Member in Focus:
Mark Bradford

Few roles in production are as quietly essential as Post Production Coordinator — the person holding together the editorial, VFX, sound and delivery threads of a project as it moves from set to screen. Mark Bradford has built his career doing exactly that, with credits spanning Reunion, Nautilus and Sweetpea across broadcasters including BBC, Sky, Disney+, HBO and Netflix. Now, Mark's latest credit takes him to one of the biggest stages in the industry: Supergirl, DC Studios' hugely anticipated new film starring Milly Alcock, in cinemas worldwide today! A Guild member with his sights set on progressing to Post Production Supervisor, Mark sat down with us to talk about his journey into post-production, what it really takes to coordinate a film of this scale, and why he believes this often-overlooked role deserves far more recognition than it typically receives.

Congratulations on the release of Supergirl – it’s one of the most anticipated DC releases of the year! How does it feel to be part of a production with this level of anticipation, and what made this project stand out for you? 

I feel extremely proud and privileged to have been given the opportunity to be part of such a big movie and franchise – it won’t really sink in until it’s released where I can watch with family and friends.

I love Film and TV; I am a huge DC fan and I’ve been wanting to work with Warner Bros. and DC for many years! So, when this opportunity arrived to switch from HETV to film, I grabbed it with both hands.

Can you tell us how you first got started in the industry, and what path led you to becoming a Post-Production Coordinator?

I’m a little unconventional, as I had a whole other career before I crossed over to this industry. I previously worked 25 years in a corporate retail environment, for Sainsbury’s, Britvic, and Coca Cola to name a few. I ended up working as an independent consultant and project manager; but my heart was really set on working in film or TV.  So, I decided to completely change my career and start at the bottom. That is a big step, and a huge shift, but I had a very supportive family behind me.

First, I completed some interim cleaning work with the Studio Operations Team at Titan Studios in London (a humbling start, but great for putting me in the right place should any runner opportunities arise). When an opening came up for a Post PA on an HBO TV show called ‘The Nevers’ in January 2020, after some significant changes to my very ‘corporate’ CV, and with the advice and support of an amazing First Assistant Editor, I applied for the role and was hired! 

Despite COVID and all the upheaval that brought, I was lucky enough to be a part of an amazing and inspirational Post and Editorial Crew, who supported me throughout. They gave me the confidence that I had made the right decision to switch industries and start anew, and that Post is where I was meant to be. 

I used my time well, making sure I took every chance to learn from my colleagues, and getting a solid start on my Post Production education; being interrupted by COVID for 6 months meant the whole Crew kept in touch via ‘Zoomtini’s’ which helped maintain strong relationships, as well as allowing me time to complete as many Post Production and AVID course as possible during downtime. I found Screenskills, Open University, and Post Super really great places to turn for this – I still regularly visit Screenskills and Post Super for skills and training updates, it’s free and the content is excellent.

Post-Production Coordination sits right at the centre of a film's journey from set to screen — but it's a role that rarely gets explained publicly. Can you walk us through what your day-to-day looks like, and how your job changes as a production moves from shoot to delivery?

There isn’t a one-size-fits-all for Post Coordination. A good Post Coordinator needs to try to be as flexible and accommodating as possible, while also managing the core day-to-day items such as Travel, Diaries, Contracts, Purchase orders, Memos etc. There’s a lot of admin and paperwork, and it demands a high level of attention to detail – and patience, too, as small changes to a travel itinerary has a knock-on ripple effect on everything else on the schedule. Clear communications skills and the ability to write easily understood emails and memos is also very important. 

I work closely with the Supervisor, as things can change suddenly, especially throughout the Post Schedule; so, early on I would secure studio pencils (pencilled-in times with Picture and Sound studios) to ensure bookings are there, even if they need to be tweaked further down the track. ADR is a key part of the Post Coordinators role, so getting the initial Cast and Studio availability for ADR sessions, and maintaining those vital relationships, is key for when it’s finally time to record.

Travel was a much bigger part of my role on Supergirl than any of my previous Post Coordinator roles, so being prepped and organised as much as possible, and being able to leverage relationships with booking agencies for urgent changes, was really important. Being able to adapt and be flexible (including at odd hours for overseas stakeholders) is what ensures an ability to deliver flights and accommodation in the most effective way possible.

And finally, an important skill I brought from my corporate career, and which I have found to be essential throughout my Post roles, is to keep a record and track as much as you can. Often Post get a handover once filming wraps, but inevitably items will need to be revisited at a much later date. Having good records and a solid filing system makes this less of a headache and easier to respond to effectively. But being organised also reminds you (visually) of how much you have accomplished on each production, as you sometimes don’t get the time to appreciate all your hard work when you’re in the trenches.

Before Supergirl, your credits include Reunion, Nautilus and Sweetpea — a really varied mix of genres and broadcasters, spanning BBC, Sky, Disney+, HBO and Netflix. How has working across such different productions and platforms shaped the way you approach post-production coordination, and has anything from those earlier credits prepared you for a project of this scale?

I have been extremely lucky to work across all the major streamers and broadcasters on these great productions, and I do look back and realise how lucky I have been to work across so many.

Working in corporate structures gave me a thorough grounding on organisational accountability in my work - when I start a new role, I do try take across the elements that worked well for me in a previous role or production.  I also make time to reflect, so I can refine or even remove any challenges and complications that didn’t work so well. 

With that in mind, is it important to consider that the role varies from production to production and is different for HETV compared to a film – as I said, it’s never one-size-fits-all. Most important is for me to check with the Supervisor right at the beginning of the relationship on how they want to work, as each Supervisor has their own methods and processes for me to fit in with. Ultimately it is the Supervisor who oversees processes and workflows, so supporting them as a trusted, reliable pair of hands is really important. 

