Behind-the-Post
Find out more about the post production work our creatives discuss their work on the series.
Sonny Sheridan, Senior Colourist
“It was hugely enjoyable to help bring a brand-new Mitchell and Webb series to life. I worked closely with DOP Alistair Upcraft and Director David Sant, who really drove the visuals and wanted to maximise the grade’s potential.
One of my favourite things about sketch shows is the freedom to jump between genres. One minute you could be in an action sequence and the next you could be in a period drama. This also means that each scene has their own distinct look and feel which meant I could really be creative in the grade. Over the course of a day, I created up to 9 different looks per episode which showcased each sketch’ own style and personality, this was a fast-paced but fun challenge.
I treated them as their own short film, analysing each sketch for the tone of the comedy, asking whether it referenced something recognisable or gave us the freedom to invent an entirely new look. The series cleverly tackles real world issues and current affairs through the performance and the writing, and this was something that we wanted to make sure the audience were most focused on.
It’s hard to choose a favourite sketch because of the wide variety but the Aliens were a standout as we made it feel cinematic with cooler and darker colours you would associate with sci-fi films, while the 70’s commercials had a much warmer grade and transported me back to my childhood. That range is what made this project such a joy to work on.”
Dicky Everton, Senior Online Editor
“I was delighted to work with David Sant (Director) again, and it was an honour to work with Gareth Edwards (Producer).
I undertook all my usual on-line work; to extract the best possible result from each and every shot in the programmes. To achieve this, I performed shot stabilisation, paint-outs, tracking, and reframing using Avid Symphony’s toolset and Boris Mocha Pro. The series was shot and graded at 4k resolution, which allowed me to perform re-framing (in HD) without introducing softness in the image.
Some sketches required set extension which I was able to achieve using a combination of Mocha Pro tracking, and clean plate creation in Photoshop, then re-combining with grain and lighting to ensure a seamless blend.
There were also sequences that required phone and computer screen replacements, which involved tracking the shots, compositing in the screen content, and then layering reflections to keep the effect natural. For more advanced VFX, I liaised with an external VFX company, coordinating shots from both the graded material and ungraded raw media.
Using Boris Mocha Pro for complex 3D tracking, I performed subtle visual enhancements, including costume continuity and facial cleanups, ensuring the highest on-screen polish without distracting from the onscreen performances and comedy.”
