The journey of creating a documentary does not end when the camera stops rolling. It instead begins during post-production. That is why, at Motion Edits, we have compiled a guide to the post-production process, drawing on years of experience and countless projects.

Initially built for our team of video editors and VFX artists, this guide is packed with our proven techniques and insights to help editors and directors like you tackle the complexities of post-production.

Whether you are a filmmaker, videographer, or part of a production team, understanding these stages can ensure your final footage hits the mark every time.

However, while this guide provides a solid framework, every documentary is unique. So, while the steps remain constant, you will need flexibility and adaptation to make it yours.

1. Organizing and Logging Footage

The first crucial step in documentary post-production is organizing and logging your footage. This is where meticulous attention to detail is essential.

The goal is to ensure that every shot is categorized, labeled, and stored in a way that allows efficient access throughout the editing process.

This stage typically involves reviewing all the footage, taking notes, and creating detailed logs of content, tone, and potential uses for each clip.

So, watch everything and write a note of even the smallest moments that strike you emotionally or intellectually.

Get transcripts of your key interviews to help structure your edit.

Note what stands out, what’s essential for the story, and what can be cut.

Identify key moments (relevant to the plot) like the inciting incident, turning points, and climaxes.

Even if the footage feels raw, your job in this stage is to log and map out potential narrative arcs. Do not be afraid to distinguish between “plot-driving” scenes and filler or b-roll shots. This will be critical as you move into more detailed stages.

At this point, you may also begin to sync audio with video if separate sound recordings were used during filming.

2. Paper Edit

When you have a lot of talking heads, a paper edit can be an invaluable tool. This is a rough draft of your film that you can physically manipulate. It allows you to arrange and rearrange transcript lines and footage to begin forming your narrative structure.

However, a word of caution: while paper edits can help structure essay-driven films, they also come with a risk of ignoring visual storytelling because they can be dialogue-heavy. You may miss moments with more emotional or narrative weight in your footage.

3. Assembly Edit

Now, the real editing begins. After you have logged your footage and gathered a rough structure, it’s time for the assembly edit. This is where you start putting your film together (loosely) to see how everything fits.

The goal of the assembly edit is not to finesse. It’s to build the film’s bones and see if it holds together. Hence, keep the edit simple. Focus on establishing the main structure and ask critical questions: Does the story make sense? Are the key themes coming through? Are there characters or themes that are unnecessary?

Remember, the assembly edit should be quick and rough. Include all major moments, key scenes, and emotional beats. You do not need to worry about perfect cuts, transitions, or sound effects. Keep it straightforward, and focus on answering the big questions.

• Tip: The assembly edit should be about 140% of your final runtime, so for a 60-minute documentary, try to keep it under 84 minutes.
• Note: No fancy transitions yet. Jump cuts are fine. Also, avoid getting bogged down by sound details or visual effects at this stage.

4. Rough Cut

The rough cut is where you start refining. You have answered the big structural questions in the assembly, and now you will begin making the first drafts of your visuals, narration, and music. At this stage, you will likely show your rough cut to test audiences, including film professionals and laypeople.

The key here is to find the film’s rhythm, not to get bogged down in minute details. For documentary filmmakers, this stage can be both exciting and overwhelming. So, keep a few things in mind:

• Length: Aim for about 10% shorter than the final runtime.
• Sound: Use a lower distracting ambient sound, but J and L cuts with voiceover are okay. Do not over-finesse your edits here. Also, add the first draft narration. This can be either on-screen text or scratch narration that will be replaced later with the final version.
• Structure: Ensure that the key elements (live footage, interviews, archival, etc.) are represented in the right proportions. Use textual placeholders for missing material (e.g., interviews that have not been shot yet). Do not put credits in the rough cut.
• Screening: After showing the rough cut, have viewers fill out an anonymous questionnaire to get their feedback. Ask specific questions about what’s working and what’s not.

Keynote: Evaluate feedback carefully. The audience is always right about what’s confusing them, but they are rarely right about how to fix it. So, do not defend your cuts or vision during the discussion. Just listen and use the feedback to improve the edit.

5. Fine Cut

Once the rough cut is complete, it is time to move on to the fine cut. This is where your film becomes nearly final. Now, you will work to perfect the pacing, transitions, and overall feel.

During this stage, focus on tightening your film to its most refined version. Here is how to approach it:

• Rescreen your rushes and reread your transcripts: Look for any overlooked footage or sound bites that make more sense with the current structure (after feedback).
• Length: Keep it within 3% of your final runtime.
• Final Touches: Add your title treatment, temp music, temp narration, and placeholders for any final shots or missing elements. This should be very close to the final version of the film. By now, the film should be free of black holes or unfinished sections.
• Fact-Checking: As you finalize the narration, do a thorough fact-check to ensure everything is accurate.

6. Locked Picture

Picture lock is one of the most crucial milestones in documentary post-production. In this stage, you’ve essentially reached the final phase of editing. No further changes to the video or timeline will be made here.

In this stage, you’ll focus on:

• Video: Overlay the final archival materials and graphics/animations.
• Audio: Lay in your final composed music, narration, and final sound effects.
• Next Steps: With the picture locked, you can move to the “online edit”. This includes color correction, color grading, sound mixing, sound editing, and finalizing everything for the final product.

Can Documentaries Use Visual Effects (VFX)?

While documentaries typically don’t rely heavily on visual effects, you can still use VFX depending on your documentary’s style, subject matter, and budget.

You might use VFX to add graphics, animations, or simple digital effects to make specific points stand out. For example, if your documentary covers historical events or includes statistics, VFX can recreate those events or display data.

Beyond this, wildlife and nature documentaries can also benefit from VFX, especially when capturing rare animals or difficult-to-film environments. Though documentaries aim to present factual stories, VFX has become a crucial tool for communicating ideas that might otherwise be impossible to visualize.

At Motion Edits, we collaborate with our sister brand, Motion Effects, to provide advanced VFX services when necessary. Whether it’s subtle digital enhancements or more elaborate effects, we ensure that the visual elements of our client’s documentary support the storytelling without overwhelming it.

Ready to Make Your Documentary the Best?

Documentary post-production is a detailed, creative process that requires careful attention at every stage. At Motion Edits, we have the expertise to guide you through each post-production stage, helping you craft a polished, professional documentary that’s ready for the world to see. Whether it’s editing, sound design, color grading, or advanced VFX, we’re here to bring your vision to life.

So, if you are ready to take your documentary to the next level, contact us today to learn more about how we can help you.