Overview of the role
Post-production supervisors (PPS) help production and editorial teams achieve as much as possible in the edit process without going over budget. On productions that involve using complex multi-camera shot set-ups, archive, user-generated content and motion graphics, they help make sure the line producer and editorial team are aware of all the technical, creative and financial considerations of post-production before work on the feature or series even begins.
The post-production supervisor is responsible for managing and delivering the technical aspects of post-production. They work alongside the production management team to structure the overall post-production process (budget and schedule), taking into consideration the main shoot requirements and digital imaging technician (DIT) workflow set-up, archive mastering processes, financial arrangements and requirements for the final delivery elements.
They continue tracking the budget and communicating costs with line producers and post facilities during the post-production period. They work closely with the editorial team (editor and assistant) and are the liaison between production and post facility, motion graphics (GFX) and visual effects (VFX), composer, music supervisor and archive producer. They can also be responsible for hiring and managing crew. They need to understand all technical aspects of post workflows and how different production environments, types and scales of production are likely to affect post-production.
Core responsibilities
These core responsibilities are provided as a guide and are not exhaustive. The exact responsibilities in a particular job will vary depending on the scale, budget, genre of the production and whether the project is a series or a feature documentary.
- Look over the film or episode breakdown, story beats and pitch deck and highlight elements that will impact or involve post production
- Analyse the delivery requirements list and, in liaison with the post facility, document the post workflows
- Create an easy to follow deliverables tracker that can be shared with the line producer to keep track of where in the delivery process the project is at any time
- Assess the schedule to ensure there is sufficient time allocated for each stage in the post-production process to enable objectives to be met and resources to be used effectively
- Provide advice on any changes that should be made to an already set schedule
- Collaborate with other departments to determine the main elements and timescales required to meet creative and technical requirements
- Work closely with the post facility or assistant editor to ensure an effective offline workflow is set up and that the edit project is set up in the correct way for the inclining editor
- Advise on any factors which could cause delays to post-production
- Make realistic contingency plans to deal with issues, reporting potential cost implications and discussing these plans with the senior editorial team and line producer to help with them make decisions
- Create a full, detailed post-production schedule and present it to key team members to ensure everyone understands deadlines and time limitations
- Create a detailed day-by-day schedule, expanding on the full post schedule and adjusting regularly ensuring it's clear for all team members, working closely with the line producer
- Manage and communicate information regarding delivery requirements, plotting key deadlines into day-by-day schedules, making sure relevant team members and the post facility are aware of the deadlines and anything that is required of them
- Spend time to explain and troubleshoot any queries from vendors, creatives or key production team members regarding tech specifications or delivery
- Act as the main point of contact between edit and production with post facility and other vendors to sort out any workflow, post or edit related issues
- Store production schedules within the company's designated system and any back-up copies in a secure location in line with legislation, regulations and adhering to the production's security requirements
- Adhere to and ensure communication of the company’s data protection policy
- Interview and select junior post team members that have availability and suitability to meet requirements - these could include (depending on project) assistant editors, loggers, edit assistant producers
- Depending on project requirements, source editors by sending project briefs and compiling CVs and credits lists
- Do initial calls to agents or direct with editors to assess suitability for the project and availability before presenting options to the senior editorial team and line producer
- Negotiate rates based on budget allowances and send out contracts issued by line producer forwarding on any queries that come back
- Collect data (CVs and credit lists) in line with current legislation and regulations covering data protection
- Establish communication systems which enable the efficient flow of information between edit team and production, ensuring everyone knows how to report any issues, delays or general queries
- Check in on the post team, provide support where required and communicate regularly
- Give post team clear and accurate information about what is required of them, updating when requirements or milestones change
- Work with the post facility to curate, document and deliver the post-production technical workflow document
- Work with the line producer and key editorial team members to reschedule and agree a definitive plan for post-production
- Create various versions of schedules based on a range of different scenarios and situations, advising on any issues each could face and working with production to make any decisions on the plan for the show
- Evaluate different strategies and options for post-production, collaborating with the production and editorial team to work out how to get the best results, creatively, technically and within deadline
- Troubleshoot any queries from facilities, creatives or key production team members regarding tech specifications or delivery
- Assess any changes in deliverables and how that effects costs and schedules and whether they are technically possible
- Conduct tests at various points in the schedule to ensure that the pipelines work - including digital imaging technician (DIT) workflow, uploads for viewings, graphics or visual effects (VFX) work, colour and audio post tests
- Manage day-to-day interactions with facilities, accounting for the technical, financial and logistical elements of the production
- Sett up clear boundaries with suppliers, vendors and facilities with regards to spend from the start of post
- Ensure contracted vendors have clear and accurate information about what is required of them, effectively communicating when requirements or milestones change and ensuring everyone has a full understanding of what is being requested
- Monitor costs closely throughout post, check billings and maintain a cost tracker
- Report up to line producer that invoices can be signed off
- Communicate with all key editorial and production team members to identify potential problems or concerns arising from shoot to offline workflow are reported
- If the project requires, collate and prepare any shoot paperwork for delivery - this could include camera reports, sound reports, rushes log, digital imaging technician's (DIT) reports (other paperwork may be required if the project has a scripted element)
- Manage and/or create paperwork to assist in the day-to-day running of post-production processes during shoot, including DIT workflows, rushes and drive logs, trackers for ingest and other tasks
- Check any relevant paperwork has been updated by required team members so it's clear all processes are being adhered to and there are no issues
