There are several takes on Hollywood movie editing. Let’s see what we can put together.

Even during the Oscars, little attention goes to those who craft our favourite stories into their final form. Actors get the red carpet. Editors get the rug pulled out from under them when it comes to credit and visibility.

That’s partly because, when a “cutter” does the job right, nobody notices. And that’s by design. Like others behind the scenes, the editor works faithfully to bring the Director’s vision to life, instead of calling attention to his or her own talent.

The two work closely on pacing and timing, setting the right mood and emotional tone, bringing out the best in others involved in the production, and keeping the future audience fully immersed in the story without losing focus or interest.

To do all that, an editor sifts through hundreds of shots of various scenes, looking for the most effective and powerful ones.

They look for takes that best illustrate the motives and mindset of the main characters, the memorable moments that set apart a momentous performance from a mediocre one, and just the right milieu to move the story forward.

The number of choices is crushing but, for an editor, variety is the splice of life.

On the surface, it might not seem like a film........

© Sarnia Observer