Job role as the editor

Editing is part of the post-production process of a film, music video or even a newspaper. In a music video it involves the selection and combining of shots into sequences, and ultimately creating a finished motion picture. It is often referred to as an invisible art as a good editor makes the viewer so engaged in what they are watching that they are not aware of the editor’s work. With the advances in technology the editor’s role has become much more than just editing and piecing together pictures. There is more to it now with special effects, sound, music and much more. The editor’s cut is the rough cut of what the finished piece will look like whereas a director’s cut is after the director has collaborated with the editor to produce a near finished piece going through shot by shot of what needs changing, removed or added. And then the final cut is when the producer overlooks the process to make sure it meets the requirements set by the studio.

As editor in this music video I will need to take charge of compiling the shots together adding and taking away what is necessary thus creating the editor’s cut. Upon completion I will sit down with the director ‘Matthew Doel’ to create the directors cut and to make few changes if needed but still be editing away. Once Matthew and myself are happy with the cut we will then seek the advice of producer Kieran Lewis to see if there is anything else needed in the music video or anything that needs to be taken out.

I will need to consider the emotion of the video - does the cut reflect what the editor believes the audience should be feeling at that moment? Also what should be taken into consideration is the story – does the cut advance the story. The rhythm - does the cut occur at a moment that is rhythmically interesting and ‘right’. Eye-trace - does the cut pay respect to the location and movement of the audience's focus of interest within the frame. And does it go along with the two-dimensional plane of the screen in that it sticks to the 180-degree rule.

Once all of these key factors have been taken into consideration and then via the collaboration with both the Director and the Producer I will have successfully edited this music video.