Fix it in Post Episode Summary

In this episode of Film School Friday, Corey and Bill talk about that dreaded phrase “fix it in post”. Can you fix it in post? Probably. Should you fix it in post? If you didn’t plan for it the day of your shoot, then sure. But planning is key to avoiding this all too common approach.

“I feel like you’re personally attacking me right now.” – Corey Allen

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Corey (00:00):

Welcome to film school Friday, I’m Corey.

Bill (00:14):

I’m bill,

Corey (00:15):

And together we host the InFocus podcast. Film school Friday is our special, a weekly edition where I get to quiz bill to see how much knowledge he retained from film school. And, you know, as I sit here today, looking up at his bachelor of fine arts in film, I can’t help, but think like clearly you’re an expert compared to me, but I have just one question for you, Bill can’t we just fix it in post?

Bill (00:39):

That is a loaded question that a lot of different people have a lot of different emotion about him production, particularly the editor. I’m also an editor. So I definitely have been on the receiving end of a fix it in post matter a few times. So the, the answer to that question is multi-pronged if there’s something that’s intentionally needing to be addressed in post that is upfront known about on set, let’s say for example, green screen work or any sort of digital effects, or if you’re going to shoot day for night for anything, these are things that are intentional, that they’re, they’re planned for. The editor knows about this going in. They know that’s what they’re going to have to do to finesse the footage.

Corey (01:27):

And we may think of those things as fix it in post. But to your point, like that’s, that’s planned, it’s almost like produced in post, right?

Bill (01:35):

It’s not exactly fixing when you get into the murky area where an editor will hate you, you get into continuity errors, things that the director might throw in on a whim that may not have been pre-planned or may not be part of the shot list that the editor has to do a little more work to, to cover. Mistakes, just blatant mistakes, gaff tape on the table, a light stand in the shot. These things happen, unfortunately, and these are things that the editor then has to do something about. And a lot of times, because post is such an isolated department removed from the set, it’s kind of like, here’s all this footage have at it. Good luck spending a, you know, six weeks rotoscoping that coffee mug out of the shot, you know, like it’s yeah. It’s, it’s touchy for a lot of people.

Corey (02:29):

Yeah. Have you ever had a moment where you personally have either said, yeah, we’ll just we’ll fix it in post for, for whatever,

Bill (02:37):

Every reason that that I’ve ever said that only in the case where I was also the editor,

Corey (02:44):

So you’re like, you’re prepared for it.

Bill (02:45):

Yes. I, and that’s sort of a luxury of, you know, if you are editing what it is you’re directing or what it is you’re shooting, you can think ahead a lot of times. Yeah.

Corey (02:58):

That’s good to plan. I, I have unfortunately been the victim of lack of planning on my own part. In fact, recently as a DP of a music video, the end result was fantastic. But you know, we, we had a shot where we’re shooting indoors. It’s meant to be at night. We’ve established that with this establishing shot, like at dusk, like beautiful exterior. And then when we cut to the interior there is a tracking shot where you can clearly see the sun breaking through this door, like full glass door. Clearly it’s no longer night. Right. And you know, we scouted this location twice. I knew that it like going into it, this was going to be something we would need to be cognizant of. But then at the same time, I failed to plan and did not bring a roll of Indy to cut that door. So I, I made the conscious decision in the moment to say, that’s okay, we’ve got enough latitude in the camera. We can fix that in post. And then just recently, just yesterday had the color session where we walk in. And you know, I, I told my man, Jimmy, the colorist

Bill (04:09):

Jimmy, the colorist. Jimmy, Jimmy, not with the mafia.

Corey (04:12):

No, not with the mafia he’s with the Filmworkers. I said, I just want to apologize in advance. I have a fixed in post moment where I have failed both of us. So let’s just cut straight to that scene. And I want to see you work your magic. And, you know, he did, he was able to absolutely fix it in post at the end of the day, it looked fantastic. But the, yes, due to my poor planning, we had a fixed in post-moment.

Bill (04:37):

So moral of the story is plan and be detailed and be sharp. And continuity is important. And being observant is important.

Corey (04:46):

I feel like you’re personally attacking me right now but firstly, you are correct moral of the story is plan.

Bill (04:54):

Hey, I’ve I’ve done the same. And I have had people edit the stuff that I’ve shot. And I have apologized profusely for what I was going to ask them to fix, because I know how it feels to be on the other end.

Corey (05:08):

So today’s lesson, can you fix it in post maybe? Should you fix it in post if you didn’t plan? Absolutely. But there is no right or wrong approach there, but plan, plan, plan,

Bill (05:22):

Plan. Yeah.

Corey (05:24):

Great. Okay. All right. I think that’ll do it for a film school Friday this week. Please make sure you feed your crew and we’ll catch you next time. We know you have a ton of podcast options and we appreciate you picking us. Come back next week to hear me put bill to the test, once again, check us out www.Infocuspodcast.Com. And if you liked what you heard today, go ahead and share us with your friends. We like to socialize.