Post-production

How important is the post-production of a film? It can almost be said to be equivalent to a secondary creation. Frame by frame editing, music composition, color correction, and then slowly achieving a complete work.

This also means that it is a very patient job because it requires selecting and assembling over 1,200 minutes of footage into a coherent 90-minute film with a smooth storyline. It's not an easy task. Different combinations of shots, lengths of time, and so on can completely change the effect of the film.

A mediocre film, with skillful editing, can become thrilling and captivating. On the other hand, a great film can be ruined by poor editing. Take, for example, the film "Watchmen" in the hands of Zack Snyder and Warner Bros. It's essentially two different stories.

Any editor will probably have this to say about filmmaking: Editing is the rhythm of a film and it determines what kind of viewing experience the film will provide to the audience.

Therefore, general post-production work is very tedious. The more impressive the outcome, the more time, effort, and thought it requires. Films like "Buried" with a small budget and a one-man show may not be as complex as big productions, but they are by no means easy. Just the process of selecting and combining well-shot footage to create a film can be headache-inducing.

To avoid bearing the burden alone, Lyman brought in René and Thomas to work on the post-production together.

After dealing with the issues of filming equipment, they sorted out the leasing of the post-production studio. They personally visited the same studio where they convinced the investors. It had all the necessary equipment for film editing. After negotiating with the person in charge, they rented it for one month at a price of €20,000 per month.

This price was not cheap, but it couldn't be considered expensive either. After all, the three of them didn't have any acquaintances there who could help. After both parties signed the official lease contract the next day, Lyman, René, and Thomas, along with a large amount of film footage, moved directly into the editing studio. They had the right to use it for the next month, and the space inside was enough for three grown men to sleep comfortably.

...

Inside the editing room, it was chaotic. The three of them sat around the editing machine, expressing their opinions.

"This part should be cut!" Thomas had been speaking up more since joining this small group.

"Damn it! I think this long shot is great. We repeated it several times that day until we got it right. You're saying we should cut it now? No, we should keep it." René, who also studied film, had his own perspective. He looked at Lyman and said, "What do you think? Should we keep it?"

"This long shot is slowing down the pace of the film. Are we shooting a thriller? We need to consider the overall atmosphere of the film! It must be cut." Thomas confidently argued, "Lyman, am I right?"

"Thomas makes a good point. This segment doesn't fit, so let's cut it." Both of them stared at Lyman, but he followed the film's best editing style and chose Thomas's suggestion.

Friends are friends, and films are films. They are two different things.

"Does every story need a main plot? "Buried" is simple and straightforward. It should be edited around the psychological journey of Paul. That long shot we just discussed was exciting and torturous during filming, but it's not a good choice. It doesn't blend well with the overall pace of the film." After saying that, Lyman manipulated the editing machine to cut the long shot.

Seeing his own ideas being followed by Lyman, Thomas had a smug look on his face. René, who couldn't stand it anymore, quickly pounced on Thomas, trying to strangle him while thinking, "Take that then!"

Clack clack clack clack.

Lyman sat calmly in his seat, his eyes fixed on the footage, adjusting the most suitable combinations, paying no attention to those two troublemakers. In comparison to the filming process, the progress of editing was much slower. Even though it was only the rough cut of the first round, Lyman was very serious about it.

Repeated comparisons, assembling shots—after a whole day, only a few minutes of footage could be confirmed. He was very cautious in this regard, even more so than during filming. The closer they got to the final product, the more careful he became.

As they endured the initial tedium of editing, Lyman adapted to this rhythm, and the harmony between the three of them reached its peak. In the midst of a tangled mess of footage, they always managed to find the most suitable editing points, transforming the filmed material into the envisioned scenes in their minds.

In order to finish as quickly as possible, the three of them simply ate and slept in the studio. During meal times, they would ask Thomas or René to buy some food to fulfill their basic needs. Every day, apart from handling the footage, they dealt with shots. All leisure activities were pushed aside. Even René, who cared about his appearance, had developed dark circles under his eyes. Not to mention Thomas and Lyman, who looked visibly worn out.

As mid-August approached, the three of them finally completed the editing work.

