Locked Reel
Finalized sequence or act of a film that cannot be changed, allowing specific post-production departments to begin final work
Definition
A locked reel represents a completed section of a film that has received final editorial approval and cannot be altered without significant cost and scheduling implications. This allows post-production departments to begin final work on visual effects, sound design, and color correction.
Locking reels on a rolling basis enables parallel post-production workflows, allowing different departments to work simultaneously on different sections while editorial continues on remaining sequences. This process management technique accelerates overall post-production timelines.
Why It Matters
Locked reels enable efficient post-production scheduling and budget management by allowing expensive processes like final VFX rendering and sound mixing to begin before the entire film is complete, reducing overall post-production duration and costs.
This workflow approach is essential for tentpole releases with aggressive delivery schedules, as it allows maximum time for complex post-production work while maintaining theatrical release dates crucial for marketing campaigns and revenue projections.
Examples in Practice
Marvel Studios locks individual action sequences early in post-production, allowing VFX vendors like Industrial Light & Magic to begin final rendering on complex superhero battles while editors continue refining character scenes in other reels.
Christopher Nolan typically locks practical action sequences in films like 'Tenet' before completing more dialogue-heavy scenes, enabling sound designers to begin work on complex audio landscapes while maintaining his precise editorial standards.
Pixar locks completed animated sequences in acts, allowing lighting and rendering teams to begin final image processing while story teams continue refining other portions of their animated features.