Universitat Internacional de Catalunya
Film Postproduction
Other languages of instruction: Catalan, Spanish,
Teaching staff
Students will be attended via email and also requesting a date.
Introduction
Postproduction is one of the most important steps in the creation process of any audiovisual project, because it is the last link before reaching the viewer and the moment in which final decisions are made to give the audiovisual product its final shape. Between the initial script and final product there is often a significant gap that depends not only on the recorded images, but, above all, on how these images are are post-produced, color-graded, mixed, and mastered.
The subject Postproduction and Editing provides a broad overview of the various approaches to this final step, from the point of view of both visual language, and the technical process that is required before the audiovisual product can reach viewers.
Pre-course requirements
Students must have a basic knowledge of Adobe Premiere Pro editing software. They must also have a good command of the audiovisual language’s basic visual syntax (shots, ellipsis, match cut, sound-image relationship, etc.).
Objectives
The aim of the course is to teach students how to approach the postproduction process of any audiovisual project, with a special focus in cinema, from both a technical and conceptual point of view. At the end of the course, students should be able to handle any rough audiovisual footage to, firstly, give it shape, meaning and purpose and, secondly, monitor the finished product using appropriate professional standards.
Competences/Learning outcomes of the degree programme
- 01 - The ability to adapt to varying circumstances
- 02 - The ability to understand, accept criticism and correct errors
- 03 - The ability to administer and manage human and technical resources
- 04 - The ability to work in a team and autonomously
- 05 - The ability to organise time and workspace
- 06 - The ability to develop academic rigour, responsibility, ethics and professionalism
- 07 - The ability to apply the deontology and respect for the audiovisual sector
- 08 - The ability of critical analysis, synthesis, concretion and abstraction
- 10 - The ability to confront difficulties and resolve problems
- 12 - The ability to meet deadlines, develop the ability to be punctual and respect for human, technical and material resources
- 16 - The ability to manage, analysis and reflect on content
- 21 - Knowledge and mastery of the digital culture
- 24 - The ability to plan and organize both short term and long term projects
- 25 - The ability to maximize creative development
- 26 - The ability to develop a sense of taste and perfection in the aesthetics and finalization of projects
- 32 - The ability to confront audiovisual and film projects in all phases (pre-production, shooting, post-production, distribution)
- 34 - The ability to know and respect the different roles of the artistic and technical teams
- 40 - The ability to defend and respect authorship and intellectual property
- 44 - The ability to adapt to new audiovisual formats
- 45 - The ability to know and dominate the techniques of audiovisual narrative.
- 46 - The ability to dominate resources used for image (Photographs, lighting...) and sound.
- 47 - The ability to understand and run digital retouching tools, special effects, postproduction and graphics design
- 48 - Knowledge and mastery of the techniques of filming, directing, producing and editing
- 50 - The ability to adapt, understand and apply the expressive possibilities of new technologies and future changes
- 53 - Lingustic ability in Catalan, Spanish and English
- 54 - The ability to skillfully manage the literature, terminology and linguistic structures of the English language related to the field of communication.
Learning outcomes of the subject
On-Set Post-production & DIT Role: Technical assistance on set, card management, and secure media ingestion.
Project Architecture & Timeline Protocols: Media management, proxy workflows, metadata, and strict track hierarchy organization.
The Finishing Layers (Color & Audio): Primary/secondary color correction, LUTs, dialogue cleaning, and audio mixing according to broadcast loudness standards.
Graphics & Motion Control: Generation and placement of titles (Essential Graphics) and advanced Motion properties using keyframes (scaling, positioning, and PIP).
Satellite Software & Dynamic Integration: Adobe software integration; workflows between Premiere Pro, Photoshop, and After Effects (Dynamic Link) for advanced masking, keying, and punctual VFX.
Mastering for Modern Platforms: Codecs and encoding tailored to technical delivery requirements (delivery specs) for streaming platforms and broadcasting networks
Project Wrap-up & Archiving: Multi-platform aspect ratio adaptations (including vertical formats), timeline conforming, media consolidation, and secure backup protocols.
Syllabus
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The Post-production Pipeline Concept: Theoretical models of contemporary digital workflows; roles, responsibilities, and communication protocols between the editor, DIT, and director.
Narrative Intentionality of Color: Psychological and emotional impact of color palettes, contrast, and saturation; the conceptual difference between technical correction and creative color grading (look creation).
Soundscape Design & Sonic Hierarchy: Psychoacoustics and narrative audio layers; managing structural dialogue clarity, sound effects (Foley), and music alignment to drive emotional tension.
Graphic Identity & Visual Layouts: Structural and aesthetic principles of typography in film; integrating opening titles, lower thirds, and credit sequences as a unified extension of the project's identity.
