I had no idea when watching David Fincher's generation-defining (yeah, I said it) The Social Network that the RED-shot film would utilize a post-production process similar to what you or I could execute. It turns out that the crew on the award-winning film conformed all shots -- and did some basic visual effects work -- using Adobe After Effects, after utilizing Premiere Pro to get their Final Cut Pro timeline into AE. Yes, they also used higher-end tools -- notably Quantel's Pablo for the color grade -- but the basic editing tools are the same as you or I might use on a no-budget project. Here's Fincher and assistant editor Tyler Nelson on the process:

Swap out Quantel Pablo for Apple Color or Magic Bullet Suite, and you're working with very similar post-production tools as David Fincher. As he elucidates perfectly, "there are $25 million movies being made that look like $150 million movies from ten years ago. It's at everyone's disposal. If you can put those tools in the hands of people who want to figure it out, it's going to be about the quality of the ideas." Of course, those budget ratios also apply to the lower end -- using these same tools, can one make a $500,000 movie that looks like a $3 million film? Absolutely.

[via Filmmaker IQ]