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Post production technical operator

Reference: ST0696
Version: 1
View on Institute for Apprenticeships
Apprenticeship Standards available with Tresl

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Knowledge

  • K1: Understand the purpose of post-production within the end-to-end production process
  • K2: Understand the commercial context of post-production with the film, TV and advertising industry
  • K3: Understand the importance of agreed workflows and how to adapt these to meet the needs of a production
  • K4: Understand the importance of accurate, effective and timely communication with own team, other departments and customers to ensure efficient progress of the work in hand
  • K5: Know the relevant health and safety legislation and company policies to ensure a safe working environment for themselves, colleagues and customers
  • K6: Understand the principles of video signals for film and TV in the digital and analogue domains including: resolution, sampling, colour science, display technologies and emerging and legacy video formats/standards
  • K7: Understand the principles of audio signals in the digital and analogue domains including: Signal path basics, mono, stereo, surround sound, object-based audio, audio levels and loudness
  • K8: Understand the use of metadata and other forms of content documentation
  • K9: Understand the use of timecode and other frame labelling protocols
  • K10: Understand why it is business critical to use unambiguous labelling of content, clock numbers and file naming conventions
  • K11: Understand the importance of agreed workflows and how these may be adapted to meet the bespoke needs of a production
  • K12: Know and understand the structure of and appropriate application of, audio and video file formats in common use in production, post-production and delivery
  • K13: Know the fomats that are used for still images and graphics held as bitmaps or vector images, and which file formats are used for moving images held as sequential single frame files
  • K14: Understand the principles of encoding, transcoding and compression of digital audio and video
  • K15: Understand the capabilities of different connection standards for portable storage devices
  • K16: Understand the principles of high speed file transfer across Local Area Networks (LAN) and Wider Area Networks (WAN)
  • K17: Know and understand the protocols for secure, audited receipt and dispatch of content via physical and electronic transfer
  • K18: Understand the principles of computer systems, IP networks and shared storage systems as applied in post production
  • K19: How media is managed throughout the data lifecycle including production storage, shared storage, nearline storage and archive, whether on premises or in the cloud
  • K20: Understand the bandwidth requirements and disk configurations necessary to ensure reliable playback and record performance at the required resolution for one or more clients from shared storage or directly connected storage
  • K21: Understand the principles of good digital content governance, resilience, RAID (redundant array of inexpensive disks), security, confidentiality
  • K22: Understand the value of media content to the business and its customers
  • K23: Understand the principles of non-linear editing systems
  • K24: Understand the functional role, capabilities and limitations of the equipment used in offline editing
  • K25: How to provide operational assistance and first-line support to creative personnel and problem solve within agreed governance constraints
  • K26: Understand the principles of non-linear picture and sound finishing systems
  • K27: Understand the functional role, capabilities and limitations of the equipment used in online editing, colour grading and audio dubbing
  • K28: Understand the technical standards and customer specifications used for UK and international delivery of programmes, films and commercials to cinema, TV broadcast and online distribution platforms
  • K29: Understand the requirements of international productions to aid localisation, such as textless backgrounds and audio stems.
  • K30: Understand the correct environment in which to perform quality control and assessment
  • K31: Understand the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) classification of quality issues and the International Telecommunications Union (ITU) 5-point quality assessment scale
  • K32: Know and understand the regulations to comply with in regard to flashing images and stimuli causing photo sensitive epilepsy
  • K33: Understand the regulations and specifications for on-screen text and graphics such as: safe areas, minimum text height and minimum durations for legal information in commercials
  • K34: Understand the importance of intelligibility of dialogue and how this is impacted by a complex range of factors, especially age-related hearing loss
  • K35: Know and understand the relevant health and safety legislation and company policies
  • K36: Know and understand legacy video standards such as standard definition PAL and NTSC and their conversion to contemporary standards
  • K37: Know and understand legacy video and audio tape formats
  • K38: Understand the implications of using legacy formats in contemporary workflows

