The post-production is where the process of the movies ends. After a long time (it can be months or even years), all the material shot by the cameras goes to the editing room. Depending on the production, it can be just one editor (for indie films) or a crew, like the big-budget movies of Hollywood studios. They even have a Post- Production supervisor who directs this particular moment of the production who also includes a lot of work aswell: the recording of sounds (by the "Foley Artist"), the recording of voices and music, the Visual Effects (made sometimes by very big crews), the 3D artists (if it has 3D), and the colorist. The director watches the first cut accompanied by the producers, who sometimes forces the director to change a cut or the editing of some scenes, aswell as adding something somewhere. That deppends on the producers and the director, and also the contract signed before starting the production of the movie. In the case of TV shows, the director is not as important as in the movies. It is even called just "Set Director" because he only is on the set while shooting and no further presence later.
The place where Paramount keeps all of their stuff from the last decades:
Every editor has his own way of editing. A very used technique is to print every shot and put all of those pictures in a wall, to have a broader idea of the scenes. That also helps when looking at the beginning and the ending of every scene and how it connects to the next one or the one before. The sound recording is also quite a bizarre experience, like the guy who is famous in the Sony Pictures Studios for making the sound of the kisses by kissing his arm (every romantic scene with loud kisses is made this way).
My favorite part of the post-production is the making of the VFX. In my opinion, the advance on the Visual Effects with those epic shots made entirely on the computers are one of the main revolutions of the Movie Industry throughout its history. You can make everything with the VFX. It was once only for the big-budget movies, but it is quickly transforming into an easier tool for the film-makers. The Hollywood VFX crews often has a VFX Producer, Creative Director, supervisors and editors, compositors, and other sort of artists.
Its been said that, if Beethoven would be alive today, he would be a Movie Composer. Though you may agree or not, it's true that a lot of great composers are working today in the industry, making songs and music that makes you feel very strong emotions. From the adrenaline of Hans Zimmer to the sophistication of John Williams and the smooth darkness of Danny Elfman.
In a tiny movie theater, the director, the producers, the sound and image editor, and often the co-producers sit altogether and watch the entire cut of the movie. This is where the magic of the entire production comes to an end. But it then continues with the hard part: selling the movie. The movie distribution is the hardest part of the industry. The indie directors usually have to work more on this phase than in the production itself. In the big-budget movies, though they have a bigger market (inside and outside the US), it sometimes get quite difficult too.
It sure is hard. Being a filmmaker is hard. But hell, it's so nice to watch the movie finished and see how the people react, their emotions, and how did they perceived the message of the story. I personally love it.
To see some of the shots inside the building where Paramount keeps their work:
