In the handmade method, the freshly picked material is whithered just enough to allow roasting in a pan (typically a large wok) without burning the leaves. That pan-roasting process is called sha qing, which Farmer Leaf has made an excellent video explaining:

• –Pu-erh tea making: kill-green process (a.k.a. Sha Qing)↗

After the leaves have left the wok and cooled, it is common to then roll the leaves using a machine. This process releases more of the enzymes in the leaf to increase the availability of flavor when brewing, as well as promoting the ability for the tea to be aged successfully. After rolling, leaves can be left to oxidize a bit on bamboo trays to release more residual water. From here, the leaves would be sorted and graded. They are then usually pressed into cakes between 100-400 grams which serves to slow down oxidation and allow for more gentle aging of the material, as well as collecting the material into a cohesive, single unit which facilitates distribution to the consumer market.

To see nearly the whole process in action, Farmer Leaf has another video which I highly recommend:

• –Pu-erh Tea Processing↗