What Is Post Production? A Complete Guide to Finishing Your Film, Commercial, or Branded Content
- Apr 28
- 4 min read
You've wrapped the shoot. The hard part is over — or is it?
The truth is, post production is where a good project becomes a great one. It's where rough footage transforms into a polished story, where the right sound mix makes a scene hit harder, and where color grading turns flat images into a visual signature. For filmmakers, brands, and content creators working in New York, having the right post production partner can make all the difference.
At MCM Creative Studios, we've built a full-service post production house right in the heart of NYC — so your project never has to lose momentum between the shoot and the finish line.
What Is Post Production?
Post production is everything that happens after principal photography wraps. It's the phase that takes raw footage and turns it into a finished deliverable — whether that's a feature film, a TV commercial, a documentary, a music video, or a branded content series.
A complete post production workflow typically includes:
Video editing — assembling and refining the cut
Color grading — shaping the look and feel of every frame
Sound design and mixing — building the full audio world of the piece
VFX and motion graphics — adding visual effects, titles, and animation
Finishing and delivery — preparing files for broadcast, streaming, or theatrical release
When these disciplines are handled by experienced specialists working in the same facility, the result is a smoother workflow, faster turnaround, and a more cohesive final product.
Post Production Services at MCM Creative Studios
MCM Creative Studios offers end-to-end post production in New York City, with in-house teams and state-of-the-art suites designed to handle projects of any scale.
Editorial Services
Our editors work across short and long-form narrative, unscripted content, documentaries, commercials, and music videos. Editing isn't just about assembling shots — it's about shaping the pacing, emotional rhythm, and story logic of your project. MCM's editorial team brings that craft to every cut, weaving together scenes and fine-tuning every frame to bring your vision to life.
Edit Suite Rental
Need to bring your own editor or cut the project yourself? MCM offers professional edit suite rentals equipped with 2023 Mac Studios, multiple desktop monitors, and large wall-mounted client monitors — all in an ergonomic setup with sit-to-stand desks and comfortable client seating. It's the kind of environment that makes long edit days actually enjoyable.
Sound Design
Great picture is only half the story. Our in-house sound team handles the full spectrum of audio post production, including:
ADR (Automated Dialogue Replacement)
Voiceover recording
Foley (creating custom sound effects that match on-screen action)
Sound mixing and finishing for theatrical, broadcast, and streaming deliverables
Whether your project needs a sweeping score or meticulous dialogue cleanup, MCM's sound designers bring precision and creativity to every session.
Color Grading & Finishing
Color grading is the art of giving your footage a distinct visual identity. Our colorists work with a keen eye for detail, shaping each frame to match your creative intent — whether you're going for a naturalistic documentary look, a stylized commercial aesthetic, or a cinematic finish for narrative work. MCM handles color for documentaries, TV and web series, branded content, and more.
VFX / GFX / Animation
Through our partnership with The String Theory — an award-winning multidisciplinary design studio — MCM connects clients with top-tier CGI artists, animators, and motion designers. Whether you need VFX for a broadcast series, animated titles for a music video, or full motion graphics for branded content or live events, this partnership puts world-class creative talent within reach.
Why One-Stop Post Production Works Better
Bouncing your project between multiple vendors is one of the most common sources of delays, miscommunications, and budget overruns in post production. When your editing, color, sound, and VFX teams are all working in the same building — with direct communication and shared workflows — things move faster and stay on track.
At MCM, we're designed around this reality. We offer plug-and-play package deals that can combine any mix of post production services with our production and rental offerings, giving you a single point of contact from the first frame to final delivery.
Who We Work With
MCM's post production clients span the full range of film and video production, including:
Narrative filmmakers — short films, features, and episodic content
Documentary producers — from single-subject films to multi-part series
Advertising agencies and brands — commercials and branded content
Music video directors — working across genres and budgets
Unscripted TV productions — reality, docu-style, and competition formats
Corporate and internal communications teams — executive videos, training content, and event recaps
Where to Find Us
MCM Creative Studios is located at 253 West 28th Street, 3rd and 4th Floor, New York, NY 10001 — in the heart of Chelsea, easily accessible from anywhere in the city.
Ready to bring your project home? Reach out to our Head of Post Production, Aubrey Hardwick, at 917-740-7612 or visit our post production services page to learn more.
Final Thoughts
Post production is where footage becomes film. It's where the story finds its shape, its sound, and its look. Getting it right requires experienced talent, professional-grade tools, and a collaborative environment — all of which MCM Creative Studios brings together under one roof in New York City.
Whether you're in pre-production and planning ahead, or you've just wrapped and need to move fast, MCM is ready to help you finish strong.
.jpg)