Hi peeps,
When searching for a film editor for your project, what would you personally look for in their reels?
When searching for a film editor for your project, what would you personally look for in their reels?
-
Wondering which camera, gear, computer, or software to buy? Ask in our Gear Guide.
What do you look for in an editor?
- Thread starter chenjie108
- Start date
I always edit my own stuff, but I'd primarily look for samples of their work and try to "see between the lines" to figure out where the edit was his personal creative touch, that to me says the most about an editor. Also, how subtle or over the top he tends to be in his edits.
And lastly, when approaching him (if I already considered he seems to have creative vision), I try to get to know how knowledgeable he is in terms of film theory, as well as finding out what particular editing techniques and editing examples he admires in whatever films he likes.
And lastly, when approaching him (if I already considered he seems to have creative vision), I try to get to know how knowledgeable he is in terms of film theory, as well as finding out what particular editing techniques and editing examples he admires in whatever films he likes.
I usually look for somebody in their late 30's, doesn't hurt if they also happen to bartend and are really into sci-fi. Oh wait, that's me! 
I've never looked for an editor but when I've received positive feedback from people whom I've edited for, they seem to appreciate being surprised by my edits and my willingness to work with them when they offer constructive critiques.
Not sure if that helps, and I'm sorry for the humble-brag. Just kidding, no I'm not. What kinda project you looking for an editor for?
I've never looked for an editor but when I've received positive feedback from people whom I've edited for, they seem to appreciate being surprised by my edits and my willingness to work with them when they offer constructive critiques.
Not sure if that helps, and I'm sorry for the humble-brag. Just kidding, no I'm not. What kinda project you looking for an editor for?
Considering my own minor experience with this, I would say its very important for an editor to be efficient and fast at the keyboard, so that the creative work that I as a director and they as an editor will do to work through scenes can go by as fast as our brains think of what to alter, change, or shift. This allows for things to not be stymied or held down by a slow working pace.
But I would also agree with ~Sweetie and ~Claude that editors have an interesting artistic position, where their talent is best seen while watching an entire project, or at least a continuous scene, not smaller 10 second clips brought together in a portfolio or demo reel.
Beyond that, I can't really say yet if there's anything I would particularly look for.
I suppose the best thing to consider is how their edits take you on a journey through the story. Do the edits they make feel out of place for the scene? Do they come too fast or too slow? Does it seem as if they actually know why they're making the edits they're making, and do those choices fit the mood and the pace of the scene at hand? Are they paying attention to eye lines? Do their edits feel jarring at all? And other things of that nature.
If you keep those sorts of things in mind, it should become generally easy to pick out a bad editor from at least a competent editor. To know if an editor is truly gifted and has a creative voice to express, that might be a little harder to determine without looking at a lot of their work. But I know there are some stellar editors out there.
But I would also agree with ~Sweetie and ~Claude that editors have an interesting artistic position, where their talent is best seen while watching an entire project, or at least a continuous scene, not smaller 10 second clips brought together in a portfolio or demo reel.
Beyond that, I can't really say yet if there's anything I would particularly look for.
I suppose the best thing to consider is how their edits take you on a journey through the story. Do the edits they make feel out of place for the scene? Do they come too fast or too slow? Does it seem as if they actually know why they're making the edits they're making, and do those choices fit the mood and the pace of the scene at hand? Are they paying attention to eye lines? Do their edits feel jarring at all? And other things of that nature.
If you keep those sorts of things in mind, it should become generally easy to pick out a bad editor from at least a competent editor. To know if an editor is truly gifted and has a creative voice to express, that might be a little harder to determine without looking at a lot of their work. But I know there are some stellar editors out there.
Oh, STAAHP, you're embarrassing me!
I agree with what Filmmaker says. However, you can't just watch one or two of their pieces of work and think that you've got a feel for them. Because the truth is that you normally would have no idea what they had to work with. Were they editing a piece that was effectively shot for maximum coverage? This will probably appear to be their best work. Or, were they editing a piece in which they had to work miracles to keep it from sucking ass? This will appear to be their worst work, but is actually their best.
Which is why it's a good idea to talk to people they've worked with.
And just to be clear, I am referencing my own work as director as the examples in which I've had to work miracles as editor to save it. I would never poo-poo somebody else's work like that.
Yes, very true.
Understanding more about what they had to work with will also become a deciding factor. Because really good editors can make something great out of a bad situation, even create something that doesn't look like anything was wrong even if EVERTHING was wrong. But there is still that threshold when things are just so messy and so underprepared that the final result is not the greatest any way you slice it. It's just the best that they could rescue, so to speak.
Granted, if a film looks amazing: even if the editor had much better footage to work with and could have made better decisions, what they got is still good and might still be impressive. The question to ask then would be, "was this successful edit a fluke?" and "how many other projects have they done that look this good and play this well?"
Wow, I'm still new to being active on indietalk but I'm amazed at the insights you get on this forum and the well thought out replies. Also having gotten extremely useful replies to my own threads makes me admire this community even more. If any moderators or admins see this, please know this website should be made eternal, my gratitude to you.