Lesson 2 section 1 task 1 film editing
Interviewer: Is film editing a complicated job?
Film Editor: Oh yes, a lot of people probably don't know how complicated a job it can be. It's far more than just sticking pieces of film together.
Interviewer: How long does it take to edit a film?
Film Editor: Well, it depends. You can probably expect to edit a 10-minute film in about a week. A 35-minute documentary, like the one I'm editing at present, takes a minimum of four to five weeks to edit.
Interviewer: Can you explain to me how film editing works?
Film Editor: There are different steps. 'Synching up', for example.
Interviewer: What do you mean by synching up?
Film Editor: It means matching sound and pictures and that is usually done by my assistant. The film and the sound tape have numbers stamped along the edge which have to be matched. The details of the film and the sound are also recorded in a log book, so it's quick and easy to find a particular take and its soundtrack. This operation is called logging and is again done by my assistant.
Interviewer: So what do you usually do yourself?
Film Editor: A lot of things, of course. First, I have to view all the material to make a first selection of the best takes. There's a lot of film to look through because to make a sequence work the way you want, you need a lot of shots to choose from.
Interviewer: Does that mean that you have to discard sequences?
Film Editor: Oh yes. On average for every foot of edited film, you need twelve times as much unedited film and therefore you have to compromise and, of course, discard some of it.
Interviewer: What do you do after selecting the material?
Film Editor: First of all, I prepare an initial version of the film, a 'rough cut' as it is called. That means that I actually cut the film into pieces and stick them together again in the new order.
Interviewer: And after this 'rough cut' what happens?
Film Editor: Well, after the 'rough cut' comes the 'fine cut' when the film takes its final form. The producer and the director come in for a viewing. Some small changes may then be necessary, but when the 'fine cut' has been approved by everyone, this is the final version of the film.
Interviewer: At this point is the film ready for distribution?
Film Editor: Oh no. After the final version of the film has been approved, there is the dubbing, there are voices, music, background noises and sometimes special effects to be put together for the soundtrack. And after the dubbing, the edited film is sent to the 'neg' cutters.
Interviewer: What do the 'neg' cutters do?
Film Editor: They cut the original negatives on the films, so that these match the edited film exactly. And after all that comes the best part—I can sit down quietly with my feet up and enjoy watching the film!