5 THINGS FILMMAKING
Editing
By Nicholas Nesbitt & Gentlemen
Hi! I’ve teamed up with Gentlemen to bring you an article on the process of filmmaking. Enjoy ;)
1. The invisible art
Don’t tell cinematographers, scriptwriters, or directors but editing is what makes cinema… well, cinema. A bad edit can kill a brilliant performance, make a script incoherent and butcher the director's cinematic vision.
In fact, you can get away with most things in filmmaking but a bad cut will always look suspect and the audience will know that something is off.
Editing is the ‘invisible art’ for this reason, and arguably the most important part of the filmmaking process. It’s the glue that holds everything together.
2. Mystery
Filmmaking is a collaborative process but when all the teamwork is done, and the footage is on the hard drive it finally makes its way into a dark editing room where, like a detective, the editor puts all the disassembled pieces together to create the final product we call a film.
Like a mystery that needs to be solved, an editor is entrusted to find the final picture in all that chaos. Some directors will help to guide the process or let the editor surprise them and rewrite the story in the cut. Ultimately it's the editor's job to get all the pieces together and to decide what the final, finished product is going to be.
3. Relationship
The relationship between the editor and director is like a marriage. A good marriage brings out the best in each partner when they play to their strengths. And just like a marriage, it’s all about compromise, honesty, hard work, and collaboration
It’s important that both parties put their heads together to make the best film they can make. There is often conflict and stress but ultimately there is a reward in nurturing this important relationship.
4. Directors cut
Often overstuffed and self-indulgent, a director's cut doesn’t necessarily mean a better film but it is important that they exist.
Ideally, all films would be director’s cuts but due to commercial pressures, it’s rare that a director has a final cut. It’s an entertainment industry after all and there are many parties pulling the strings behind the scenes to make sure that $$$ is made. It takes an incredibly strong director to get their unadulterated vision on celluloid.
What is noteworthy about a director's cut is getting to see how the director's cut diverges from the more commercial version. What was reshaped by commerce and what was actually intended by the filmmaker in their original vision? For most film nerds it’s a rare peek behind the curtain.
5. The shape of a story
Generally, on set, there isn’t much time to experiment. It’s a smash and grab to try to get what you can before the sun goes down or the hurricane sets in. It’s about collecting the raw materials you need.
In the edit suite, there is the luxury of time. It’s the lab where you can try different ideas, throw them at the wall and see if it sticks. If it doesn’t work you can always Ctrl-Z and try something else.
The best moments during an edit always begin with the editor saying something like. “I know this is going to sound crazy, but what if we…” That’s when things get exciting. Because something unexpected and wonderful is about to happen. There are no consequences and if it doesn’t work, it’s ok, the shape of the film will take form in the edit suite.