Skills

  • S1: Work in line with agreed workflows, adapting to operational changes as they occur
  • S2: Multitask on simultaneous projects, often for different clients, prioritising the work to ensure that all tasks are completed on schedule
  • S3: Analyse and interpret the work order and technical specification to complete the scheduled tasks
  • S4: Use process documentation and work order reporting systems for efficient, accurate and timely communication with other departments about the progress of the work in hand
  • S5: Work accurately with a high degree of attention to detail
  • S6: Analyse and advise on the quality of audio, video and data throughout the post production process to colleagues, customers and suppliers
  • S7: Follow post production processes to ensure the necessary quality is achieved
  • S8: Access and interpret the relevant information pertaining to technical specifications and client requirements, and apply to the post production process
  • S9: Use appropriate technical vocabulary to document and communicate compliance with, or exceptions from, technical standards
  • S10: Assimilate information from multiple sources and apply to task in hand
  • S11: Ensure data is transferred securely between client supplied sources and post production storage systems, performing data integrity and virus checks
  • S12: Ingest and export media content and metadata to/from post-production systems, syncing the audio to video and applying colour transforms (LUTs) as required
  • S13: Arrange media content in agreed folder structures, using consistent and unambiguous folder and file naming conventions
  • S14: Prepare graphics and still images for ingest using software such as Photoshop where basic manipulation is required.
  • S15: Encode and transcode audio and video data to required specifications
  • S16: Export finished content or work-in-progress with metadata from post-production systems to required specifications and naming conventions
  • S17: Provide technical advice to clients and colleagues on an appropriate file specification for a given requirement
  • S18: Dispatch and receive physical assets to/from external organisations and audit the process
  • S19: Use file transfer software for fast, secure and audited delivery of assets to external destinations
  • S20: Communicate work progress to colleagues and clients as appropriate
  • S21: Manage access by clients to shared storage systems according to company protocols
  • S22: Ensure data integrity when moving media between storage systems
  • S23: Backup, archive and restore media, sequences and metadata according to company practice
  • S24: Safely delete media as instructed and complying with company protocols
  • S25: Maintain content security measures, both electronic and physical as required by the employer and their clients
  • S26: Enact business continuity procedures
  • S27: Prioritise the workload to ensure the scheduled tasks are completed on time, liaising with colleagues and clients
  • S28: Provide frontline operational support to clients in editing suites, to ensure that they can find and work with their media
  • S29: Take ownership to resolve and/or escalate faults/incidents to the appropriate person, within agreed governance constraints
  • S30: Connect and set-up post production editing equipment using appropriate cables and connectors
  • S31: Perform and check data conforms of sequences prior to colour grading or online editing
  • S32: Transfer picture data between grading and editing systems, ensuring the data integrity of content and sequences is maintained
  • S33: Relink ingested media to updated sequences as editorial changes occur
  • S34: Prepare and transfer audio data to the dubbing suite
  • S35: Perform basic editing functions necessary for the preparation of media and sequences for creative processes, or for formatting of finished content for delivery (e.g. adding line-up signals, idents, patching in QC fixes, audio laybacks)
  • S36: Analyse and interpret the results of reports from audio and video test equipment
  • S37: Consistently assess and identify faults in content, using the correct terminology to accurately describe and record them
  • S38: Use own judgement and discretion to decide what is acceptable and what is not in relation to quality control, depending on the context of the material, its intended use and the required technical specifications and customer requirements
  • S39: Deliver accurate and concise Quality Assessment Reports with clear indications of mandatory failures, advisory warnings and client approved exceptions
  • S40: Provide technical advice on remedial action to correct faults identified
  • S41: Communicate findings to both clients and colleagues accurately, and in a diplomatic manner
  • S42: Comply with company Health and Safety policies and practices, identifying, mitigating and reporting any incidents or risk to the appropriate person
  • S43: Consistently work in a safe manner for self, colleagues and clients.
  • S44: Use appropriate legacy media physical handling procedures
  • S45: Carry out basic operation of videotape recorders and audio recorders
  • S46: Digitise tape content into editing systems
  • S47: Playout finished content from editing systems to tape
  • S48: Provide technical advice to clients and colleagues on the implications of using legacy format in contemporary workflows

Behaviours

  • B1: Displays a strong work ethic and commitment to meet the standards required - upholding ethical and professional standards
  • B2: Demonstrates a passion for post production, the media industry and its productions - proactively keeping up to date with latest developments within the industry
  • B3: Maintains company and customer confidentiality, acting as an ambassador for their employer
  • B4: Acts in a manner that supports the commercial customer relationship acting as an ambassador for their employer
  • B5: Demonstrates attention to detail and not willingly accepting second best; whilst at the same time being pragmatic about balancing client expectations against the available time and budget
  • B6: Proactively keeping up to date with latest developments within the industry
  • B7: Thinks creatively and logically to solve technical issues - contribute to a process of continual improvement of workflow and technique
  • B8: Delivers good customer service in a creative environment
  • B9: Balances the quality threshold which it is practical to achieve within time and budget constraints, and the customer expectations
  • B10: Works with a high level of sustained concentration and attention to detail
  • B11: Works safely to ensure a safe working environment for themselves, colleagues and customers

