Post-producing a TV pilot:

Nick Bohle
5 hours ago
7 min read

There are no squirrels in lethbridge

our workflow from rough cut to festival-ready

Post-production is where micro-budget projects either become watchable… or die quietly.

For There Are No Squirrels in Lethbridge, post was also intensely personal because I handled the entire pipeline—editing, colouration, sound design, mixing and mastering, finishing, and composing the full score.

Lynda Fung (background) struts past Jack Dawson (Nick Bohle) and Curtis Huisman (DOP) on the set of "There Are No Squirrels in Lethbridge." Photo by: Annie Stehr. — Lynda Fung (background & stand-in actor) struts past Jack Dawson (Nick Bohle) and Curtis Huisman (DOP) on the set of "There Are No Squirrels in Lethbridge." Photo by: Annie Stehr.

That kind of “one person does everything” approach is not romantic in the moment. It’s a marathon with a stopwatch. Did I want that much technical responsibility? No. Did we have the funds for any other option. No. Did we try? Yes.

Here’s the workflow I/we followed—and the moments that nearly broke it.

The milestone ladder

our actual post roadmap

For this project I used DaVinci Resolve 20.2.2 and Logic X as my NLE (Non-linear Editor) and my DAW (Digital Audio Workstation) with a Roland RD-2000 as my controller/keyboard.

We moved through post in clear stages:

DIT/Data Management/File naming/Backups, synchronizing, etc.
Rough assembly - Basic edits and story structure plus basic VFX editing.
Fine cut 1 - Good assembly after tackling notes from mentors and team members.
Fine cut 2 - Better assembly after tackling notes from mentors and team members.
Sound Design Stages (passes) -
1. Dialogue Editing
2. 1st pass on Atmospheres
3. Footstep placements - All Characters - (foley and library sounds)
4. Diegetic sounds (in world ) sound effects placement and editing
5. Clothing Movement
6. 2nd pass on Atmospheres
7. Non-Diegetic sounds (non world) sound effects placement and editing
8. Sound design pre-score mix
9. Sound design final mix and finishing
1st Colour Grade -
1. Colour manage
2. Colour correct
3. Establish the look
4. Complete full film 1st pass
Approval cut -
1. Picture (edit) lock
2. Audio and finishing [90%]
3. Sound Design [75%]
4. No score yet. [well... 10 minutes]
5. Review polish and tighten key framing
Score (1st Pass) -
1. Research/reference building/tonal investigation
2. Music theme development and leitmotifs
3. Scene by scene scoring in order to build the arc carefully
4. Score mixing (50+ instrument tracks total)
5. Score mastering tools build and initial master.
2nd Colour Grade + VFX -
1. Review notes from Conner (Director)
2. Refine masking
3. Visual effects application and blending
4. Review and improve tracking and stabilization
5. Balance colours and contrast across project.
6. Little fixes (Qualifiers, masks, VFX, etc.)
Nick Bohle as Jack Dawson in an evening shot on the prairies of Alberta. Production still from "There Are No Squirrels in Lethbridge."
Score (2nd Pass) -
1. Review notes from Conner (Director)
2. Re-work and improve instrumentation and mix
3. Write or re-write and record 5 new sections to better suit the mood and story
4. Address moments of masking dialogue or key sound moments
5. Add complexity and nuance to the mix and imaging profile of the music
6. Final mixdown, mastering and instrument stems generation
7. Final stereo master.
Polishing
1. Conner had a bunch of notes and we took into consideration some of our early audience reactions to make necessary tweaks based on discussion we had with them and their unique notes
2. We consulted with major studio executives, colleagues and creatives as well as our mentor to get feedback
3. We then incorporated all of the notes that we saw fit
4. We made new choices with our main character's voice overs that helped clarify and deepen the story.
5. We improved the mix and master of the audio
6. Improved tracking on masks, day-for-night, VFX compositing and more
7. Added a title sequence at the beginning for our companies
8. Built a creative way to state that it's "1994."
9. Tightened up edit in key moments
Final delivery (to TELUS) -
1. Everything locked, finished, mastered and delivered to Telus's specs.
Festival-ready cut -
1. Everything touched up and firing on all cylinders.
2. Colour and masks refined
3. Audio mix refined.
4. Score remastered

In the end... that ladder mattered because it gave the project shape when the timeline got tight. The structure is important because in the midst of post-production things get overwhelming fast without a plan.

When you’re juggling everything, you need a roadmap that tells you what “done” looks like at each stage.

The moment it almost snapped: two weeks left, half the score unfinished

The biggest post-production threat wasn’t creative.

