Whether you’re working on an independent short film, a Hollywood feature film, or a television show, the importance of the art of film editing cannot be overstated. There are four essential ways that editing affects a film's narrative:
Editing determines when the audience receives information. Editors have the power to rearrange scenes and jump forwards or backward in time for either dramatic or comedic effect. An editor can hold on a shot longer so the viewer picks up extra information, or they can purposely withhold information to better set up a twist ending.
Editing dictates pacing. Editors look at pacing on a scene-by-scene basis and in the context of the film as a whole. For example, an editor might use slow, longer shots in a specific scene in order to build suspense. In the same film, the editor might feel the story is dragging and decide to cut an entire unnecessary scene in order to speed up the overall pacing of the film.
Editing ensures shot continuity. Editors are responsible for ensuring there a coherent flow from shot to shot. For instance, if a character walks through a door and the editor cuts to a shot on the opposite side of the door, it would be jarring if the character was suddenly several steps ahead of where they were before the cut. Editors time their cuts so the scenes flow properly. This is especially important when films shoot in different locations that need to appear like one location when edited together.
Editing amplifies emotion. Editors can work with transitions and shot selection to make the viewer experience a range of emotions. Think about a classic horror film jump cut where the editor abruptly cuts to a frightening image at the same time that a jarring sound effect plays. By cutting away at a surprising moment and punctuating the cut with an audio cue, the editor is able to manufacture fear in the audience.
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