WANT TO MAKE A GREAT FILM? WORK WITH YOUR VIDEO EDITOR LIKE THIS

This post is a practical guide for filmmakers on how to work effectively with a video editor to create the best possible final product.

If you want to make a great film, you need the editing of the film to be great. A lot of filmmakers think that, in order to get a great edit, all they need to do is hire a great editor. Though that is certainly a key component, you also need to know how to most efficiently work WITH your video editor, so that you can bring out the best in them. After all, if you hire Walter Murch to edit your movie but you lock him in a closet with a gag ball in his mouth, he likely won’t produce his best work.

So here are my top 4 tips (as a professional video editor) on what you can do to be the ideal editor’s director - and make a kick-ass movie. And no, gag balls didn’t make the cut.

1. Hire Your Editor Early

Don’t wait until post-production—bring your editor on board before or during production. This may sound counter intuitive, because after all, editing is a post production process.

But there are some key-benefits that you can get out of hiring an editor early-on, that will increase the quality of your film.

• If hired early, editors can help you:

• Ensure you’re getting all the necessary shots, and don’t fall into the dreaded lack-of-coverage problem many new filmmakers face. Show them your shot list before filming, and they can point out shots you may be missing, or even give pointers on what you may not need - therefore making your shot list more efficient.

• Recommend technical setups for a smoother workflow. For example, they could give you recommendations on ideal shooting formats, or equipment that will facilitate the editing process (ex: synchronized timecode).

• Potentially be on set to advise in real-time. If the editor is available and/or willing to be on set while you film, they can flag something that won’t work in the edit. Also, because film shoots have a reputation of going over-schedule, an editor can help advise on what shots you need to prioritize if you are running low of time.

2. Don’t Rush the Editor

You never want to be in a situation where you’re rushing the editor. Because if the editor feels rushed, they will prioritize speed over quality. As a filmmaker, you want to help foster a stress-free environment as much as possible, so that the editor has the time to give your project full attention to detail. To do this, here are 2 pointers:

• Agree on deadlines before the editor comes on board. If you have a specific deadline by which the project needs to be done, agree on this before you hire the editor. That way, you can rest assured that your editor is confident to be able to meet the deadline, while still producing optimal work.

• If you don’t have a specific deadline by which the project needs to be done - allow the editor to take their time with the cut and get it to you when they feel it’s ready. Don’t micromanage them, or obnoxiously check in on them every day. Give them the space to think and work through the footage.

3. Be Open to New Ideas

Filmmakers usually have a pretty clear vision of what they want to film to look like by the time they hand it off to the editor. Though having a clear vision is key in the filming process, when it comes to the editing, it’s best to keep an open mind and allow the story to take a different shape than what you were expecting.

• An editor’s job is to read your script and then go through all your footage, and cut together the footage in the way they think will be most effective to tell your story. This means they may change some things around. Editors often restructure scenes or make cuts that improve storytelling.

• These changes may feel jarring at first - because they’re different from what you were expecting to see. However, just because it’s different, doesn’t mean it’s bad. And, in fact, it may even be the most effective version of your story. So always give yourself the time to sit with the cut before reacting. Give it a few days, to see if you come around to the editor’s vision.

• However, if you’ve given it some reflection, and it still doesn’t feel right to you, then it’s time to address it in the feedback. which leads me to my next tip:

4. know the difference between a good and a bad note

When giving feedback to an editor, you want your feedback to be constructive. Here are some pointers on how to give a constructive note, instead of bad (non-constructive) note.

• Avoid vague or purely negative notes like “this scene doesn’t work for me.” Why is this a bad note? Because it gives a negative feeling, without a reason for why it feels that way to you.

• Instead, a constructive version of the note could be: “this scene doesn’t for me, let’s try to quicken the pace.” So now, you’ve made the note actionable, because there’s a clear next-step for the editor (quickening the pace of the scene). You always want your notes to have a clear next-step for the editor.

• If, however, you’re unsure on how to improve the scene, you just know it doesn’t feel right - then a constructive way to say that would be “this scene doesn’t work for me, let’s discuss.” Here, “let’s discuss” is still a clear next-step for the editor, because you’re inviting them into a conversation. And, during the conversation, you may find that the editor has some great suggestions on what may not be working with the scene and how to improve it.

• Keep communication positive and encouraging throughout the feedback, to maintain motivation. Editing is hard work and takes a long time, and you never want your editor to feel dejected or discouraged, because this will dampen their energy and it will reflect poorly in the work. Always try to keep them excited to be working on your project, and one of the best ways to do that, is to be a kind and motivating force. As the director, you’re the leader of team - so lead it with enthusiasm and support, and you will be well on your way to getting the best final result possible.

KEY TAKE-AWAY:

If you want your film to be as strong as possible, you need to treat the editor as a creative collaborator—not just a technician. The earlier and more constructively you involve them, the better your final film will be.