It was time.

The Heart of the City clock in downtown Lethbridge as captured in There Are No Squirrels in Lethbridge. DOP Curtis Huisman, Directed by Conner Christmas.

Because the budget was small and the schedule was packed, the post timeline ended up jammed… and it was all me doing everything. Post-producing a TV pilot is no small task.

At one point, we had two weeks left and over half of the score was still incomplete.

As a composer, that’s a terrifying math problem. Can confirm.

You can’t “rush” a score without consequences. You can fake your way through some technical problems—but story rhythm and tone have to be earned.

That stretch turned into a mad dash to the deadline with some long nights, soul searching, and a bit too much caffeine at times. But we made it.

What saved us while post-producing a TV pilot:

a small extension that made a huge difference

We were able to get a short extension from TELUS.

Those extra few days were crucial—not for perfection, but for a sound delivery. Sometimes the difference between “good” and “not ready” is not talent—it’s one more breath.

Curtis represents all of our faces when we found out we had a little more time. Curtis Huisman (left) and Matt Rederburg (right). — Curtis represents all of our faces when we found out we had a little more time to shore up the final edit. Curtis Huisman (left) and Matt Rederburg (right).

The craft wins:

grade + genre-specific scoring

Colour grade progression from RAW to final. Jack Dawson and Kelsey Johnston meet at Jack's office.

Three areas have stood out in early feedback:

1) The colour grade

I put a lot of time into our grade, and it’s been really gratifying hearing that collaborators, mentors and test audiences are impressed by the look.

In noir, “pretty” isn’t the goal. Control is the goal. Control of contrast. Control of mood.

Control of where the viewer’s eye goes.

While adhering to broadcast delivery standards.

We played against some conventions in the noir genre but I think we implemented those choices with great intention and results. Noir is gritty, sure, but the 90s were pretty much neon. Bring colours, insane patterns, the discovery of new synthetic materials. These were colourful times and we wanted the glimmer of nostalgia to shine through those colours. So it's still gritty but in a colourful way that I think people will really enjoy.

Huge shoutout to Curtis Huisman, our D.O.P. for capturing a truly stirring image every single shot. This guy is a pro and it was a delight to collaborate on this work together.

2) The score (mid-century noir jazz meets modern tools)

I aimed for a score inspired by 1950s and 60s jazz—the DNA of mid-century noir cinema.

That genre is not my default lane, which made it both terrifying and delightful to create.

I’m proud of it because it pulls you into the world immediately. The tone lands. The genre promise becomes clear. People smile and lean in.

Conner and I discussed that we wanted the score to feel intimate and so I focused as much as possible on what feels like a jazz quartet at any given time.

And I added a twist: I used some brand new digital instruments that hit the market this past fall. "Frames" by Void & Vista. These instruments provided unmatched tonal qualities and aesthetics that send the score to new heights.

I played many of the instruments without quantizing or editing too heavily (often not at all) to maintain the loose and fluid quality of deep-cut jazz. It was a lot of fun and I'm delighted our early eyes and ears are tickled by the notes.

So it’s a touch of the old with the precision, nuances and texture of the new. I hope people like it.

3) The ACTING

Early feedback confirms what Conner and I have believed from the moment we cast this thing - We built a dynamite cast.

We've got industry vets with over 30 years experience on screen. Amongst our ranks we have over 40 major television and motion picture credits that include dozens of Emmys, many Academy Awards, some Canadian Screen Awards and countless little wins.

Rick Koy, Natascha Girgis, Irene Poole, Luke Hubler-McManus, Jason Long and Dallas Soonias each deliver outstanding performances that ride the wave we started with TANSIL beautifully. The supporting cast and our nimble but mighty crew have created something truly captivating and I couldn't be more proud of everyone involved.

The finishing lesson most filmmakers learn late: standards aren’t “a vibe”

Here’s a big one:

The brightest, loudest, most saturated image, densest score is not always the best goal to have as a filmmaker.

Every film has its own aesthetic, and finishing is a dance between your references, the production design, the desired look and the delivery platform.

A few key takeaways I’d tattoo on the inside of my eyelids now:

Shooting with your delivery platform/outlet in mind is a wise decision.
Proper light and audio limiting matter a lot, not just for quality, but for deliverables
If you can, record your audio using 32-bit float, those extra bits are worth really helpful
Broadcast luminance standards are significantly lower than “marketing/social” standards
Chasing brightness can crush mood and break compliance at the same time

In other words: don’t grade like it’s an Instagram reel if your destination includes broadcast, theatre's and large format release make sure you know the standards for your chosen outlet.