Reviewing and Editing

Reviewing what you have before leaving a location is essential. If you have frames missing or are unusable then you want to be able to recreate the conditions as closely as possible while you can. Doing this at the time, especially if travel is involved will help the production team no end, as well as improve your reputation as a cameraman.

Editing is the pivotal time in filmmaking and needs proper thought and preparation. Checking the footage before going to editing is a great way of speeding the process up. Some shots may not have worked, while others may have exceeded expectation. Make sure you watch all the material before the edit and, like above, ideally before you leave location.

While reviewing the footage bear in the mind the story you’re trying to tell. Do they match? Does each frame further, or color the story sufficiently to be included? You may find while watching back that a new story emerges, or a different angle or take that might make a better feature. Reviewing and editing your own footage is an ideal learning experience as you can pick up on errors, or room for improvement much quicker when you see it in front of you. It also gives you a chance to make good any mistakes before the editor sees them!

Logging your shots as you make them pays off when coming to editing. You can link up the footage that best tells the story you’re trying to tell. It doesn’t matter if you use a notepad and pen, excel or a purpose built software package. If you have a timeline of what shot was where, on what tape at what time then hours will be saved when it comes to the edit. Ensure you mark the outstanding shots so they can be included in the final feature. Use whatever method you want, longhand or an asterisk or something. Make sure it’s recognizable to both you and the editor.

Log the sequences, not individual elements as it will become laborious when it comes to editing. For example of you have just shot an interview, don’t log the questions, but the whole sequence. This prevents you having to load each question individually and waste a lot of time. There is a risk of over-editing something and it not ending up as first envisioned. Resist this temptation and just put together something that feels right and don’t over-edit.

In the end its you the cameraman who is telling the story, therefore you need to ensure that the material is in the order you want, the way you want before it goes to editing. Then feed into the editing process by talking through the rush with the editor to give them an idea of the story and what you’re trying to portray.

The editing process can be as long or as short as you make it. By shooting good quality footage, on topic, with good sound levels will make for a simple edit. Doing something other than that is going to add to your time in the editing suite.