Duty 1

  • DUTY: Work effectively as part of a team, supporting creative colleagues to deliver the clients’ vision of the final programme, film or commercial
  • CRITERIA FOR MEASURING PERFORMANCE: To be recognised as a productive and effective colleague delivering excellent service to clients andcolleagues on every project
    • K1
    • K2
    • K3
    • K4
    • K5
    • S1
    • S2
    • S3
    • S4
    • S5
    • B1
    • B2
    • B3
    • B4

Duty 2

  • DUTY: Preserve or create audio, video and data content at the best quality possible as it passes through the post production department, in line with industry standards and client requirements
  • CRITERIA FOR MEASURING PERFORMANCE: Demonstrate an ability to apply the knowledge and skills required, in a time pressured environment, across many projects simultaneously
    • K6
    • K7
    • K8
    • K9
    • K10
    • S6
    • S7
    • S8
    • S9
    • S10
    • B5
    • B6

Duty 3

  • DUTY: Ingest and export media to/from the post production environment
  • CRITERIA FOR MEASURING PERFORMANCE: Demonstrate an ability to work accurately to agreed workflows, in a time pressured environment, across many projects simultaneously
    • K11
    • K12
    • K13
    • K14
    • K15
    • K16
    • S10
    • S11
    • S12
    • S13
    • S14
    • S15
    • S16
    • S17
    • B7
    • B8

Duty 4

  • DUTY: Receive and dispatch media from/to external organisations
  • CRITERIA FOR MEASURING PERFORMANCE: Consistently, accurately and securely manage media movements in and out of the companydocumenting and communication to ll relevant parties in an accurate and timely fashion
    • K16
    • K17
    • S18
    • S19
    • S20
    • B3
    • B8

Duty 5

  • DUTY: Manage media on post-production storage systems, to ensure that the right content is available at the right time, to the right client.
  • CRITERIA FOR MEASURING PERFORMANCE: Consistently, accurately and securely manage media storage for all project according to company requirements
    • K18
    • K19
    • K20
    • K21
    • K22
    • S21
    • S22
    • S23
    • S24
    • S25
    • S26
    • S27
    • B1
    • B3
    • B10

Duty 6

  • DUTY: Support creative colleagues in edit suites
  • CRITERIA FOR MEASURING PERFORMANCE: Work effectively behind the scenes, with colleagues and clients to ensure smooth, consistent and efficient operation of editing services
    • K23
    • K24
    • K25
    • S27
    • S28
    • S29
    • S30
    • B7
    • B8

Duty 7

  • DUTY: Support creative colleagues in picture and sound finishing suites
  • CRITERIA FOR MEASURING PERFORMANCE: Work effectively behind the scenes, with colleagues and clients to ensure smooth, consistent and efficient operation of finishing suites within appropriate technical boundaries
    • K26
    • K27
    • S27
    • S28
    • S31
    • S32
    • S33
    • S34
    • S35
    • B5
    • B7
    • B8
    • B11

Duty 8

  • DUTY: Perform formal Quality Control Assessments to produce reports on the technical quality of sound, pictures and data of finished content
  • CRITERIA FOR MEASURING PERFORMANCE: The ability to produce concise and accurate formal reports, referencing appropriate standards, to meet client requirements. Communicating findings to both clients and colleagues accurately and in a diplomatic manner.
    • K28
    • K29
    • K30
    • K31
    • K32
    • K33
    • K34
    • S36
    • S37
    • S38
    • S39
    • S40
    • S41
    • B9
    • B10

Duty 9

  • DUTY: Conform to company Health and Safety policies, company processes and procedures
  • CRITERIA FOR MEASURING PERFORMANCE: Adheres to Health & Safety Legislation and organisational policies and processes
    • K35
    • S42
    • S43
    • B11

Duty 10

  • DUTY: Handle legacy media content
  • CRITERIA FOR MEASURING PERFORMANCE: Demonstrate an ability to integrate legacy material into contemporary workflows
    • K37
    • K38
    • S27
    • S44
    • S45
    • S46
    • S47
    • S48
    • B7
    • B8

Interested in a simple Skills Scan and Learning Progress Tracker tool for the Post production technical operator standard?

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