“Fix It In Post” vs “Fix It Now”

If you’ve spent time on a film set, you’ve probably heard the phrase “fix it in post.” You might’ve even been grateful to hear it, as the directive meant an annoying on-set issue would now be handled by someone else at a later date and time.

Well, we caught up with a few editor friends this month to get their opinion on what “fix it in post” means. Their candid responses are sure to not only give you a chuckle, but also a better understanding of what really goes into post-production.

First Impressions

When asked what they immediately think when hearing the phrase “fix it in post,” our video editors supplied a wide range of responses, from “terror and anxiety” to “red flags” to “I just laugh at this point.”

Everyone agreed, though – it often depends on who’s asking and how tall the order is.

“If ‘fix it in post’ comes from a client who understands my capabilities (i.e., I am a story editor – not a VFX specialist making the next Marvel movie), then I feel empowered,” said Kelly Dessoye, an editor and video journalist based in the Northeast. “I can play around and come up with something that might be beyond what the director or producer originally envisioned. I’ve never been scared of that phrase as long as there is communication between myself and production.”

“Maybe the informed ‘we can fix it in post’ is a better statement,” said Julien de Benedictis with a laugh. As a video editor based in San Francisco, he finds that clients with first-hand knowledge of post-production really helps manage expectations of what’s possible and what’s actually affordable.

“Not knowing the cost and time implications when making last minute choices on set is what leads to problems in post,” added traveling freelance video editor Regina Rivard. “Assuming that something can be fixed without speaking to a post producer or VFX artist can create a lot of unexpected work.”

Jenn Rubin, Bay Area-based video editor, agreed cooperation is key. “I think it's important to not only have the tech that you need, but also the people that you need,” she said. “It's great to have the predator mindset, but having more collaborators, more minds, more eyes will create a better result.”

You've got your work cut out for you…

Here are some other common pitfalls the group has observed during production that are a surefire way to complicate the editorial process:

JENN: Bad audio and/or overblown lighting. There’s not much I can do to fix that in post. If the information isn’t there, it’s just not there.

REGINA: For shoots involving products, not having a perfectly clean product (which seems obvious) is pretty common. People spend thousands of dollars on rotoscoping or reshoots and weeks of time on things that could’ve been solved with a Swiffer or a lint roller.

KELLY: Disorganization and a lack of communication. I’ve been lucky to work for producers who run tight ships, and this hasn’t been much of an issue, but when it has, man does it put me behind.

JULIEN: For video that will be shared across social channels, not shooting with aspect ratios in mind can really slow down an editor. It’s worth asking whether you need to do another fully separate shot in order to deliver a cut with the same feeling of footage, rather than shooting it once and then forcing it into 20 different aspect ratios.

*Hot Tips*

While we had our editors on the line, we poked them for some additional feedback on what can be done during pre-production to make “fixing it in post” less stressful.

… Keep track of all of the documents you are using so it's easy to hand them off to the video editor. Some items worth sharing include: storyboards (to better convey a director’s vision) and script notes (which won’t leave an editor guessing what the director’s favorite takes and performances are).

…Involve an editor in pre-production/concepting meetings to improve communication and share the energetic excitement that happens during ideation.

… Make sure the editor knows what the client expects at each phase of review and after the project is complete.

… Make sure the client has signed off on the actual assets being used. Having to change or remove details in the end can be expensive and time-consuming.

… If a colorist or audio mixer is needed, sharing how they like a project prepped can help an editor ensure a smoother hand-off. Similarly, sharing how you’d like the footage archived can allow the editor to wrap up the project more efficiently.

… Getting transcriptions for interviews is helpful – as is simply alerting the editor if captions, subtitles, or audio descriptions are needed.

… If you want effects, make sure your video editor is also a visual effects artist by trade or hire one – or figure out how to shoot it practically.

Let’s Connect

One of the most important aspects of the entire production process – pre to post – is communication. It can be easy to forget about post when deeply involved in production, but maintaining that open dialogue will only help your project in the long run. Personally, my favorite projects are those that can accommodate having an editor on set – whether as a media manager or even just in a social aspect. To be able to refer to them and ask questions is so helpful. Plus, sometimes they can live edit shots together and see if things are working in real time.

Our VIP editors agreed being part of production can be great for workflow. (Also, free snacks!) But they also pointed out that sometimes bringing an editor into the fold will influence the creative process. “Walter Murch said that an editor becomes less creatively objective to shots when they are exposed to the work that goes into getting shots, and I think that’s true,” Regina said. “There’s value to objectivity.”

All in all, post-production should be about finishing touches; taking good footage and making it great – not scrambling to deliver an “acceptable” end result. By adding some of this feedback to your mental checklist, hopefully you can ensure a polished final product - and a happy editor!