The Cutting Room Dozen #9 - Sundance, The Dynasty, Documentary Editing, VP, Trim Mode, and more

Hi there,

Welcome to our latest selection of editing, post-production, and film-making-related content.

This is quite an education-focused edition. The purpose of The Cutting Room is to help you to think, act, and edit like a Pro, but I’m currently also spending a lot of my time teaching editing at University, and doing that is continuing to force me to think about how to translate what I do as an Editor, into teachable principles, so I've been watching a lot related to that recently.

#1 - Sundance 2024: How 8 Editors Overcame Cutting Room Challenges​

The Editors of several films screened at this year’s Sundance Film Festival discuss some of the unique challenges they faced when shaping their material.

#2 - Breaking Down 'Top Gun: Maverick' with Eddie Hamilton​

Top Gun: Maverick Editor Eddie Hamilton (Mission Impossible, Kingsman, Kick Ass) breaks down two scenes from the film, discusses his process, and gives his advice for Editors.

#3 - Holding Long and Cutting Short: 2 Brilliant Moments in Editing​

Editing is of course not just an exercise in deciding when to cut, but in choosing when NOT to cut. This video breaks down some examples of how you can play different moments.

#4 - Client Spotlight: The Dynasty​

Recent New England Patriots documentary The Dynasty had access to so much archive material that two 18-wheelers were required simply to move all of the tapes. Here’s how the 2-year edit was managed.

#5 - Documentary Editing Masterclass with Editor Steve Audette ACE at the Boston Avid User Group​

Long-time PBS Frontline editor Steve Audette gives a great in-depth masterclass in documentary storytelling and editing.

#6 - Foundations of Documentary Editing - How to Edit Scenes Like A Pro​

Documentary Editor Lewis Gordon breaks down how to build and shape that fundamental building block of a film: the scene.

#7 - Tips From a Professional Editor​

This is a fantastically dense run-through of the process Norwegian editor Juni Marie Benjaminsen uses when cutting commercials and other short-form work, full of tips and advice for Editors.

#8 - Documentary Filmmaking Tips // How to Hook Your Audience​

A key part of the job of the filmmaker is to draw the audience into the world of the film and intrigue them enough to keep watching. Filmmaker Kyle McDougall talks about ways to structure your character-driven documentaries to do just that.

#9 - Why 'The Mandalorian' Uses Virtual Sets Over Green Screen | Movies Insider​

The Mandalorian shooting VP is a bit 2019, but we have a Virtual Production studio at the University I teach at and we’re in the middle of figuring out how to integrate it into the curriculum, so it was interesting to go back and watch some of these behind-the-scenes videos again.

#10 - How to edit SO good your viewers get addicted to your videos​

One of the things I find about teaching students often half my age is that their experience of audio-visual culture is very different to mine. We had VHS, they have TikTok. As a filmmaker and an educator, it would be remiss of me to ignore what is happening creatively on the likes of TikTok or YouTube, and of course, while short-form and long-form are different mediums in many ways, there are always things we can, and should learn, wherever our experience lies.

#11 - Why great filmmakers cut movies this way​

Another vague, teasy YouTube title, but this video is a really effective breakdown of how to apply some key storytelling principles when shaping your scenes: action, reaction, and reveal.

#12 - EPIC BATTLE Mastering Trim Mode: Premiere vs Avid​

Trim mode is one of the key features in an NLE, here’s a comparison, and a whole load of tips on how to trim in both Premiere and Avid.

On The Site

If you're still trying to establish yourself in the industry, check out our first eBook which explores 53 Ways to Act Like a Professional Editor, and will guide you in how to build a reputation that will sustain and grow your career over the years.

Or, if you're looking to build and refine your fiction editing skills, there's our flagship Shaping A Scene course.

Thanks for subscribing, take care, and see you next time!

Neil

The Cutting Room

Helping budding Film Editors think, act, and edit like a Pro

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