- Liaise with the post facility to ensure offline suites are set up, that relevant team members have details for access and that any changes to bookings or rooms are communicated both to the facility and editorial teams
- Ensure any information required for music is given to relevant team members
- Liaise with archive producer to set up naming conventions, archive logs, track media delivery and ingest workflow, reporting any issues in a timely manner
- Assist with technical queries about screener and master files
- Arrange for correct exports to be produced for the archival team throughout the edit
- Liaise with the music supervisor, composer or music library to set up any naming conventions and workflows for delivery and ingest with the post facility as well as setting up music cue list documents (should there be no music supervisor)
- Arrange for the correct exports to be made for composers throughout the edit
- Manage the bid and design process for motion graphics - including title design, lower thirds, and any other in-show graphics
- Present pitches and bids to production and key editorial team for decisions to be made
- Should the project require - and in the absence of a visual effects (VFX) supervisor - it may be required to schedule and attend VFX spotting sessions, making sure that the VFX team have adequate direction from the production and editorial teams
- Assist the editorial and production teams to understand any technical requirements for motion graphics
- Oversee the delivery of the assets required for motion graphics work, that any fact checking logs required are accurate and up-to-date and liaising with GFX team to ensure the correct versions are present in the edit and tracked through finishing post
- Manage the legal and compliance process, including fair use (if required, often managed by the line producer)
- Oversee archive mastering processes, formulating a clear plan that works within schedule and budget
- Work closely with the archive producer and assistant editors as well as the post facility to ensure work is completed before finishing post and that any delays and issues are communicated
- Oversee music delivery for picture lock and audio post - high resolution commercial music, final composed tracks, music cue sheet and open communication between vendor and the audio post team
- Oversee picture finishing - grade and online, documenting any notes from offline to picture post ensuring legal elements are covered, checking lower third spelling, GFX and VFX tracking and credits
- Oversee voiceover records, ensuring the correct exports have been requested, scripts are prepared and attending sessions to ensure scripts are covered and any new lines noted
- Oversee audio post - documenting any notes from offline, attending spotting sessions and the final audio mix
- Oversee picture and audio post - technical, working with the facility in advance to discuss any potential issues that may arise and report these back to production should they effect time and have cost implications
- Deal with any ad hoc press and promo requests
- Create or evaluate a preliminary post-production budget given by the production team or producer
- Advise on the costs and resources required to meet the project brief
- Analyse and compare facilities quotes technically, creatively and financially
- Work out the adjustments or revisions needed to end up at a final, approved bid for the project
- Evaluate evidence to ensure projected costings are accurate
- Brief production team members about expenditure control and monitoring systems as required
- Create a cost tracker and differentiate between the recurring costs that are based on a weekly rate that keep the project running and the per bid, process or activity costs
- Keep track of all costs and report overages to the line producer
- Authorise expenditure in line with post-production and clear any large overspend with line producer or producer
- Ensure that expenditure details are recorded in a clear tracker document and invoices passed on to the line producer and/or accounts as required
- Work with the line producer to monitor expenditure against original budgets, checking that expenditure detailed in reports is within budget or helping production understand any overspend
- Identify if there is a significant variation from original budgeted amounts, keeping detailed notes
- Anticipate areas of potential overspend from information provided by editorial or related to any requests outside the original quote and communicate this in a timely manner
- Ensure that all costs have been reported and that a final budget report has been passed onto the line producer for cost report meetings
- Manage the creation of or complete the final delivery paperwork to the broadcaster, studio or distributor
- Evaluate quality check (QC) reports and, if required, ensure any points are checked with the relevant team members to be fixed or signed off
- Track deliverables throughout all stages of the QC process from initial master delivery through to archival delivery, liaising with network and post facility to ensure that they eventually pass all checks and that any outstanding points are chased up
- In conjunction with the post facility and production, supervise the delivery of all assets to their required destinations
- Supervise (for larger projects) complete paperwork delivery, including archive paperwork to the document management system being used by the network and production
- Deliver press and marketing material (project dependent), including final press file delivery, final promo delivery, final marketing assets delivery
Skills
Check out role specific skills, transferable skills and attributes for the role of post-production supervisor (unscripted TV).
- Plan the post workflow in collaboration with other departments to develop a realistic schedule that encompasses viewings, archive, music, graphics, picture, sound and deliverables
- Collaborate with production, editorial and other departments to determine the main elements required to meet creative briefs and adjust as necessary throughout production
- Take overall responsibility to manage and deliver the technical aspects of post-production
- Management and leadership: leading the post-production team, upholding ethics and maintaining respect when dealing with others, supporting and developing junior members of the team
- Communication: interpreting other’s requirements and communicating departmental requirements to staff and colleagues
- Teamworking: collaboration within own and with other departments, working closely with production team, post facility, editorial and network
- Negotiation: agreeing post crew and vendor costs, logistics and assisting on contracts
- Research and analytical: planning practical requirements against brief breakdown and production vision
- Problem-solving: contingency planning and resolving issues so that productions remain on schedule
- Having an awareness of the detailed and constantly updating technical requirements - understanding terminology and being able to explain terms and workflows to other team members
- Resilience and enthusiasm: adapts positively to changing work priorities and patterns, ensuring deadlines continue to be met
- Proactive and explores new ideas and non-standard ways of working which will enhance and deliver the best results for the production
- Productivity: organises work effectively and achieves required results within deadlines
- Demonstrates the drive and energy to get things done in pressurised situations and escalates appropriately when necessary
- Ethics and integrity: honest and principled in all their actions and interactions
- Respectful and inclusive of others, and meets the ethical requirements of their profession
- Flexibility: willing to both listen and learn and to accept changing priorities and working requirements and has the flexibility to maintain high standards in a changing production environment