Post-Production

Like you said a lot of beginners really lean on using LUTs to achieve the cinematic look. I actually know a filmmaker personally who don't do much except applies LUTs to footage and that's it. But even though I feel like there is a place for LUTs as a part of the color grading or balancing process, I also feel that you need to be able to achieve the look you want yourself. At the same time if LUTs aren't used in the right way, they usually don't give the right result anyway.

Vital Butinar I personally couldn't agree more, especially as a someone who would consider themselves a beginner with color grading. I often times have conversations with other people on the topic and the most common comment I get is "throw a LUT on it." Which again isn't necessarily a bad thing but I'd like to know how to do it without what I consider "training wheels."

Well I wouldn't consider luts training wheels, but they were definitely not designed to be simply slapped onto footage and forgotten. But when they're used as part of a developed look for the project or lets say used on monitors while in production to better assist in shooting, they're great. We used something like this on the monitors on the feature that I just directed recently. Also sometimes there are transformative luts like converting some kind of camera footage into something else for various kinds of reasons.

Resolve is a great software, I've been using it for years now and I haven't found anything that would be as good for grading, but there's a lot of knowledge behind using it well like color spaces and profiles, etc.

Well, from what I’ve seen from Volpatto, Todd Osborne, and others, in color grading for productions that involve a DP, there’s really not much that needs to be done. Good LUTs created by color scientists can help achieve a nice result, but my point is that major colorists work almost 100% of the time using DaVinci Resolve’s native tools.

Mit Patel To my knowledge, there is no particular forum, and for the most part the DITs I have worked around and supervised are more or less on their own except where they are within Camera dept. (which is where I usually slot them). Though naturally they cross over into editorial dept as well. I see you have experience in data integrity, etc.. It would be interesting to speak with you as we are moving towards integration of AI into our studio work flow. If you think so, send me a network request and we can go from there.

I think that being a DIT is just someone who has good data management skills and the industry standard knowledge of how things are done.

I've never been a DIT before on any other projects than our own, but I have gotten some good comments on how structure the data and create backups and workflow that helps prevent data loss. Actually the only thing that I'm really scared of most of the time is if the recording media goes bad, which is another reason why smaller recording media is better but at the same time it wares out faster, so again a compromise.

Vital Butinar Actually, the DIT or Media Manager often goes beyond that. Sometimes he or she will prep dailies, sync the day's sound and do rough assemblies each night. So they can be a central part of the creative team, especially where, for instance, VFX shots have to be assessed very quickly in-context with other parts of the scene. On some productions, there is an on-set editor and the DIT/Media Manager works with them. Others they are more strictly part of camera dept backing up and securing the footage.

Shadow Dragu-Mihai, Esq., Ipg oh I've seen that, on one production that I've been involved in there was an onsite editor. But yeah of course, depending on the production different people can have a wider scope. So of course it's logical that there are DIT's who do a lot more. Not to diminish the work they do, I just have never had a project where we have had a dedicated person who worked as a DIT.

Vital Butinar It really depends on the structure of the production, and how you like to work, of course.

☝️ Hi Richard, @RichardRBBotto , hey can you please think about this?

@RichardBotto ☝️

Tommy Luca Thanks for sharing and encouraging members of Stage32 to look further into adding a lounge. I've been hearing more about art department over the last 12-15 months however I don't think I have a full grasp at what it is. You mentioned it starts in pre-production and goes down the pipeline and can often have several subcategories. What exactly is the "art department" and what roles does it play in pre-production? Thanks again for sharing!

All that you see in the pic is worth a fortune Tommy Luca

Art is a very integral part of film production as depicted in your photo Tommy Luca! With the proper public relations it most certainly can be beneficial

I myself is into art!

Hi Mohamed Karbia

Hi, Mohamed Karbia. Welcome to the community. Stage 32 has a blog that'll help you navigate the platform and connect with creatives and industry professionals all over the world. www.stage32.com/blog/how-to-successfully-navigate-the-stage-32-platform-...

Stage 32's November Community Open House was last Tuesday. It'll help you navigate Stage 32 and connect with creatives and industry pros. The recording is up now. It's free to watch. www.stage32.com/education/products/stage-32-s-november-community-open-ho...

I suggest adding a profile picture of yourself and a detailed bio to your profile. People will feel more comfortable networking and collaborating with you if they know what you look like. And if you have a picture, your profile will show up when someone searches for you. A detailed bio will help you build relationships/network on here. You could add things to your bio like why you became a matchmove artist, your accomplishments, your goals, and what movies and shows you like.

You can upload a picture by clicking the gear symbol in the top right-hand corner and selecting “Edit profile” in the drop-down menu, then clicking the red button underneath your location and choosing "Update profile picture."

You can edit your bio by clicking the gear symbol in the top right-hand corner of Stage 32, then selecting “Edit profile” in the drop-down menu, then clicking the red button underneath your location and choosing "Edit Profile."

What's a matchmove artist?

Hi Mohamed Karbia, nice to meet another VFX artist. What software are you using? I am personally using SynthEyes and Nuke for matchmove.

Patrik Gyltefors hey Patrik, nice too meet you, I'm using 3dequilizer for tracking, maya for layout construction and nuke for scene setup for comp, if you need any matchmove support let me know ✌️

Thanks for sharing Ashley Renee Smith. I haven’t tried a dialogue boost first workflow before, but I’m definitely going to share this with my audio team. As for lifting buried lines without killing the ambience, I don’t really have a set method yet. I’m still learning and sharpening my approach as I go.

