Maggie Maciejczek-Potter is a finishing artist at UK-based post studio The Finish Line — although she prefers the title “pixel pusher.” With more than two decades of experience, Maciejczek-Potter lends plenty of expertise to the studio’s roster of post talent.

Recent projects that Maciejczek-Potter has helped deliver include Limitless with Chris Hemsworth, The Lost Pirate Kingdom for Netflix and Elizabeth Windsor for Amazon Prime.

Let’s find out more from Maciejczek-Potter…

Can you tell us what being a finishing artist entails?
Everyone at The Finish Line is the last pillar of post production. We’re responsible for outputting the final product in the best state possible. The colorist balances and colors images in line with how the client wants the audience to feel, even relighting and reshaping subjects using depth of field and other effects. The online editor fixes technical errors such as flash frames and dropouts, checks the conforms and frame rates, removes logos and creates titles, subtitles and credits.

The finishing artist is where these two roles meet, taking the creative skills of a senior colorist and adding in the highest level of technical capabilities to elevate the role beyond traditional expectations for either — from color management and the creative grade through to compositing, captioning and Dolby Vision trim passes, all while understanding technical specifications and their ever-changing goalposts.

We can be a jack of all trades but need to be a master of them all, painting out objects, creating simple VFX and doing last-minute edit changes. I have been known to do all the above while also acting as a therapist and tea-maker for the team, all with a smile.

What would surprise people the most about what falls under that title?
The biggest surprise is the relief I get from a client knowing they don’t have to book separate sessions with the online editor and the colorist, only to spot something else and have to go back. Clients are surprised by the technical competence I’ve acquired in this role. From understanding noisy images to dead pixels, blanking and frame-rate conversions, the list is endless. I keep surprising myself with everything I know.

What led you to work in post production?
I have to thank my A-level business studies teacher for that. I had aspirations of becoming a fashion designer because I was creative with color, design, movement and texture. However, the universe had different plans.

There were only three of us studying textile design, and when one of us dropped out, the school said they couldn’t warrant keeping the course and moved us to practical woodwork. I wasn’t happy at all. My business teacher thought I would be great at media and got me in. Within a few weeks, I was dreaming of a life spent editing.

What attracted you to The Finish Line?
My first industry job was at Clear Cut Pictures nearly 20 years ago, where I met a lot of amazing people, including the lovely and talented Zeb Chadfield. When I heard about Zeb having a stress-related breakdown and opening The Finish Line, a new studio focused on employee well-being, I was in awe.

Zeb and I would occasionally chat, but the time was never right for me to join him. Finally, just over three years ago, the pieces came together, and when I got the invitation to join Zeb’s studio, I was beyond privileged to accept. His standards of creating excellent work without sacrificing your personal life are distilled perfectly into The Finish Line.

What’s your favorite part of the job?
I love my clients and how they trust me to deliver a beautiful picture. It’s so humbling when you have a laugh with a client and get to know each other more. I also love my colleagues for their constant support in pushing and improving ourselves.

Last, but by no means least, I love being female in this industry. Studies show that women are less prone to color blindness and can have more color cones in their eyes than men, letting them see more shades, especially in the red and green spectrums. I know very few women in a colorist position, so I feel very proud to be one.

What is your least favorite?
When a client doesn’t like my work, although I try to have no ego when it comes to my work. If a client doesn’t like something, I love playing around with it, but in some cases, it just doesn’t work out. No matter how many great jobs you’ve done, the very few you get rejected on are carved in stone for the rest of your career.

What is your most productive time of the day?
Morning. After I’ve walked the dog, had breakfast and showered, I get started with my first cup of tea. When I start my day, I’m on a mission up until lunchtime, although lunchtime can get very late because when you are in the zone and your creative flare is high, nothing else seems to matter as much.

Can you describe your work on some recent projects?
I was proud of my last HDR job, which was one episode of Limitless With Chris Hemsworth. It really tested my scope as a colorist as all the other episodes were being done by another company. Normally, if we move projects between people internally at The Finish Line, you get a full handover, project, stills, previous programs, etc. to make the pick-up as easy as possible. Unfortunately, I didn’t have any handover on this project, so I was proud to match the quality with no help.

What do you do to de-stress from your job?
I love a morning meditation to prime myself for the day. Writing gratitudes is also a great way of starting the day with a positive vibe. Boxing classes in the evening come in handy when venting daily frustrations. Walking the dog every morning, especially when working from home, gets fresh air into your lungs and charges you up. I also love food, wine, company, solitude, pub quizzes and my family.

Any advice for people looking to follow a similar career path?
As long as you have common sense and care, you’ll go far in any industry. When you stop caring, that’s when your work fails. I don’t think you have to go to university, but everyone has to start as a runner and work their way up. You’ll learn valuable lessons on the way. When I was a runner, I once found my manager washing the tea and coffee mugs. That really opened my eyes to the fundamentals of teamwork.