Editing Theory 101?

[Daniel_l]

LSD?

[Ed Dooley]

I’ve been an editor for 12 years and run into the same thing all the time. The 2 things that help me the most are:
1- Showing the drafts to people *not* involved with the project. Hearing those other perspectives helps me rethink mine.
2- Output a tape or DVD and take it home, or somewhere outside the edit room. It’s amazed me how different an edit looks when viewing it from my couch.
Ed

[Ed Dooley]

Oh yeah, there’s that too 🙂 A part of my life that ended long (loooong) before the editing started.
Ed

[Daniel_l] “LSD?”

[Bouncing Account needs new email address]

[Ed] “1- Showing the drafts to people *not* involved with the project. Hearing those other perspectives helps me rethink mine.
2- Output a tape or DVD and take it home, or somewhere outside the edit room. It’s amazed me how different an edit looks when viewing it from my couch. “

1- You must like to Live Dangerously.
RULE #1: Never show a “work-in-progress.”
RULE #2: If you ask for an OPINION from someone they will feel obligated to give you one, even if they don’t really know or care.

2- Very fine idea. Puts the project in the same venue as other programming.
My alternative method is to just view yesterday’s work on the following morning.
This does NOT count if its still the SAME all-nighter session… and the Sun is just coming up 😉

[Mark Suszko]

Burn an audio CD of it and listen to it on the drive home. Watch it with the sound off. Do both versions still tell the story adequately, on their own?

[Ed Dooley]

Re: Rule #1- Notice I said to show it to someone *not* involved in the project.
Re: Rule #2- It’s true, you have to pick your victim carefully.

A variation on the “never show a work-in-progress: I’m doing a video for my biggest corporate client, with an approved script, and a small group of executives who have final approval. One of them sent the final version off to a dozen people in the company who had nothing to do with the project, and naturally he got back a dozen different responses. Luckily for me it made them realize that they really need 2 distinct projects for 2 audiences, so I get another 3 days of shooting and another week of editing on an amended budget. It could have been a disaster though.
Ed

[Matte] “1- You must like to Live Dangerously.
RULE #1: Never show a “work-in-progress.”
RULE #2: If you ask for an OPINION from someone they will feel obligated to give you one, even if they don’t really know or care”

[Bouncing Account needs new email address]

[Ed] “A variation on the “never show a work-in-progress: I’m doing a video for my biggest corporate client, with an approved script, and a small group of executives who have final approval. One of them sent the final version off to a dozen people in the company who had nothing to do with the project, and naturally he got back a dozen different responses.”

My biggest fear is always if the client shows it to a SPOUSE.

“HOW much did this cost?”

AAAHHHHHH!!!!!!

[Tom Wolsky]

Always leave something obviously wrong in it for the client (and wife) to find.

[Chi-ho Lee]

RULE #1: Never show a “work-in-progress.”
RULE #2: If you ask for an OPINION from someone they will feel obligated to give you one, even if they don’t really know or care.

I disagree. Work in progress screenings are invaluable. It all depends who you show it do. Of course if it is something under wrap and hush hush, then you only show it to trusted individual. If you have trusted and experienced people to show it do, why not get their opinions along the way.

Rule #2 – ditto as above. Depends on who they are. People you trust and vice versa would not give you opinions just to pad your ego. We’re all professionals and understand that it’s not personal.

My 2 cents.

-CHL

[Ed Dooley]

We always used this rule in the construction business (a past life). Building, electrical, and plumbing inspectors *needed* to find something wrong. We would leave a small, obvious error so they could feel good about themselves.
Ed

[Tom Wolsky] “Always leave something obviously wrong in it for the client (and wife) to find”