Typically the post-production phase of creating a film lasts longer than the actual shoot
and can take several months to complete. It may also be the most budget conscious
phase as there are many options open to producers, who often shop around for the
best price, writes Andy Stead.
We all know what the term post-production means – or do we? In its simplest form
post-production is many different processes grouped under one name. These include
editing the picture as well as the soundtrack; the transfer of film to video or data with a
telecine and colour grading process; recording the soundtrack and music; and adding
digital visual special effects which normally consist of computer-generated imagery
(CGI). The final process is the digital copy from which release prints will be made.
South Africa offers a broad selection of post-production entities, from the larger fully
equipped one-stop shop facilities that offer high end equipment for the entire process,
through to the more boutique style editing facilities, to an editor with a laptop location
service. It’s a tough and demanding business where excellence in quality and service are
paramount.
It is also an extremely expensive exercise to set up and run a post-production facility as
the technology requirements are by nature sophisticated and unique, and for those
facilities competing on an international level, must be comparable to anywhere else in the
world.
In spite of this, confidence in the local industry remains high with the recent launch of a
new top end post-production house in Cape Town. Searle Street Post-Production offers
a Scanity Scanner together with a Baselight HD with Kompressor – the latest film
scanner and grading system on the market.
The question on our lips is whether large sums of capital investment are able to provide
a reasonable pay back rate to the investor. Post-production rates have levelled if not
actually dropped over the years. High end facility The Blade Works reports that their
rates are lower than they were a decade ago, indicating that demand has reduced and
repayment on investment will take longer.
Levels of entry are made easier due to the emergence of a tapeless post-production
environment. However, this is not seen as a major threat to the more established post-
production houses. The general feeling is that clients are more comfortable in a facility
that offers equipment back up, engineering support and a wide range of facilities.
Sasani Studios (previously ZSE TV) invested in tapeless technology three years ago and
claim to be leaders in this field, with experience gained on the Big Brother Africa series,
which requires live 24 / 7 production. They also report a considerable increase in studio
based productions as well as an increase in HD post-production in 2011.
There is little doubt that South Africa has the right stuff. The question remains as to
whether sufficient work on local and international levels will keep the wheels turning.
Only time will tell.