VFX, Virtual Production & Hybrid Workflows: Conceptual foundations of integrating real-time elements on set (Virtual Production/LED walls); hybrid pipelines and the strategic implementation of emerging Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools in early post-production.
Multi-Platform Aspect Ratios & Formatting: Technical and aesthetic logic behind delivering for diverse screen aspect ratios; mastering and reframing strategies for horizontal streaming standards, theatrical releases, and modern vertical/mobile layouts.
Mastering Protocols & Asset Security: The theory of the "Final Master File"; technical standards for long-term durability, consolidation ethics, and structural security in digital asset backups.
Teaching and learning activities
In person
| TRAINING ACTIVITY | ECTS CREDITS |
| Lectures. In lectures, lecturers/professors not only transmit content or knowledge, but also, and above all else, attitudes, motivation, skills and values, etc. They also ensure that participants can express their opinions and arguments to the other students. | 1 |
| Coaching. Monitoring how students learn the content of the subject, either individually or in groups. In the coaching sessions, mistakes will be corrected, queries answered, and exercises and activities to achieve the established objectives will be suggested. | 0,7 |
| E-learning. Virtual learning based on ICT. | 0,4 |
| Focused Praxis. Handing in occasional exercises to learn theory through practice. | 1 |
| Lab. Working groups that combine theory and practice. The aim of these is not to undertake already known techniques, but instead to make progress that is both theoretical and technical. These Lab sessions will culminate in the creation of a professional or semi-professional product. | 0,9 |
Evaluation systems and criteria
In person
Grading Breakdown
DIAGNOSTIC TEST (Baseline Skills) — 10% of the final mark: A mandatory technical assessment at the start of the term to verify basic timeline and sequence management and essential editing skills.
PRACTICAL EXERCISES (Continuous Lab Tasks) — 60% of the final mark: This block consists of 3 specialized practical exercises (valued at 20% each) executed individually during laboratory hours. They evaluate the direct application of post-production layers on provided footage:
Exercise 1: Advanced Color Grading & LUT calibration workflows.
Exercise 2: Multi-track Audio Post-production (dialogue cleaning, SFX, and broadcast loudness mixing).
Exercise 3: Graphics & Subtitling Workflows (Title generation via Essential Graphics, credit rolls, lower thirds, automated/manual subtitling protocols, and master layout compliance. Optional integration of After Effects via Dynamic Link).
FINAL PROJECT (Post-Production Stages) — 30% of the final mark: Students will complete a comprehensive finishing project based on a precise, short script or technical prompt provided by the professor.
The Shooting Phase (Group Work): Filming will be carried out in small teams outside of class hours to gather the raw audio and video assets. Students must shoot a highly contained scene with a maximum final duration of 45 seconds.
The Post-production Phase (Strictly Individual Work): Group collaboration ends at the camera wrapping stage. Every student must independently ingest, organize, edit, grade, mix, master, and document the entire post-production process of that 45-second scene. No two final visual pieces or timelines can be identical.
Course Regulations & Requirements
Attendance Policy: Due to the highly practical and experimental nature of the laboratory sessions, a minimum of 80% class attendance is strictly mandatory to remain in the continuous assessment track.
Final Project Deliverables: Along with the final mastered video file (strictly capped at 45 seconds), students must submit a technical post-production logbook documenting the pipeline (DIT report, proxy setup, track layout structures, and delivery specifications compliance).
Minimum Pass Criteria: Students must pass both the Practical Exercises block and the Final Project independently to pass the subject. If a student fails the final edit but passes the exercises, the exercise grades will be preserved for secondary examination calls.
Academic Integrity: Faculty guidelines regarding plagiarism, copying, or the unauthorized use of automated generative AI tools outside of the specified hybrid workflow criteria will be strictly applied.
Bibliography and resources
HURKMANS, Alexis Van. Color Correction Handbook: Professional Techniques for Video and Cinema. Peachpit Press.
KRASNER, Jon. Motion Graphic Design: Applied History and Aesthetics. Routledge.
MURCH, Walter. In the Blink of an Eye: A Perspective on Film Editing. Silman-James Press.
Official Industry Documentation & Support Materials
Adobe Creative Cloud Official User Guides: Premiere Pro, After Effects, and Photoshop official technical documentation and workflow manuals.
Netflix Partner Help Center: Delivery Specifications and Technical Requirements (Official whitepapers for HDR, audio loudness, and video encoding standards).
3Cat / CCMA Tech Specs: Official delivery protocols for broadcasting and digital platforms in Catalonia.
Frame.io Workflow Guides: Industry-standard documentation on cloud workflows, DIT data management, and proxy pipelines.