Seven days are scheduled for D2 editorial: one day for organizing and synchronizing media; six days for assembling, refining, and locking the cut. This post provides a recommended roadmap for how to approach each of these days with purpose.
Sync & Assembly
Day 1 – Preparation
The first day is reserved for organizing and synchronizing media, following the Assistant Editing Workflow.
When this work is completed, the editor and director should review the dailies together and discuss the edit. The most important thing to discuss is the big picture. The editor should make sure they fully understand the director’s vision for tone, core themes, and emotional journey.
Day 2 – Lay out the Beats
The second day is reserved for the editor to work on an assembly cut (without the director in the suite). The editor may get started on this work on Day 1, if ready to do so.
For the assembly cut, focus on laying out the beats in accordance with the script and the discussions with the director during dailies. The goal is to see if you have all the beats covered to tell the story well. Don’t worry about fine-tuning at this stage.
When the assembly is complete, the director may return to the suite to give notes. Near the end of the day, the directing and editing instructors will meet with the director and editor to review the cut and discuss the plan for the next phase of the edit. The editor will take notes using timeline markers.
Final Cut
Day 3 – Explore
The first day back in the edit suite is a good time for the director and editor to reflect on the assembly cut and the notes from faculty. Stay focused on the big picture issues. Re-assess how well the assembly cut told the story and whether any new approaches to the editing should be considered. Don’t be afraid to use this day purely for exploring the possibilities.
Day 4 – Commit to Choices
This is a good day to lock into creative choices and end the day with all the major beats laid out in the correct progression for the story you’re telling.
Day 5 – Sculpt for Tension
With all the beats laid out in the correct sequence, this is a good day for honing the story dramatically. Pay particular attention to how you’re building and releasing tension over the course of the film. Also pay particular attention to how point-of-view is sculpted in each scene.
This is also a good day to get the runtime in scope. Remember principles for compressing screen-time: utilizing entrances/exits; using parallel action; only showing the beginning or ending of actions.
Day 6 – Fine-tune the Cut
Now we’re getting to down into precise, frame-accurate cutting. Pay particular attention to:
- characters’ reaction times (on what frame might their reaction to something kick in?)
- cutting on movement, especially coming into shots with movement already starting
- cutting out of shots at the precise moment when the energy starts to dip or no new information is released
- distracting action one or two frames from a cut (e.g., actor blinks)
Also cut final titles and credits into the sequence today.
Day 7 – Picture Lock
The morning is for last looks and to quality-check the cut. Watch the picture closely without sound to check for any errors; you’ll often notice things you missed with sound on.
The deadline for completing picture lock with the editing instructor is 3pm. After picture lock, you’ll complete delivery and turnover for sound and color with the Post Staff.