Post-Production Lead & Pipeline Engineer
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2021 – 2025
Rishab Shetty Films · Masari Talkies · Capgemini · BIAL · Snaptrude · Bangalore
Feature Film, Cinema Mastering & Pipeline Engineering
Photo (Amazon Prime Video)
- Problem: Feature film production at 4K scale generating 28TB of production media with 20TB of output data across all deliverable formats, theatrical DCI packages, OTT masters, VFX pipeline renders, and project files. Zero tolerance for data corruption across either side of the pipeline. Multiple departments (DIT, camera, direction, VFX) running in parallel with no centralised asset management system.
- Approach: Led the entire production data workflow end-to-end. Engineered structured pipelines with MD5 checksum verification at every transfer stage, ingest, editorial, VFX handoff, and final output. Built triple-redundant backup architecture, primary RAID array, mirror clone, and offsite cold storage, with automated rsync-based sync scripts. Managed transcode workflows across formats: DPX for VFX, DNxHD proxies for Avid editorial, ProRes for colour grading, JPEG2000 for theatrical output. Coordinated all departmental data handoffs.
- Delivery: Exported final Qube Cinema DCI Gold Master (JPEG2000 encoded, SMPTE 429-2 compliant) for theatrical chain distribution. Simultaneously prepared OTT-specification deliverables (ProRes 4444, broadcast-safe levels, closed captions) for Amazon Prime Video.
- Result: Zero data loss across 28TB in + 20TB out, 100% asset integrity across entire 6-month production. Dual-format delivery (theatrical DCI + OTT) from a single master pipeline, no duplicate workflows, no rework. Film won Third Best Film at BIFFes (Bengaluru International Film Festival, Kannada Competition), received Filmfare nomination, and Film Companion recognition with standing ovations at festival screenings.
Laughing Buddha (Rishab Shetty Films / KRG Studios)
- Problem: Director Bharath Raj struggled to find the right stylistic cut for the trailer, the film's subtle, light-hearted emotional tone resisted standard comedy-drama marketing tropes. Multiple approaches had failed to capture the film's identity.
- Selection: Chosen by the director after he saw the Shivamma trailer, entrusted with full uncut footage and zero creative brief. Given complete editorial autonomy.
- Trailer delivery: Delivered a "brilliant" cut (director's own word, Director's Adda 2024 at 11:49) in 48 hours with zero input or revision cycles. The final trailer was entirely based on independent creative vision.
- Technical support: The main film edit was on Avid Media Composer with ancillary workflows split across Premiere Pro. Replicated the main editor's AAF (Advanced Authoring Format) round-trip workflow, debugging metadata loss, relink failures, and timecode drift during cross-NLE interchange. Resolved compatibility issues to ensure timely theatrical delivery.
- Additional deliverables: Edited promotional videos and music videos for the film's marketing campaign across social and broadcast channels.
- Result: Trailer hit 3M+ views, contributed to ₹1.18 Cr theatrical gross. Named in official theatrical poster credits, rare institutional recognition from Rishab Shetty Films. Director entrusted subsequent high-stakes projects based on this delivery.
Shivamma (Rishab Shetty Films), Busan New Currents Award Winner
- Context: Critically acclaimed Kannada docu-fiction directed by Jaishankar Aryar, produced by Rishab Shetty. Won the New Currents Award at the 27th Busan International Film Festival, plus awards at Fajr International Film Festival and Three Continents Festival. 12TB production media.
- Problem: A Busan-winning film required dual-track delivery, a promotional trailer capturing raw, authentic aesthetic plus a Qube Cinema DCI Gold Master for theatrical chains. Both required technical precision and creative sensitivity under tight timelines. 12TB of production media to manage across formats.
- Trailer approach: Analysed the film's docu-fiction visual language, non-actors, naturalistic lighting, handheld compositions. Used experimental pacing and non-linear editorial structure to capture the raw aesthetic, deliberately avoiding standard marketing conventions.
- Mastering approach: Prepared DCDM (Digital Cinema Distribution Master) for Qube Cinema export. Managed JPEG2000 encoding, colour space conversion (Rec.709 → DCI-P3), and SMPTE compliance checks. Built OTT-ready version from the same master with format-specific adjustments (resolution scaling, audio loudness to -24 LUFS per streaming specs).
- Result: Single master asset eliminated duplicate mastering workflow. This trailer's quality and style directly led to the Laughing Buddha selection by Director Bharath Raj.
Claws & Teeth
- Problem: Short film post-production required managing complete raw footage and project files while coordinating editing, colour grading, and sound design departments in parallel. Festival submission deadlines were non-negotiable.
- Approach: Built structured bin architecture in Avid with standardised naming conventions, selects hierarchies, and metadata tagging. Managed AAF exports for colour (DaVinci Resolve) and sound (Pro Tools) with embedded timecode references to prevent conform errors on return trip.
