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The Art of Editing…
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[Shane Ross] ” But I feel that a few of those people need to be ABOVE the line, Editors included.”
I couldn’t agree more. The location sound recordist, for example. Is what she (or he) does not as important as the DP on some films? Yes, we’re going to replace a lot of sound later on, maybe even build quite a bit from scratch in post, but the aural character of a city is impossible to fake.
And how many of us have seen a beautifully shot film and thought “It feels so low-budget indie” simply because the sound was crappy? Or seen a not particularly well shot film with great sound & felt that it was a professional piece of craft?
Arnie
Post production is not an afterthought!
https://www.arniepix.com/ -
Wait, haven’t you heard? Anyone with a laptop and Final Cut Pro is an editor. It’s just pushing buttons, after all. There’s no real skill involved.
/sarcasm
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It’s the colorists I feel bad for… Even fewer people know what a colorists does outside of the industry than editor. Plus if they describe a Sound Editor / Sound Mixer combo, then shouldn’t there also be a Cinematographer / Colorist combo? Poor guys ;o)
But yes, I agree that was a pretty lazy description of what an editor does.
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Shane,
No I don’t feel your over-reacting. To many people, on both sides of the camera think of editing as an afterthought, as if it is nothing more than a data entry job.
Part of the problem is the general attitude of the ‘new’ editors. When I say ‘new’, I’m referring to those that never edited any way other than NLE. For some reason there is a huge demographic ‘subgroup’ in the ‘new’ editors that thinks editing is about the best plugin, the most FX, etc. Even where VFX is called for to tell the story, it is amazing how often the ‘new’ editors can’t break down a scene, and apply their craft without thinking about what they need to buy. Yes, I’m painting with a broad brush, but how often do we see posts where these folks are stuck because they are unable to innovate, and are “looking for a plugin to do xxx”. Its always about the FX, and not often about ‘what shot goes with what, and why’. Is it any wonder that others think editing is some type of IT job, and all you need is an Apple certification, and that makes you an editor.Scott Sheriff
Director
SST Digital Media
https://www.sstdigitalmedia.com -
Ahhh, thanks Scott, now I get it. Yes, there are far too many of the “new breed” who feel that the NLE and the plugins are all they need to tell a story.
Shane
GETTING ORGANIZED WITH FINAL CUT PRO DVD…don’t miss it.
Read my blog, Little Frog in High Def -
Careful guys. You don’t want to invoke the wrath of ‘new breed’ of FCP editor. 😉
Anyone remember the hornets’ nest Scott Simmons apparently poked w/a stick back in ’08 w/his “What’s wrong with the young FCP editor?” blog post:
https://www.studiodaily.com/blog/?p=466
-Andrew
3.2GHz 8-core, FCP 6.0.4, 10.5.5
Blackmagic Multibridge Eclipse (6.8.1) -
That’s all the new breed needs, man.
You and I were story tellers long before we were around tools. If you are like me, you were editing as a teen but aiming the ole Quazar VHS camera at the boob tube while playing previously shot vhs tapes in it…. sometimes with a boombox next to the camera to add a music bed. lol
I started linear editing in th late 80s. By the mid 90s, the best editors were, of course, the ones who knew their room the best. Ideas come cheap. Executing them is where skills come into play.
FF to today. Dope-smokin’ 20 grand-makin’ MTV-watchin’ kids have had FCP in their basement as long as many editors in the market today. They know AE like the back of their hands and can crank out anything desired in a short amount of time… or don’t mind staying late because they don’t have to tuck in any kids that evening.
Does that threaten you or I? I gues it could if we elected to see it that way. We could also see it as exactly what justifies our rates.
Don’t doscredit em though. They are fine story-tellers… they just still have to have the story fed to em. Once they realize they don’t require that, we can set em up with some gear and some freedom and let em make bank for us.
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There are editors, and there are operators.
Both of them know how to push buttons to generate an end product. The editors’ end products tell stories, the operators’ end products…well…sometimes, if the tides are running right and the moon is not obscured by clouds…
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Andrew: “Careful guys. You don’t want to invoke the wrath of ‘new breed’ of FCP editor. 😉
Anyone remember the hornets’ nest Scott Simmons apparently poked w/a stick back in ’08 w/his “What’s wrong with the young FCP editor?” blog post:”
If you think that saying that a portion of new editors don’t take their craft seriously, and that’s why others might not see it as a real skill or art, could invoke the wrath of the new breed. Then you don’t want to get me started on people that can’t be bothered to put the camera on the sticks, when there is no reason to shoot HH!
Scott Sheriff
Director
SST Digital Media
https://www.sstdigitalmedia.com -
first off – who’s Tyler Perry? Never heard of him before.
I’m guessing he’s been presenting something in the States. And if its recently, then probably an expensive back patting exercise involving little yellow gonks and a highly select bunch of …..err better stop there before i get out of control!!
anyway – its my theory that people rarely get visual editing, because they do it themselves every few seconds subconsciously. Its never explained to them, it just happens.
Ever try looking from one person to another without blinking during the heads whip pan?
A sound effect can be quickly and easily demonstrated – crinkle the cellophane, close your eyes – hey presto…campfire!
A visual edit is a much more subtle trick. Done correctly, it is invisible. Create a visual rhythm and the viewer will assume the edits are just blinks and not realise they are being manipulated by the editor.
Yet with audio, they only ever hear a continuous uninterrupted stream. Its natural to assume all sound just flows. Show them how a film soundtrack is created from scratch (often from completely incongruous sources) and everybody is astonished at the work involved.
I agree completely with Shane. The art of the editor is unfortunately one not shrouded in mystery but smothered by disinterest and apathy. And not just from the public, but from many of those we work with who really should know better.
Whilst it can be annoying to realise how the public perceives what we do, it is also gratifying that we are able to do this job, and if more people realised how much fun it can be, we may all find it harder to get work!
adam
Adam Taylor
Video Editor/Audio Mixer/ Compositor/Motion GFX/Barista
Character Options Ltd
Oldham, UKhttp://www.sculptedbliss.co.uk
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