The Work of the Editor – Comprehensive Study Notes

Importance & Essence of Editing

Film = “dramatic construction”; close-up + cut let us “see” thought itself (Walter Murch quote).
Francis Ford Coppola: “The essence of cinema is editing.”
Editing is the 3rd and final “writing” of a movie (after screenplay & directing).
Editor shapes rhythm, emotion, pace; compares to musician/composer (Scorsese).

Logging
• First viewing of dailies; note performance nuance & camera fluidity.
First Assembly
• Editor orders all material into story shape; begins during shoot; resembles a sketch.
Rough Cut
• First serious pass; verify continuity; keep edits obvious to indicate flexibility.
First Cut
• Rough cut accepted by editor/director/producer; structure fixed; step away to regain objectivity; expect multiple later cuts.
Fine Cut
• Focus on detail: rhythms, micro-timing, flourishes.
Final Cut
• Locked picture; sound design, music, titles added.
• “Final say” typically producer-controlled unless contract grants director final cut.

Action edit (movement/continuity cut) – maintain real-time flow.
Concept edit – juxtaposition forms new idea (e.g.
• Apocalypse Now: ceiling fan → helicopter blades).
Screen-position edit – place interest in same screen zone to guide eye.
Form edit – cut between similar shapes (Ferris wheel → eye).
Combination edit – concept + form together (fan→helicopter; bone→ship).
Match cut – 2001: bone thrown → orbiting nuke-ship, compressing human history.
Montage – thematic/temporal sequence (Rocky training; Midnight in Paris rain).

Change of time/place (new scene).
Maintain continuity within scene of multiple shots.
Maintain pace, avoid viewer fatigue.
Add punctuation/emphasis (sudden CU of killer, insert of weapon, storm cloud cutaway).

Always have narrative reason.
Ensure action & head positions match across shots.
Cut on Action: e.g. character sits – wide → medium CU during downward motion.

J-Cut / L-Cut (split-audio) – sound from next/previous shot precedes picture; maintains reactions & flow.
Reaction shots – show listener’s response; often more powerful than speaker.
Jump Cut – skip ahead within same shot; conveys time passage or repetition; otherwise appears error.
Hidden/Invisible Cut – perfectly matched motion or on-camera wipe conceals splice (Hitchcock’s Rope, Birdman, 1917).
• Gives illusion of one continuous take, boosts immersion.

Ellipsis – purposeful omission; trust viewer intelligence (e.g.
• NYC limo shot → immediate arrival Philadelphia City Hall).
Cross-cutting / Parallel editing – alternate scenes in different locations/times to build tension or thematic contrast.
• Western example: bad guys ride in (screen left) ↔ good guys ride in (screen right).
• The Godfather christening vs murders: creates operatic irony.
• Screen direction must differ to avoid confusion.

“For a writer, it’s a word… For an editor… it’s the frames.” — Quentin Tarantino.
“An edit should come just a moment before the viewer expects it.” — Walter Murch.
“A film is, or should be, more like music than like fiction.” — Stanley Kubrick.
“You shape the movie and the performances… give their work rhythm and pace.” — Thelma Schoonmaker.
“An editor is successful when the audience enjoys the story and forgets about the juxtapositions of the shots.” — Ken Dancyger.

Log & organise footage early; edit during shoot to identify coverage gaps.
Uphold invisible technique; if audience notices cut, likely failure (unless stylistic).
Use reaction shots & off-screen dialogue to add depth.
Apply Rule of Six hierarchy when torn between options.
Maintain screen direction & axis, especially in cross-cuts.
Trust ellipsis; remove redundant travel or dialog.
Diplomacy: communicate intention, not frame counts, unless director precisely skilled.
Always ask: “Does this cut serve emotion, story, rhythm?”