Editorial and Post Studio Helps to Bring Live Concert to Cinematic Life
Austin, Texas – As Mitski fans around the world wait for the chance to see her concert film, Mitski: The Land, the team from TBD Post knows a very special experience is ahead for them. The Austin-based studio provided editorial for the project, which was directed by Grant James, as well as sound, color and other post services. Filmed over three nights at Atlanta’s Fox Theatre during the indie rocker’s 2024 tour for her album, “The Land Is Inhospitable and So Are We,” the film came to TBD Post before shooting began.
Ben Montez, who has enjoyed a ten-year collaboration with James, was tapped to edit the project. “I was lucky enough to see the live show firsthand,” notes Montez. “I was totally enraptured, and the primary objective of the film is to encapsulate that same feeling and energy, while also taking advantage of the difference in format — film versus live performance. We wanted to get a bit more intimacy and also break reality to elevate certain moments.”
Mitski: The Land was shot on five cameras across three nights in Atlanta, offering both a wealth of material and a unique set of challenges. “We essentially had a 15-camera live show,” explains Montez. “Mitski and her band are total pros, but there are many components that are unique to each performance, whether it’s an improvised fiddle solo or a slightly different dance move from Mitski. So editorially, retaining continuity was always top of mind.”
After laying down the first assembly, Montez and James worked closely to elevate key moments of Mitski’s performance, enhancing the emotional impact and vividly bringing the stage experience to life on screen. “One of the first techniques we landed on was a combination of effects in Resolve to achieve a step print effect, essentially slowing down the video to play at four to six frames per second, while giving the image a ghostly, ethereal quality. We added these to heighten several key moments, like when Mitski reaches longingly into the distance in ‘Buffalo Replaced.
“We used a variety of effects in combination with each other to create a unique vocabulary for the film. While some might consider this separate from editorial, the effects needed to be fully realized in the offline to make certain edits work.”
TBD’s co-founder, Brandon Thomas, worked as the DI colorist on the film, working closely with Montez. “The fact that I had direct access to Ben’s work, exactly as it was, prevented a lot of headaches,” says Thomas. “One of the great things about working in the same studio as the project’s editor is that we were able to continue the effects development in color, and it became an ongoing creative conversation. We found edit solutions within color and color answers via the edit. The push from our team and the film’s director to make Mitski’s work look as great as we possibly could was invigorating.”
Other TBD Post credits for the project include, supervising sound editor and re-recording mixer, Kyle Scribner; DI editor, Stefan Allen; post production supervisor and TBD Post co-founder, Ted Griffis; and executive producer, Rachel Kichler.
“It’s thrilling to be part of a project that genuinely inspires every department,” notes Kichler. “Kyle worked closely with Patrick Hyland — Mitski’s band leader and guitarist, who mixed the film’s music — to craft a warm, immersive mix that feels both intimate and transportive. Ben laid the foundation in the edit, transforming what could have been a straightforward concert film into something far more dreamlike and unexpected through his tireless exploration and playful precision. And in color, Brandon sculpted a distinct visual language from very challenging low-light environments. We’re very excited for everyone to see Mitski’s beautiful piece for themselves.”
Mistki: The Land will be screened in 630 cinemas across 30 countries, with a US release date of October 22.
About TBD Post
TBD Post, a full-service post production facility and editorial studio, provides a turnkey solution that brings clients’ stories to life. Offerings include creative editorial, color grading, VFX, finishing, sound design/mixing/ADR, and deliverables creation for projects ranging from commercials to episodics to award-winning feature films. The company operates out of a purpose-built 6,000-square-foot facility in Austin, TX, and can service clients globally. Co-founded by short form editor Ted Griffis and long form colorist Brandon Thomas, TBD Post has been a trusted partner to content creators, agencies and brands for over a decade.
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