Post-Production: Composing the Mona Lisa

Having now completed filming, and leaving the status of "Production" firmly behind forever, the project has now moved into its final phase of post production, with editing now its only step separating it from its triumphant end.

Having edited a few videos previously, I thought it would be wise to expend some time renaming every video we shot before jumping into it, to make the process easier - as we have about 97 usable videos to edit from.

If the videos are not renamed, they will simply be displayed by a generic file name, making it incredibly difficult to distinguish a specific shot from another and subsequently make that shot harder to find when it is needed in the editing room. For example, all the files we have are by default named "MOV" followed by a number at the end indicating its position among our footage folder, the only differentiating feature separating any unique file, but that does not help reveal its exact contents.

And to make the process less burdensome, I went through each and every single one of the 97 files, naming them by what its held in its contents; giving some files the title of "walking out of the tube station" or "zoom into the red telephone box", depending on what shot the file contained.

Having solved a problem before it became one which would have seriously inhibited editing before it really began, me and Gendrick met up to enact the beginning of the editing process, to bring an end to a project long overdue.

As we had filmed our sequences in a chronological order and with the renamed files now grouping every file into a specific sequence of events, finding the files and then deciding where they would go in Final Cut Pro's timeline proved not one problem in part to the methodology in filming the narrative in a chronological manner and giving every generically named file, a specific title, facilitated a typically tedious and monotonous editing process, and made it more of a rapid and gratifying experience, to begin with, at least.

After a long period of sitting down engaged in a repetitive process with virtual cuts of a blade ending the life of an inanimate video being the only respite for two easily bored gentleman, the typical dissent displayed by young men having had to endure such an unenviable process for a few hours, finally began to show.

As straightforward as it was for us to put videos files in the timeline, cut them down to size through mutual discussion so they would link up with another video to make the narrative work, that was then replaced with petty arguments and insults as it became clear the honeymoon period had elapsed having edited for a few hours, and carrying on with the same process any further, would have been detrimental to our working and personal relationship.

It was decided at that point to go our separate ways, but we ended on a high point with about 80% of the video put together.

With little time before the video must be finished and submitted by, we agreed in the benefits of speeding up the editing process that Gendrick would put together the remaining 20% and once we meet again, we would discuss - and probably edit - the video for its ultimate form.

Step by step, we near the finishing line that we should have crossed long ago and now the only prize that we can win, is of redemption. And slowly, we near it.

Ceysun Dixon KUID: K1326851