Digital Video - February 2008 - (Page 42) WHAT IS A WORKFLOW? These small outputs that occur at key stages of the project are also very important to workflow thinking. We could have chosen to include a finishing stage of the generic workflow. This would logically denote steps such as audio mix and color correction. However, we chose to combine all of this work under one large step to make a point: the distinctions between these steps are no longer as clear as they once were. There are two reasons for this, and both are creatively empowering: only with flowchart diagrams. Is a schedule a workflow document? Yes. How about a paper edit with time code references for an assembly in FCP? Sure. Documenting your plans and workflow concepts is something that producers have always done, whether they called it that or not. Documenting your workflows — as diagrams, schedules, job descriptions, and so on — serves three interrelated functions: 1 It has become possible to do high-quality finishing work on the desktop, both with Final Cut Studio and other software. When more steps are done in the same environment, it can be less clear what the specific steps are. For instance, where color correction used to be something that happened in a separate room and only once a project had been editorially completed and output to tape, it now can take place in downtime of the editorial process. (Though this is not always a good idea!) Aesthetically, what was traditionally considered finishing work has become a more creative endeavor, contributing to the emotive storytelling power of the medium. Thus, specialties such as sound effects and color grading (tinting the image for a visual effect), which were once considered elements of technical finishing, are also now considered creative storytelling tools. \We choose to group all of this work under one large category in the generic structure, but deal with each individual step in detail in the chapters that follow because we embrace these ambiguities. Part of the power of Final Cut Pro, and the accessibility of professional-quality postproduction tools, is being able to do more of the traditional finishing steps, and to use them creatively. The Output Stage is taking a project from Final Cut Pro to its final distribution medium. Like the ingest phase, this is particularly important when it comes to workflow thinking. And again, this is an instance where considerations about the final product should enter into the planning throughout the process. Outputting may involve recording to tape, making digital files or compressions, or some combination. It is not uncommon for output stages to involve interactivity, alternative versions, and intricate organizational schemes. When video content has more than one intended output, we talk about a workflow being “branched,” indicating that at some point, the path of the workflow will split into two to provide for the alternate outputs. 1 It gets everyone on the same page. It is relatively easy to sit with people on a team and verbally agree to the direction or plan for a project. However, when everyone looks at the same sheet of paper and endorses it, it is more likely that they are actually in agreement as to the plan. These documents become stakes in time. Meaning that even as workflows adjust in the course of the projects, people can go back to earlier documents as a record of what was planned by the team and when. Sometimes new people join the project, and workflow documents are a quick way to help get them up to speed. 2 2 3 DOCUMENT VERSIONING Because your workflow documents will evolve over time and may be used and contributed to by many people, it is important to name them carefully and to have a system of version numbers and dates. At a minimum, any production document should have a “last updated” date on it. In some cases, it pays to have a more robust system with version numbers and tags for what a given version represents or who last contributed to it. Sometimes these visual representations are the best way to express the entire workflow on one page. Remember, they are generally only good as an overview, and more-traditional schedule and specification documents are also needed. THE POWER OF WORKFLOW THINKING The power of workflow thinking is not much different from the power of good planning. A workflow is a plan that focuses on the technical process of a project and the roles needed at each stage to accomplish the final goal. You could easily make a workflow for starting a new business or moving to a new apartment. The more complicated a project, the more that detailed planning and workflow thinking are necessary. Although media projects have gotten more affordable, and Final Cut Pro is a key tool making this possible, they are no less complicated. Without good planning, FCP is a powerful tool that is often not fully utilized. With a good workflow, FCP can be part of an integrated, costeffective solution. DV Film Cut Pro Workflows is available at focalpress.com and amazon.com. Copyright 2008 by Elsevier, Inc. Used by permission. WORKFLOW DOCUMENTS Although there is no strict way to design or document workflows, it is important that these plans are committed to paper and that a good record of your workflow thinking is made for all who are involved with the project. The definition of a workflow document can be looked at broadly. Workflows are represented not 42 dv february 2008 www.dv.com http://www.focalpress.com http://www.amazon.com http://www.dv.com
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