Which phase comes directly before post-production in a typical production workflow?

• A. Pre-production
• B. Production
• C. Principal Photography
• D. Post-production

Answer: (B)

A film project moves from planning to filming and then to editing. After pre-production, where ideas are shaped and plans are set, the production phase is when the actual shooting happens. Post-production begins once filming is finished, and that's when editors, sound designers, and others start shaping the final product. So the phase that comes directly before post-production is the production phase, which includes the principal photography—the main filming period. If you think of principal photography as its own label, remember it’s the shooting portion within production, and the handoff to post-production happens right after that phase ends.