Post Production Video
Film editing plays an important role in the development of a motion picture. It is the one stage of the process that is considered unique to the motion picture industry alone. Other stages of the process use art forms borrowed from other disciplines, such as theater, dance, photography, and writing.
So vital is the role of post production video editing that is thought to be the part of the production that will either make or break the picture. The film editor responsible for post production video editing is often assisted by an entire team of expert artists and technicians to accomplish the critical and complicated mission.
The first motion pictures were filmed using one long shot in which the camera stayed in place and the actors created all the motion. Thomas Edison produced a number of these short pictures in his film laboratory in the late 1890s. When Edison wanted to try making movies of longer length, he hired a young immigrant sailor named Edwin S. Porter to assist.
Porter is believed to be the first post production video editor in the history of motion pictures. His breakthrough film, Life of an American Fireman, made in 1902, was one of the first to feature a plot, action, and a close-up scene.
Porter broke more new ground in the motion picture industry when he incorporated action editing into the post production video process. His 1903 film, The Great Train Robbery, is used in film schools today to illustrate the history of post production video editing. In this film, Porter used scenes that were shot at different times and in different locations that he pieced together to form a motion picture with a much stronger emotional impact than earlier ones using just the static long-shot technique.
Today's post production video editing regimen includes a variety of steps, beginning with the dailies. Dailies are the first edits of scenes filmed that the film editor and director review together in order to create a cohesive partnership between the two positions. Dailies are often filmed one day, processed overnight, and reviewed the next day, on a daily basis, thus the term “dailies.”
The next step in post production video editing is known as the editor's cut. It incorporates sound mixing and special effects. This first round of edits is often referred to as a “rough cut.”
Once shooting is completed, the director joins ranks with the film editor for a more thorough post production video edit. This “director's cut” marks the point of collaboration with the studio or producers and industry regulations allow a minimum of ten weeks to complete this cut.
The final cut comes with the strong presence of the producer in the post production video editing process. Some directors act as producers, too, and they have a free hand in determining the final outcome of the production. These films are considered independent films and are often considered riskier and more creative than those produced under close scrutiny of a studio committee.
It is the final cut that is released for public viewing. The final cut is the one that represents what the studio wants as opposed to the director's vision for the film. From time to time, there will be the director's cut of a film reissued years after the original production that features the director's vision instead of the studio's.
