• An editor's first job is to tell a story -- no matter the genre

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• An editor can make a good film great, an OK film good, and a bad film short
 

• A movie is made three times: first when it's written, then when it's shot,  and then

  when it's edited
 

• A good story has a three-act structure  (Plus an exciting intro)
 

• “A film consists of a beginning, a middle, and an end, though not necessarily in that         order.” - Jean-Luc Godard
 

• Every scene should also have a beginning, middle, and ending
 

• And every scene should be dramatic
 

• A great ending surprises, satisfies and/or devastates.  Plus it resonates
 

• Watch ALL the footage.  Footage before "action" and after "cut" can save an edit
 

• Movie 1st, Scene 2nd, Moment 3rd
 

• Montage Fact 1: In essence, a cut highlights the difference or similarity between two

  shots
 

• Montage Fact 2: A cut creates meaning not inherent in the individual shots
 

• Montage Fact 3: Montage allows you to tell a story in compressed time.  And it can        make a gradual change more dramatic
 

• Tell the story with cuts!  It's what separates motion pictures from other art forms
 

• Understand the Kuleshov Effect

• Directors: read On Directing Film by David Mamet to learn how to tell a story with cuts
 

• Each shot already has an inherent beginning and ending -- it's life.  These are your        edit points
 

• Start the scene as late as possible
 

• End the scene as early as possible
 

• A cut should make the audience understand the story
 

• Make it easy for the audience to see what's important
 

• Every cut should be motivated
 

• A cut should move the story forward
 

• If not sure what to cut to, ask yourself what the audience would want to see
 

• How does a cut make you feel?
 

• Don't underestimate the intelligence of your audience
 

• "Show [the audience] everything, tell them nothing." - Ernest Hemingway
 

• Use all the angles that were shot
 

• Use cutaways

 

• Reactions are as important as dialogue
 

• Pay attention to sight lines
 

• Weave story lines with parallel editing

• Time does not have to be linear (refer to Einstein's Special Theory of Relativity)

• Make everyone on camera look good

• Cut on motion

• Match action across edits

• Edit (and shoot) for continuity as characters move through space

• When in doubt, cut

 

• An action scene is a dialogue

• When acting and/or cinematography is beautiful, don't cut!

• 3 is a magic number.  2 is a coincidence.  4 is boring

• Remember Ekman’s Six Universal Emotions: Anger, Fear, Disgust, Surprise, Happiness,        and Sadness

• A good cut flows like a piece of music 

• The director and actors have established a rhythm during shooting. You can change    tempo and pace, but you must find this rhythm in your edit. Then create counterpoint    to this rhythm with your edit

• Music also establishes a scene's rhythm. And your edit should create polyphony with      the music. If you cut on the 1 of every measure, your edit will get boring.

  Use movement in the shot to hit beats - not just cuts 

• Musicians make great editors

• "Hitchcock only finishes a picture 60 percent. I have to finish it for him." 
   -- Bernard Hermann, Composer

• Use room tone/nat sound.  Insist that the crew records it

• Add sound effects

• Force the footage to work -- Zoom in, reposition, flop, color correct, composite, loop        audio, etc.

• If possible, make it shorter
  (However, suspense comes from slowing things down) 

• Even if the long, complicated and highly choreographed tracking shot doesn't work,      the director will insist that it be used, so put it in your cut

• Actors: read On Acting  by Sanford Meisner, On the Technique of Acting by Michael        Chekhov, Acting in Film by Michael Caine (see video too)

• Cinematographers: Watch Visions of Light

• Cinematographers: Please shoot chip charts for every scene

• Don't get too attached to your edit. The director and then the producer have the last    word...

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• Watch these films for picture, sound and story editing:

  ALL THAT JAZZ (1979)
  AMELIE (2001)
  APOCALYPSE NOW (1979)
  BREATHLESS (1960)
  BUGSY (1991)
  CINEMA PARADISO (1990)
  CITIZEN KANE (1941)
  CITY OF GOD (2002)
  DEAR ZACHARY (2008)
  DOGTOWN AND Z-BOYS (2001)
  DONNIE DARKO (2001)
  GOODFELLAS (1990)
​  THE GRADUATE (1967)
  A HARD DAY'S NIGHT (1964)
  HAROLD AND MAUDE (1971)
  JFK (1991)
  LOVE IN THE CITY: "PARADISE FOR THREE HOURS" (1953) 
  MEMENTO (2000)
  NATURAL BORN KILLERS (1994)
  PULP FICTION (1994) 
  RAGING BULL (1980)
  SAVING PRIVATE RYAN (1998)
  TRAINSPOTTING (1996)
  THE TREE OF LIFE (2011)

• Pay your people as soon as you receive their invoices.  Pay them even if your client        has not paid you.  They have a contract with you -- not with your client!  This builds        loyalty
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• Fast, cheap or good. You may only pick two

 

TECH TIPS:

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• 24fps usually means 23.976

• 60fps usually means 59.94
 

• 1080i Field Dominance is Upper-Odd

 

• 16:9 Aspect Ratios: 
  The A.R. Formula is  x÷16=n×9=y​
  7680 x 4320 - 8K
  4800 x 2700 - 5K  
  3840 x 2160 - UHD
  1920 x 1080 - 1080 HD
  1280 x 720 - 720 HD
  960 x 540
  640 x 360
  480 x 270

• 1.90∶1 Aspect Ratios:
  4096 x 2160 - 4K
  2048 x 1080 - 2K

• 4:3
  1440 x 1080

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• Instagram Feed

   1080 x 1350 (4:5, portrait) or 1080 x 1080 (bars on top a bottom) 

   16 Mbps

 10

• Instagram/TikTok Reels 

  1080 x 1920
  16 Mbps

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