Final post-production finishing for Lee Daniels' The Butler, Director Lee Daniel's epic story about race relations in America, was completed at Technicolor - PostWorks, New York. It marked the facility's third recent collaboration with Daniels and his production team, following Precious: Based on the Novel Push by Sapphire and The Paperboy.
Our relationship with Lee dates back to Shadowboxer and The Woodsman in 2004, said Charles Herzfeld, Senior Vice President/Sales & Marketing. He's been a true fan of the facility and we have responded by doing whatever it takes to get his films ready for release. Lee Daniels' The Butler was particularly exciting for our team, due to the creative and technical challenges it posed, and the magnitude of the story.
The work that we did at Technicolor - PostWorks was exciting and it contributed in an important way to the success of the film, said Daniels. The enthusiasm of their team and the amazing quality of their work is why I come back every time. They produce spectacular results.
The team at Technicolor went above and beyond at every turn to ensure the quality of the film was the very best, added Pam Williams, the film's Producer. They worked day and night, around the clock - whatever was needed. They are the very best to work with.
Lee Daniels' The Butler went through editorial conforming and final color grading at Technicolor - PostWorks. The former was complicated by the need to incorporate numerous visual effects elements and archival material representing some of the most memorable moments in U.S. history. Digital Intermediate Editor Eric Leverenz also applied speed changes, split screens and other editorial effects. Editorial changes continued to be made to the master, virtually up to its delivery date.
Final color grading was performed by Senior Colorist Tim Stipan on Autodesk Lustre. Stipan, who also graded Precious and The Paperboy, worked directly with Daniels and Cinematographer Andrew Dunn. Dunn shot the film on 35mm film, in part to capture the essence of its historical eras and the tumultuous emotions of its story. Through the grading process, Stipan worked to refine and enhance those qualities.
Shooting on film was a great choice; the grain added to the period feel, says Stipan. Some of the archival material was very grainy. If the principal photography had been digitally captured the archival scenes would have jumped out.
I love working on period pieces, Stipan adds. It's fun to bring past eras to life and make them look rich and beautiful.
The grade involved a lot of detailed work. Stipan notes that particular attention was applied to the skin tones of the mostly African-American cast. He added that color tools were also used to enhance the aging of cast members, whose characters are represented, in some cases, over a span of several decades. We wanted to be sure that all of the characters look good and received the attention that they deserved, he says.
Similarly subtle treatments were applied to details of the White House environment for the sake of historical accuracy and to enhance the dignity and elegance of the environment. Color was also employed in a number of instances as a storytelling device. For a scene depicting a 1960s riot in Washington, Stipan desaturated the image to give it the appearance of black & white news footage. The desaturation happens within the shot, but it occurs so quickly, you almost don't realize what has occurred, he notes.
Final post spanned more than a month and required extraordinary effort from all parties. We have developed a very efficient DI pipeline, Stipan says. It allows us to manage complex projects like The Butler, where last minute changes and tight deadlines are common, without compromising the creative process. This was an instance where everyone did whatever was necessary to provide this film with the quality finish that it deserved.
About Technicolor - PostWorks New York
Technicolor - PostWorks New York, a Slate Media Group company, is the East Coast's most comprehensive digital motion picture and post-production facility, employing an exceptional team of artists, engineers and project managers to serve our clients through the film and TV finishing process.
Technicolor - PostWorks New York offers one complete source for every post requirement, including data workflows, film processing, telecine/scanning, non-linear editorial and HD picture finishing, digital intermediate and film recording, high-volume encoding and high-speed data transmission, as well as comprehensive film and TV sound services on nine mix stages.
For more information, visit http://www.technicolorpwny.com
About Slate Media Group
Slate Media Group is an entertainment technology services company driven to redefine the intersection of technology and creativity. The company provides film and television studios, production companies, independent producers and other content creators with technologies, services and expertise that are crucial to bringing their creative visions to life. At a time when tools and techniques of media production are undergoing revolutionary change, Slate Media Group collaborates with its clients to develop unique solutions to the challenges they face to help them achieve even higher levels of creative excellence and production efficiency.
###
Most recent headlines
05/01/2027
Worlds first 802.15.4ab-UWB chip verified by Calterah and Rohde & Schwarz to be ...
07/10/2026
Dalet, a leading technology and service provider for media-rich organizations, today announced the latest Long-Term Supported (LTS) release of Dalet Flex. Build...
06/09/2026
June 9 2026, 23:00 (PDT) Dolby and MagentaTV Bring Fans Closer to the FIFA Worl...
19/08/2026
As the cost of IP nears price parity with traditional SDI, Reynolds argues that ...
19/08/2026
A private 5G bubble was chosen instead of traditional broadcast RF for the race ...
19/08/2026
(L-R) Rafael Manuel and Isabel Sicat attend the Filipi ana premiere during the 2026 Sundance Film Festival at The Ray Theatre on January 23, 2026, in Park Cit...
19/08/2026
Studio owners invited to have their say on rates cuts
The Music Producers Guild (MPG) are inviting UK-based studios to take part in an in-depth survey that ...
19/08/2026
Vintage-inspired desktop interface revealed
Harrison's latest hardware offering sees them head into the world of audio interfaces, delivering a 10-in/12...
19/08/2026
Granular effect remains locked to scale and tempo
Described as your dream granular effect , Minimal Audio's latest creation is capable of turning any s...
