Stay Organized with a Finishing Project Tracker

Finishing can encompass a lot of moving pieces, so staying organized is crucial. Think of the entire project as a giant jigsaw puzzle, where each team is working on a different section. It is then our job to take those pieces and ensure all are correct and cohesive before showing the world.

It can sound very demanding, but with the right tracker, you can ensure nothing slips through the cracks.

Here are some important elements to include on your finishing project trackers:

SPECS

To always ensure everyone opening the project is on the same page, it’s extremely helpful to have all the pertinent project specs (camera, resolution, aspect ratio, etc) in one place. This way anyone jumping into the project already has all the information they need.

PROJECT CONTACTS

Having the names, titles, and email addresses of the project’s post team is a great way to make sure everyone can reach out to the appropriate parties when questions arise.

VFX TRACKERS

With all the moving pieces of the puzzle, ensuring the correct and most up to date versions of the VFX are in place will help decrease mistakes and provide security that final files are correct.

CONFORM & RENDER TRACKERS

When updating conform with multiple confidence check files and notes, a lot can get lost in the mix. It is always important to have a written record of updates from clients and when they were implemented. Along with this, keeping track of when things are rendered into the final DSM can ensure nothing falls through the cracks.

COLOR TRACKERS

Talk to your colorist about how they want to format incoming color notes. Projects with multiple episodes or scenes can quickly become confusing.

QC TRACKERS

When a project is in the QC process, having a QC tracker is essential. Making note of the file which is being QC’d along with the dates, will only make your job easier. It is a great way to also have whoever is creating the final renders go back and make sure all the QC notes are implemented before delivering the wrong file.

BVA (Bid vs Actual)

Whether you do contracts or bids, knowing how many hours have been used to relay to clients is very helpful. No one wants overages and maintaining a clear idea of how many hours were used and how much money has been spent, will create a lot of trust.