After going through the rough cut, fine cut, and the final comprehensive editing, "Buried" strictly controlled the film's duration to 90 minutes, ensuring a smooth storyline, clear rhythm, and a suitable atmosphere throughout.

Due to good sound recording, they didn't need to hire Heath Ledger for additional dubbing in the post-production phase. After these processes, the post-production work of the film was nearing completion, with only the final music scoring left to be done.

Nowadays, almost every film requires background music to enhance the atmosphere and create the desired emotions. "Buried" was no exception. Since Lyman didn't have much money and lacked the means to commission original music, he had to choose a few suitable tracks. After paying the necessary copyright fees, he successfully obtained the rights to use them.

These music tracks were all tailored to the thriller genre, playing during moments when Paul panics and bangs his head against the top, when he makes desperate phone calls for help, and during the final realization and extreme despair, creating an immersive atmosphere.

With around €450,000 already spent, there was only about €10,000 left. Lyman didn't have the money to hire a professional sound effects editor, so the three of them had to figure it out themselves. After four days, they finally solved the issue.

"Lyman, doesn't the transition in the music feel abrupt?" René frowned in doubt.

"It would be better if the sound gradually increases from low to high," Thomas also chimed in.

"Start with a three-second prelude at a low volume, then gradually increase the music afterward," Lyman pondered. "Let's try it this way." He put on his headphones and slowly reduced the volume of the inserted music's prelude, gradually increasing it after three seconds.

Since the three of them were amateurs in sound effects, they often made mistakes. However, this film didn't heavily rely on sound effects. After multiple rounds of changes, they managed to complete it, albeit barely.

After nearly a month of intense work, "Buried" finally came to completion. Although it was slow progress, it was worth it. As Lyman, René, and Thomas walked out of the editing room, they were physically exhausted, their faces shining with oil, and their bodies uncomfortable. But their hearts were filled with extraordinary excitement.

This was their first completed work, and they watched the entire finished film, experiencing an unusual sense of accomplishment. When they first watched the film, the excitement was overwhelming because it turned out to be more brilliant than they had expected. It gave them a feeling of breaking records, becoming a worldwide sensation. They imagined winning Oscars, triumphing at Cannes, and conquering Venice—international awards around the world would bow down to "Buried".

However, as soon as they stepped out into the real world, their dreams were abruptly shattered by the scorching sun.

"Hey, I have to go back first. Let's meet up in a few days. I won't be able to recover my complexion in just three to five days." The first one to speak was René, and indeed, he valued his appearance more than Lyman and Thomas.

"I also need to go back for a while. I don't have much money left, so I'll ask my dad for some more." Thomas stood outside the editing room, expressing his own difficulties. After two months of rushing around, combined with hard work, they hadn't received a single penny in wages. Sometimes, they even had to chip in money. Just like when Lyman brought back meals, the money he gave them wasn't enough for a decent meal. Thomas would use his own money to make the food more abundant, so everyone would have a better appetite and more motivation to work.

Upon hearing this, Lyman couldn't help but feel embarrassed. He had originally promised that if Thomas did a good job, he would be appropriately compensated. However, after all these days, the budget was tight, and they had to allocate more money for Heath Ledger, the lead actor. So Lyman hadn't brought up the matter.

But who was Lyman? He immediately responded, "If the film makes money, I guarantee you'll get a share. Follow me, and I won't let you lose out." It was an empty promise without prospects, but he said it without hesitation.

"Well, I'll go back for about three or four days. When I come back, let's continue together. Can I?" Thomas looked at Lyman seriously and asked, "I want to keep following you, is that okay?"

"No problem, I'll be waiting here. When the time comes, let's go together to find a distribution company for our film," Lyman reassured, patting his chest. In this way, under the scorching sun, the three of them made their agreement.

Afterward, René returned to his own home, Thomas headed north to Paris, and Lyman went back to his own nest to rest.

A month of continuous intense work had left their heads spinning. The sense of urgency under that pressure was a luxury to have a good night's sleep. Now that they had completed all the post-production work for "Buried", their minds became relaxed. Lying on a comfortable bed, it didn't take long before they entered the realm of dreams, playing chess with some unknown deity.