Film to Film via Digital Intermediate - Workflow

  1. Shoot film in Camera
  2. Process (Develop) film (Important Video Prep Suggestions)
  3. Dailies – Transfer film to High Def Tape, 2K, or 4K file. (Savings Ideas)
  4. Make a Standard Definition tape dub from the HD Master, 2K, or 4K file.. This is called a downconversion. The question of what tape format to downconvert to, is answered by checking to see what tape machine you will be using to input into editing system. Sometimes you can make your own downconversion by using the HD camera and a rented tape deck.
  5. Downconvert Data File to Digi Beta, Beta Sp, DV Cam, DV, or VHS
  6. Rent or buy an off line non-linear editing system (Avid, Final Cut Pro, Premiere, etc)
  7. Input (digitize) the video tapes into the editing system
  8. Spend as much time as needed to make creative decisions and edit the material into the final edited version. No cutting is actually done since all the information is on a hard drive. Slug out sections (leave space holders) for effects and titles.
  9. Create a HD, 2K, or 4K file of Effects, Supers, Titles, etc. Downconvert these elements and input into the edit system. Replace slugs with your effects files.
  10. Output an Edit Decision List (EDL) from the edit system that represents the final editing decisions.
  11. Give the EDL, the original HD Master, 2K, or 4K Files, plus Effects Files to an On-Line Editing Session. During an auto-conform editing session the a final Master will be created that matches the final edit.
  12. Do a Color Correct session on the Edited Master.
  13. Somewhere along the line you should have been concurrently making the sound track. Usually this process includes adding sound effects and foley, cleaning up the dialog, adding music, and then mixing all the "stems" together. The final product is called a Print Master.
  14. Layback the Print Master to the final Edited Master.
  15. Make an Optical Negative Sound Track
  16. Make a "Film Out" Film Negative from the Edited Master
  17. From Film Out Negative and Optical Neg Track make a Composite Check Print
  18. After approval of the Check Print, make Release Prints as needed