ABSTRACT
The role of the producer during post-production is diverse. Activities that take center stage during this phase include overseeing the tracking and the completion of all retakes and acquiring notes and approvals from the buyer/executive in order to lock the picture. The producer works in close collaboration with the Post-production supervisor, who sets up post-production sessions and monitors their progress. If the project has an acquisition arrangement with a buyer, the producer has the sole responsibility to complete all of the “deliverable” items as stipulated in the contract. If the arrangement is a partnership with the buyer, the buyer or studio typically has its own post-production department that will be very involved and supportive of this stage. In the case of an independent film, the deliverables must be finished off in the specific format(s) specified or the producer could be in breach of contract. In all of these scenarios, there are a variety of items to be completed during post-production in addition to the completion of the final sound and picture deliverables, including compilation and completion of documents such as legal contracts, purchases, and work-for-hire statements from crewmembers and voice talent; audio-visuals of “behindthe-scenes” segments for the preparation of electronic press kits; and materials for online marketing efforts such as the project’s website, viral campaign, and social media sites to name a few. The producer also focuses on finalizing credits and main and end titles, which can be very time-consuming and must be maintained throughout the production process. Working with
the legal department, the producer must get legal signoff on the credits as well as clearances on the final visual and audio elements of the production. In television projects, depending on the number of episodes produced and the schedule, the producer may also be managing episodes in the pre-production and production stages at this time. The flowcharts in Figures 10-1 and 10-2 show in detail the steps that the producer must take in the post-production of both features and television projects.