I would also like to acknowledge that I did gain a lot of really varied production experience and knowledge from my COVID Coordinating roles across 2021/2022, which helped me understand PO’s, timesheets, but also general communication across different departments on a production – this was great additional training, especially as it kept me employed in the industry during COVID.

Supergirl was filmed at Warner Bros. Studios Leavesden and on location in London and Scotland. What is it like coordinating post-production on a film of this scale, where so many different VFX houses, editors and departments need to stay perfectly in sync? 

I’m not going to lie it can get full-on at times! My top tips are that clear communication and working together in lockstep with the Post Supervisor is really important, as the Supervisor is the one who has a broader view across any Production. Event, budgets, schedules, and bookings can change quickly and without much advance notice, so at times it can feel like everything is moving very fast and you have to trot to keep ahead of things. Being organised can help calm the nerves and keep you focused.

I also like to be available to the Editorial and VFX Crew should they have any questions or queries, as I have found that sometime a chat outside of the things I am focused on can really help to diffuse a situation, or at least help explain it and clarify a wider picture.

Big franchise filmmaking comes with its own particular pressures — tight schedules, high expectations and a built-in audience watching every trailer and update. How does that pressure filter down into the post-production process, and how do you manage it day to day?

It is important to be able to react and adapt should any changes come from above. I can’t say it enough, communication and being well organised is key to being able to manage this effectively. Whether it’s rebooking flights, accommodation or studio time, I have learned it always helps to have a few alternative options in your back pocket if possible! This means building and maintaining a good network of contacts and connections for providers you can turn to when needed.

It has certainly been interesting to be part of a big franchise movie, seeing the amount of scrutiny and speculation that is generated online. It’s also interesting seeing the other side – after all, before I worked in the industry, I WAS one of those fans watching every trailer and update!

You're working at the heart of one of the biggest studio franchises in the world. How does coordinating post-production on a DC blockbuster compare to other productions you've worked on, in terms of scale, process and the sheer number of moving parts?

That does blow my mind when you say that, especially given my lifelong wish to work on a Warner Bros. / DC production. But, while it continues to feel very surreal to have worked on Supergirl, there are some reassuring similarities to HETV, such as timesheets, Contracts and PO’s etc. The most notable differences are that, whilst on HETV I managed Clearances and Credits, on a film these are managed by separate dedicated teams. So, on the one hand, HETV is a broader Post Coordinator role, and film is narrower but MORE… Working with that difference, and adapting to each Coordinator role in each Production, can sometimes be really interesting!

The relationship between editorial, VFX and the wider post team is incredibly delicate — everyone is racing toward the same deadline from different directions. What does good collaboration look like from where you sit, and how do you keep everyone aligned?

This is actually not that different to working in Corporate – every department has it’s own agenda, and all have to come together for the delivery of a project, product or campaign. So, I don’t have any issues with this, as it was a normal element of my previous career.  Certainly, from my point of view I saw common themes, such as good clear communication being the key element to success across different stakeholders.  Of course, everyone will have their own agendas and their own focus - without a common language of communication, schedules and templates, it is likely to get very messy, very quickly. Whilst I could have worked remotely at times, I personally always ensured that I was onsite and available in the office, so that people always knew where to find me to chat face-to-face.

Technology in post-production has changed enormously in recent years — from remote workflows to AI-assisted tools reshaping editorial and VFX pipelines. How have these shifts changed the way you do your job, and what excites or concerns you most about where things are heading?

While I haven’t seen a direct influence on my role as yet, I certainly see the future of Post Production management benefitting from AI-style automation tools. There are certain admin aspects, such as memo’s, diary management and mailouts, and general crew and stakeholder communications that would definitely benefit from being generated via some form of centrally managed automation. The industry has yet to capitalise on using really good software tools, the way that corporate businesses use HR, CRM databases and comms platforms – but perhaps we will catch up technologically through ‘AI’! 

In my mind, this admin automation would allow a Coordinator to support the Post Supervisor much more effectively, and be more involved in the technical aspects of Sound and Picture as an effective delegate. 

I do also think AI would be most useful for generating Post Schedule changes throughout the timeline, as we all know the best Post Schedule is the first version!

On a lighter note — after the schedule and scale of a production like Supergirl, what is your absolute non-negotiable to get you through a long post-production push?

Good coffee, a comfortable desk, chair, monitor, some natural light (my wife gave me a terrarium to sit on my desk), a wall chart and big whiteboards, an endless supply of post-it notes, and a Bluetooth speaker to listen to music on! 

Finally, what advice would you give to someone who wants to move into post-production coordination — and what has kept you passionate about this work?

Do it! I took an enormous step down from a long and successful career in a completely different field, and I was fortunate that my family was able to support this – it was a big drop in salary! I am sure that there are other people thinking about a change, stepping into the industry, and others wanting to start their careers after education. It is a fascinating part of the process, literally the part that stitches together everything that was captured on film during shoot. For me it is the most important part, to help build and deliver the story, and this is what keeps me passionate.

I recommend using Screenskills and Post Super for all your Post Production courses and education. Screenskills can also assist with bursary applications to help with a variety of costs, from fees to travel and accommodation.

Do your research on your favourite films or TV shows find out who the Post Supervisor / Produce was, contact them to let them know who you are. 

I also am grateful to the NFTS and Post Super for my Post Supervision course, which has kept me focused on my aim to one day be a Post Supervisor. I definitely recommend it.

Post is one of the few departments where you can see multiple aspects of the Production such as the shoot itself, Editorial and VFX to help delivery the film or show.

I love Film, I love TV and while I’m just in my 6th year I will always love seeing my name in the credits each time, knowing that I played a part, however small, in the creation of the film or season that is on the screen.