19/08/2026
First polyphonic SWAM instrument incoming
Audio Modeling's latest physical-modelling orchestral instrument is just around the corner, and is now availab...
19/08/2026
World Cup Games Generate 84 Billion Minutes Across FOX, Fox Sports 1 and NBCU...
19/08/2026
July brought typical peak-holiday drops in viewership, driven primarily by viewers stepping away from screens and a visible decline in reach across both traditi...
19/08/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
19/08/2026
Henry joins BCE as the company accelerates its commercial strategy and expands its international presence across the media, broadcast and technology markets. He...
19/08/2026
iWedia, a leading provider of software solutions for connected TV devices, today announced a major milestone in Android platform optimization with the successfu...
19/08/2026
NTP Technology announces that ST 2110-30 audio-over-IP connectivity with AES67 and RAVENNA capabilities is now available for the brand's world-class audio i...
19/08/2026
Net Insight has been selected to provide its Nimbra platform by the service provider Big Blue Marble, formerly ORS Group, as the core media transport solution f...
19/08/2026
LiveU has supported Coventry City FC and several other top-flight UK football clubs through one of their most demanding live production challenges of the year, ...
19/08/2026
Nature Seekers Documentary Shot with Blackmagic URSA Cine 12K LF
Brie Clayton August 18, 2026
0 Comments
Filming endangered turtles required camera...
19/08/2026
Neyrinck Brings D-Control Consoles Back to Life on Apple Silicon with D-Control ...
19/08/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
19/08/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
19/08/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
19/08/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
19/08/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
19/08/2026
Riedel Communications today announced that Edith Cowan University (ECU) in Perth, Australia, implemented a comprehensive communications infrastructure that brin...
19/08/2026
QuickLink, a leading provider of award-winning video production and remote guest contribution solutions, will spotlight a major leap forward in remote guest con...
19/08/2026
Integrated platform melds media asset management, playout automation and newsroom workflows
EMAM, PlayBox Neo and SNEWS have officially launched Nuvex, a conne...
19/08/2026
Screen Australia releases the Private Investment Toolkit to strengthen screen in...
19/08/2026
Do Aussies truly value local content? Unpacking Screen Currency 2026 with Deirdr...
19/08/2026
There's an early Christmas gift for Bookish fans, as UKTV confirms the re-commission of the hit U&alibi drama, created by and starring Mark Gatiss. Viewers ...
19/08/2026
Wednesday 19 August 2026
Sky gives sports fans the chance to watch multiple liv...
19/08/2026
On Saturday September 5 Katie Taylor will step into the ring for the fight of her life against Flora Pili in front of 80,000 fans in Croke Park. A legendary fig...
18/08/2026
SportStream 2026, a free three-day virtual event, will take place September 15-17. One registration provides access to all three days of live programming and on...
18/08/2026
BeckTV will introduce BeckFlow to the European market at IBC2026, demonstrated on the Providius stand (10.F53).
BeckFlow is a web-based schematic documentation...
18/08/2026
Boland Communications will introduce a SMPTE ST 2110 input option for its 4K monitors at IBC2026, along with a new 55-inch super-narrow bezel display for video ...
18/08/2026
Dolby Laboratories and the Seattle Seahawks have announced a partnership integrating Dolby OptiView into the Seahawks' live streaming coverage, making the S...
18/08/2026
For BMG Executive Producer of Sports Production, Graham Taylor, producing live s...
18/08/2026
TMRW Sports has appointed Rufus Hack as President of Golf, a newly created role in which he will lead the company's golf businesses including TGL presented ...
18/08/2026
SMT will provide race technology for FOX Sports' coverage of the Freedom 250 Grand Prix of Washington, D.C. on August 23, when the NTT INDYCAR SERIES races ...
18/08/2026
The live, YouTube-native roundtables combine fan voices, credentialed reporters,...
18/08/2026
Behind The Mic provides a roundup of recent news regarding on-air talent, includ...
18/08/2026
The industry legend sounds off on replacing the Heat's iconic Medusa score...
18/08/2026
William F. Rasmussen, the sports fan-turned broadcaster and entrepreneur whose out-of-the-box idea of a 24-hour cable sports network, ESPN, changed forever the ...
18/08/2026
DAZN Group has completed its acquisition of ViewLift, a provider of streaming and digital solutions for sports content owners. The acquisition was first announc...
18/08/2026
The American Association of Professional Baseball (AAPB) has added SI TV, Sports Illustrated's 24/7 streaming channel, as a broadcast partner for the remain...
18/08/2026
The Esports Foundation has announced that the inaugural Esports Nations Cup (ENC), originally scheduled for November 2026 in Riyadh, will be postponed to Novemb...
18/08/2026
Diversified has announced a new Global Managed Services Practice, consolidating the company's managed services capabilities into one organization. Rob Mello...
18/08/2026
Appear has completed a proof of concept with Thoroughbred Racing Productions (TRP), demonstrating multi-camera remote live production over bonded 5G cellular an...
Final post-production finishing for Lee Daniels' The Butler, Director Lee Daniel's epic story about race relations in America, was completed at Technicolor - PostWorks, New York. It marked the facility's third recent collaboration with Daniels and his production team, following Precious: Based on the Novel Push by Sapphire and The Paperboy.