- Result: MAMI 2024 Best Short Film Award. 100% data integrity, zero data loss, zero relink issues across the entire multi-department pipeline.
Remote Documentary (Oct–Dec 2024)
- Problem: LA-based director, senior editor in New Zealand. Previous editors had failed to deliver. The project had 40TB of disorganised production data spanning 1.5 years, scattered across drives, inconsistent naming, timelines in multiple NLEs (Avid, FCP, DaVinci), no unified asset database.
- Data recovery & organisation (3 weeks): Audited the entire 40TB media library. Built a structured folder hierarchy with consistent naming conventions. Cross-referenced camera metadata (reel IDs, timecodes, shoot dates) to rebuild the chronological production archive. Identified and catalogued missing assets.
- NLE migration: Migrated timelines from Avid (via AAF), FCP (via FCPXML), and DaVinci (via EDL/XML) into Premiere Pro, the production's chosen delivery NLE. Resolved frame-rate conflicts, timecode offsets, and media relink failures at every interchange point. Zero asset loss.
- Scripting & automation: Built Premiere PXP (Production Extension Plugin) scripts for batch AAF exports, automating what would have been hours of manual export-per-sequence work. Troubleshot Premiere's proxy reconnection bugs (known instability with mixed-codec proxy farms) and engineered a custom proxy tracker spreadsheet mapping offline/online media paths to prevent silent relink failures.
- Result: Delivered the first viable content pass where previous editors couldn't. Established the technical foundation for the rest of the edit. Project ongoing with remote async collaboration across 3 time zones.
Commercial & Corporate
Project FARM (Capgemini)
- Problem: Capgemini needed to communicate complex AI/big data integration in Indian agriculture to global C-suite audiences. The story had to balance farmer perspective with engineering expertise across multiple deliverable formats.
- Approach: Edited and sound-designed the full narrative from 3-day multicam shoot. Animated Figma UI mockups of the AI platform directly into live-action footage using After Effects, bridging the gap between abstract software concepts and tangible agricultural impact. Designed full sound mix from location audio to final master. Managed 2TB of production data with structured archive for multi-format delivery.
- Result: 13K+ views on Capgemini's official channel. Film used for international investor communications and C-suite presentations. Delivered main film + social cuts + internal presentations from single master edit.
Brigade Icon (Brigade Group)
- Problem: Architectural reveal film for Brigade's Chennai project. Shot under extreme monsoon conditions with elaborate equipment setup across arterial roads. Tight post-production timeline with no room for reshoots.
- Approach: Lead Editor with full editorial authority from assembly to picture lock. Managed multicam footage with weather-damaged audio tracks, rebuilt usable sound design from salvageable location audio and library sources.
- Result: Director Preshan Thangavel's public Instagram endorsement of the final delivery. Consistent aesthetic maintained across multiple architectural projects.
BLR Airport (BIAL)
- Problem: Institutional films for Bangalore International Airport, corporate and training content under strict airport security constraints. Limited shoot windows, restricted equipment zones, broadcast-standard compliance required.
- Approach: Cinematographer & Editor on 3 films. Managed camera and editorial workflows within security-mandated time windows. Delivered to broadcast specifications (Rec.709, -24 LUFS audio, closed captions).
- Result: All 3 films delivered on schedule within airport operational constraints. Content deployed for internal training and corporate communications.
Snaptrude (AEC Tech)
- Freelance Video Editor (2022–2025), social campaigns and hackathon presentation assets for AEC technology startup
Production Company, Weaving Tales Productions (Dec 2022 – Oct 2023)
- Founded and operated a registered proprietorship handling features, National Geographic broadcasts, international documentaries, and government infrastructure films including K-RIDE Bengaluru Suburban Rail Project
- Managed a team of 3 juniors, standardised post-production workflows across 5+ weekly deliverables (local advertising, corporate events, institutional content), increasing turnaround by 30%
- Proxy automation: Built FFmpeg shell scripts for batch proxy conversion, automatically generating editorial-weight H.264 proxies from camera-original media (BRAW, ProRes, R3D) on ingest. Eliminated manual transcode bottleneck for 5+ local advertising clients.
- NLE scripting: Developed custom Avid XML macros (bin templates, auto-import scripts, metadata batch tagging) and proprietary .ave keyboard architectures optimised for high-volume editorial, documented 30% editorial efficiency gain across the team
- Wound down operations to pursue MSc AI at University of Kent
Amazon Prime28TB In · 20TB OutRishab Shetty FilmsBusan WinnerBIFFes · Filmfare3M+ Views₹1.18 Cr40TB DocumentaryCapgeminiK-RIDEMAMI 2024DCI MasteringFounder
