POST-PRODUCTION

The post-production team is smaller than the production team and has fewer obstacles keeping it from low-impacting. Everyone should have a mug for coffee. Your use of supplies and energy, your recycling efforts and so on, will be centralized and manageable. Set up recycling bins and establish policies in the post-production office right away. *

EDITING
Get the director's cut first, and as fast as possible. Most directors want to see a version of the film as they shot and envisioned it. The editor and producers will save time if they work quickly to supply the director's version of the film, rather than discuss changes from the outset. The cut will speak 'for itself; there will be changes, but this way there will be no discussion later as to what the film might have been if it had stayed true to the director's version. After that, everyone must agree to work with the material that exists, not material they wish existed.

TALK TO YOUR NEGATIVE CUTTER AND YOUR LAB You will save yourself from mistakes stemming from technical problems that will cost time and resources.

SOUND
The sound editing team can save much time and resources by assuring that the mix runs smoothly.

BACKGROUND TRACKS: Be careful to have background tracks for all scenes. Even when the background is constant in the production sound (e.g. a car interior where the engine sound is constant), you will want a track without dialogue available for M & E tracks, (music and effects tracks, used for foreign versions) Do this work now, while the film is familiar to everyone:
• Double production effects like door slams and glasses clinking so that there is a complete effects track for dubbing later on.

MATERIAL: Unused sound fill, mag stock, sound effects cores, tapes and white gloves can be sold or donated to other films.*

SCREENING
Screen your film before you lock picture, for people you trust will tell the truth. At this stage, praise will not help you make the critical choices that will determine whether you are ready to lock picture. Repeat this test with new people after the sound and music are finished. Re-editing and remixing later is expensive and resource-consuming.

ELECTRONIC (COMPUTER) EDITING
Many feel that the future of editing lies with the computer, and there, are currently several systems available. While notable major features like Full Metal Jacket, Godfather III, Patriot Games and Bram Stoker's Dracula have used the technologies, these new systems are specifically being embraced by low budget and independent producers who are finding that these systems offer more creative freedom within their budgets.

THE ADVANTAGE of these systems is that they allow you to experiment more freely with editing choices in the; same way that a word processor allows you to cut and paste more freely with the written word than a typewriter does. Electronic editing allows more than one version to exist at a time—basically unheard of in flatbed editing. And it allows you to work with dissolves, fades and superimpositions in the editing stage, avoiding the delays and expenses of test opticals. Some systems allow for as many as 24 digital audio tracks to be programmed, preparing you in advance for your mix.

LINEAR VS. NONLINEAR SYSTEMS: There are two major types of electronic editing systems currently available. The linear systems employ a number of video decks, and assemble the cut onto a master tape as you make your choices. The nonlinear systems store edits in the computer memory and allow unlimited variation in the creative work, as no real edits are performed, only stored. The computer will transfer from digital back to video for a hard copy.

These systems are rapidly improving their memory capacity, image quality, and affordability, and they promise to lure independent filmmakers seeking, autonomy from labs and studios, especially the generation which grew up with computers. How this will affect the workplace--arid the work--remains to be seen.