HOW-TO, Techniques, & Best Practices Channel
The Importance of a Creative Editing Agenda
By Richard D. Pepperman
posted Oct 19, 2008, 14:14
Non-Linear / Random Access device, Linear /
Non-Random work strategy, editing techniques, best practices in editing.
Richard D. Pepperman has been an editor for more than 40 years. He is author of, The Eye is Quicker. Film Editing: Making A Good Film Better (2004), Setting up Your Scenes (2005), and Film School: How to Watch DVDs and Learn Everything about Filmmaking (2008). Richard is a proud recipient of the Distinguished Artist-Teacher Award from the School of Visual Arts where he teaches “The Art of Editing.”
Photo (right) by David Dessel.
The Importance of a Creative Editing Agenda
Use Organizational Methods that Foster Inventiveness
Early in the digital realm of things
I was invited to a demonstration of an
editing system called AVID. Along with
the invitation I received a VHS tape
introduction to this astounding tool.
The engineer on the tape was also the
obliging live instructor. I noticed then
as he edited a tutorial, and not too long
after when I consulted on a feature
length film being cut by an AVID editor
that the Non-Linear / Random Access
device seemed to promote a Linear /
Non-Random work strategy. This Avid
�agenda� ironically encourages a less
than fully productive � one might even
say destructive � editing! The work
place design seems to thwart a postproduction
creativeness as it dazzlingly
compels a fussy fine cut from the outset.
In other words, the editor comfortably
evades a searching methodology.
Too many editors begin with an
excessively ordered assembly of line
by line, action by action, which tracks
the scripted page onto the Timeline
with rendered precision; as if post
production were merely the matching
of word and deed from paper to flick.
A movie that at its finish corresponds in
very large part to the screenplay points
out that no one (other than the writer)
has done a reputable job. This is, above
all, true for the director and editor.
What has been gained from such
finickiness? And, more imperative: How
many prospects have vanished forever?
Remember! A movie is not projected
simultaneous to its editing!
A far more productive and disclosing
practice is to unreservedly (maybe even
daringly) sketch-out each moment �
they might actually be disconnected in
the Timeline, or organized into separate
Sequences � so as to advance notions
of dialogue beyond the exclusivity
of words. Do all the words matter?
Can�t we �hear� the characters via their
reactions? Isn�t there far more vital a
dialogue in the eyes? What can we tell
and feel in the silences? How can words
and deeds �tell� the story by �showing�?
What is the scene about? This is the
most crucial question, and yet don�t be
surprised if the answer is transformed as bold work habits find brisk eloquence
in newer scene to scene, sequence
to sequence structures. This is, and
should be, the very nature of the postproduction
process.
Try a genuinely Non-linear / Random
Access effort: It is far more efficient (and
revealing) a line of attack to put aside
the Master Shots: Don�t be so prompt
to move the characters from one spot to
another; nor concerned with how they
enter or exit. Work the moments of the
scene with a broad stroke approach.
Alter the order of the lines. Delete
some. Rearrange the progression of the
scene. You�ll be amazed how often the
end can become the beginning! Work
out of order! See what happens; be
open and don�t be cautious. Don�t get
discouraged, and never be satisfied too
quickly.
An effective work strategy
encourages the rich and valuable
occurrences (accidents) that creativity
� and great work � depends upon.
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