As weird as it sounds, I actually like catching mistakes like this. It’s a reminder that even at the highest level, and I’d definitely put Mad Men on HBO Max up there, they still slip up too. It sucks because you know someone behind the scenes is probably getting chewed out for it, but for me, as an indie creator, it’s a good reminder that even the biggest studios with the biggest budgets still make mistakes. We look at them like they’re always perfect, never missing a beat… but that’s just not the case.

Silence can be important/scary in a Horror script, Behnam Hojati. And silence can be important in an Action script, Adventure script, etc. I usually don't plan the silent parts in scenes. I come up with them when I write the script.

Behnam Hojati Totally agree! Silence is seriously underrated. I think of it kind of like an instrument; it has its own weight, rhythm, and intention. In my edits and mixes, I don’t see silence as something to fill; it’s a space for tension, anticipation, or emotion to breathe. Sometimes no sound at all hits harder than anything else because it pulls the audience in. Using silence on purpose can completely change how a scene lands.

Guillermo del Toro's Frankenstein looks amazing, Cyrus Sales! Thanks for sharing the interview. It's a must-listen! One thing Dennis Berardi said that stood out was he reads a script multiple times as a VFX supervisor for different reasons, and he has a list of questions.

Maurice Vaughan It’s not just reading for story, but really breaking it down from every VFX angle. Having a list of questions for each pass shows how methodical and thoughtful the process is, and it really highlights how much preparation goes into creating seamless visuals.

Welcome to the community, Lachlan McGhee. Stage 32 has a blog that'll help you navigate the platform and connect with creatives and industry professionals all over the world. www.stage32.com/blog/how-to-successfully-navigate-the-stage-32-platform-...

Stage 32's November Community Open House was yesterday. It'll help you navigate Stage 32 and connect with creatives and industry pros. The recording will be up soon. It's free to watch. www.stage32.com/education/products/stage-32-s-november-community-open-ho...

I suggest using a photo of yourself as your profile picture. People will feel more comfortable networking and collaborating with you if they know what you look like. You can upload a picture by clicking the gear symbol in the top right-hand corner and selecting “Edit profile” in the drop-down menu, then clicking the red button underneath your location and choosing "Update profile picture."

You could check the Job Board (www.stage32.com/find-jobs). It gets updated regularly.

And it's the last week of Stage 32's November Write Club. It can help you reach a goal, it's a chance to connect with writers, directors, producers, etc., and you can get support for your goal and projects. Write Club isn't just for writers. There's three prizes this week and a grand prize drawing at the end of the month! Week 4's blog came out Monday. www.stage32.com/blog/november-write-club-week-4-the-art-of-the-pitch-wha...

Lachlan McGhee Network, network, network. When you do get on set - any set at any level - do your best work and be positive because people remember you for a long time and will recommend for or against.

Lachlan McGhee I second what Shadow Dragu-Mihai, Esq., Ipg said. Networking will be your lifeline in this industry. I would also add going into facebook groups (networking), you can try different sites like Fiverr, upwork, stage 32 job listing. I'm not too sure how your college is setup however when I attended college (graduated April of last year). I was put on a newsletter from our business center that send out monthly job's around the metroplex. For audio it tends to be a lot of Live Sound work however you'll come across several diamonds in the rough. Best of luck on your journey!

Hi, Jonny Jorayo. You could check Stage 32's Job Board (www.stage32.com/find-jobs). It gets updated regularly.

Stage 32 has a Community Open House on November 25th. It'll help you connect with creatives and industry pros. You can sign up here: www.stage32.com/education/products/stage-32-s-november-community-open-ho...

And it's Stage 32's November Write Club. It's a chance to connect with writers, directors, producers, etc., and it could help you reach a goal(s). There's three prizes this week! Write Club isn't just for writers. If you're interested in joining, Week 2's blog came out Monday. www.stage32.com/blog/november-write-club-week-2-insights-from-the-stage-...

OK thank you

You're welcome, Jonny Jorayo. Hope you find jobs on here!

Jonny Jorayo Thank you for sharing your experience, it’s clear you have an impressive skill set and a lot of versatility. I understand how challenging it can be to break into new markets, especially in industries with tightly-knit local networks. From my experience, finding remote work abroad often comes down to consistently showcasing your work and connecting directly with directors and production teams. Having a strong portfolio or demo reel that highlights your range in sound design, Foley, and composition is key, as it allows potential collaborators to see exactly what you can do. Smaller or indie productions are often more open to remote collaboration, which can lead to valuable credits and help expand your international reputation.

Jonny Jorayo You're in a very competitive area, globally as well as locally. So understand that it takes some time and commitment to building your career. Network as much as possible with your local people. Reach out to them and remind them you are around and available - eventually someone will take a chance on you. When they do, make sure you do your absolute best work without any complaint, and they will remember you well. As Cyrus Sales says, work with smaller productions as much as possible and build that portfolio. Do your best for them as well, as they too will remember you and mention you to other productions.

I don't remember the first moment, Behnam Hojati, but the VFX in Terminator 2: Judgment Day blew me away as a kid, and it made the movie scarier.

Behnam Hojati I don’t think there was ever a single “aha” moment for me. For me, it came gradually over time with experience and a genuine desire to develop better stories. You start out working on random shots, then realize the importance of telling a story, then learn how to tell that story effectively, and eventually you learn how to use VFX to enhance and elevate it. It’s a process, and each step builds on the last.