Random thoughts on Editing Footage---

[SES]

If a producer and sometimes director of many years may
insert some
comments--

Editing is the heart of all film and video production--
and having a clearly understood and approved creative
strategy is the
heart of all good advertising (and that is what you're all
talking about
here, in one way or another)--
If everyone on a project is aware of the ultimate aims, and
has agreed on
those parameters,
then the creative folks executing those aims have a clear
blueprint to
follow --
the actual method (paper cut, animatics {animated story
boards}, or just
good communication with your producer/director/editor)
leading to the
rough cut can be tailored to the needs of the specific
situation (time,
budget, even type of equipment being used to shoot and
edit).
One of the great secrets of production is that there are no
rules --every
job evolves based on it's circumstances--a concept many
people find tough
to accept--(lack of control??) --but the very essence of
what makes it so
much fun!!"

Susan Smitman
Smitmanfilm Ltd.
One Bank Street Apt. 3M
New York, New York 10014
212-989-5011/917-991-2812(c)