someone arrived. What if you smelled something burning? You may think, is everything okay in the kitchen? What if your table had yet to be prepped with the signature red tablecloth? It doesn’t ruin your experience. You shrug it off. What if you take your first big slurp of the perfectly spun-together pasta on your fork only to learn that it tastes completely different? You may think to yourself. What has happened to this place? It may not have met your expectations. Perhaps you were underwhelmed by the experience. Do you chalk it up to being good enough? Do you reconsider going back again? How do you express your feedback or suggestions for a better experience next time?
Similar to how a team of chefs work together in the kitchen to create a delicious dish, the post-production team, including the editor, animator, logger, sound mixer, music supervisor, and colorist, works collaboratively to perfect the video. (Watch The Bear for chaotic back-of-house team dynamics) Let us explain this process further so as to help better understand the nuances of creating a video from the post-production stage.
The responsibility to create the perfect video in post-production sometimes starts with the creative vision of the client and the Creative Director. The Creative Director’s job is to tell a story or accurately represent the client’s needs on-set or with assets that create a mood or tone that perfectly complements the video’s message, just as the atmosphere and decor of a restaurant can enhance the dining experience.
Let’s compare color grading in post-production to the careful selection and pairing of ingredients in Italian cuisine. Just as a chef selects and combines ingredients to create your favorite dish, a colorist selects and combines colors to create the desired look and feel of the final product. Both processes require a keen eye for detail and a deep understanding of how each element interacts with the others.
Feedback in post-production is similar to customer feedback in a restaurant. Just as diners provide feedback on the quality of the food and service, clients provide feedback on the quality of the post-production work. Both types of feedback are critical to improving the final product or experience and ensuring customer satisfaction. Do you consider writing a review if your experience wasn’t up to par, or do you provide constructive feedback that will better the service for all next time?
The time it takes to edit and enhance a project with motion graphics can be compared to the time it takes to prepare a meal from scratch. Both require careful planning, attention to detail, and adapting to unexpected challenges. Just as a chef must manage their time carefully to ensure that each meal component is ready at the right time, an editor must work their time carefully to ensure the project is completed on schedule.
Producing in post-production is similar to the management of the restaurant. Just as the front-of-house manager, host/hostess, or owner with a big smile must oversee all aspects of the dining experience, the producer must oversee all aspects of the post-production process. Both roles require strong leadership, organization, and the ability to manage multiple tasks simultaneously.
Reviewing in post-production can be compared to the final inspection of a dish before it is served to the customer. This is done by the Producer, a Production Manager, or an internal review process established by your team. Just as a chef carefully inspects each dish to ensure that it meets the restaurant’s standards, an editor carefully inspects the final product to ensure that it meets the client’s expectations. Both processes require attention to detail and the ability to catch errors before the product is delivered to the customer.
Overall, the experience of post-production work can be compared to the experience of dining at an authentic Italian restaurant. Both require careful planning, attention to detail, and a deep understanding of how each element interacts with the others to create a satisfying final product or experience. Both also rely on feedback from customers or clients to ensure that the product or experience meets their expectations.
Similar to your favorite dish, The secret sauce of great videos are often found in the small details, from color grading to sound design, that are perfected during the post-production phase, elevating the overall quality and impact of the final product. In all scenarios, skilled professionals use their expertise to enhance the quality of the final product, resulting in a more polished and professional outcome.
Watch why we are your secret ingredient to great videos. If you are looking for videos that deliver every time, contact Vidzu Media.