Film editing may be a creative process of post-production for filmmaking.
It is also referred to as the ‘Invisible Art’ because while watching the film, viewers get so engaged that they are not even aware of the editor’s work. Film editing is the art, technique, and practice of assembling shots into an intelligible sequence. Film editing is that the only art that’s unique to cinema, separating filmmaking from other art forms. Although, there are close parallels to the editing process in other art forms like poetry or novel writing.
Functions:
The job of the film editor is functioning with the raw footage, picking appropriate shots, and joining them into sequences to make a finished movie. The film editor’s job is not just sequencing shots of a film mechanically or editing dialogue scenes. But it requires a lot of creativity.
The film editor has got to work creatively with the pictures, story, dialogues, music, pacing, also because of the actors’ performances. Working on these elements effectively is nothing but ‘Reimagining’ or ‘Rewriting’ the film. Hence, the editor’s role is crucial and dynamic within the making of a movie.
Film editing is an art that will be utilized in diverse ways. It can create sensually provocative montages; become a laboratory for experimental cinema; bring out the emotional truth in an actor’s performance; create some extent of view on otherwise obtuse events; create an illusion of danger where there is none; give emphasis to things that would not have otherwise been noted; and even create a vital subconscious emotional connection to the viewer, among many other possibilities.
Editor’s cut is the first phase-out of several phases. This phase is the first pass of the final film when it reaches the picture lock. Usually, film editor starts working when principal photography starts. Prior to cutting, the editor and director watch and discuss over ‘Dailies’ (raw footage shot each day). Screening dailies give the editor an idea of the director’s intentions. As it is that the first pass, the editor’s cut normally longer than the ultimate film.
When the entire shooting gets over, the director collaborating with the editor refines the entire Editor’s cut. This phase is called as Director’s cut. This is the phase in which the film editor’s first cut is molded to fit the director’s vision. In this phase, the director and therefore the editor undergo the whole movie is great detail; scenes and shots. If required, scenes and shots re-ordered, removed, shortened, and otherwise tweaked. Even missing shots or missing segments that could require shot during this phase. This phase of editing refines the entire film.
After the director’s cut, the subsequent cuts are supervised by one or more producers of the film. Once a fine cut is agreed by the editor, director, and producer; the work of sound designer, music composer, and title designer starts. They add sound effects and music to the ultimate cut. After final approval, the Edit Decision List is shipped to the lab. Here, a negative cutter ‘confirms’ the Edit Decision List so as to make a negative that’s a particular copy of the ultimate cut