Page numbers in italics refer to figures.
A
A&E 116
action scenes 104–7; cause and effect 105–6; crossing the line 110; ear candy 106–7; eye candy 106; follow the ball 104–5; geography 106; slow motion 105
actor grooming 57
AD see assistant director (AD)
Alpert, Craig 117
Altman, Robert 77
Amend, Kate 160; developing cut 163; making first cut 161, 162; viewing material 157, 160
Andrew, Mark: career path 215–17; cutting approaches 188–9; finding story 179, 180; music 169; narration 168; working as team 183
Anido, Vince 183
assistant director (AD) 227
assistant editor: becoming editor 4; as career 4; co-editor credit 30–1; as first commitment 21; recognizing safe environment 30–3; venue crossover 5; workload of 25; see also editor
Aubrey, David 116
audio layback 227
Avakian, Aram 115
Avid software 15
B
back nine 227
back twelve 227
background (BG) 25, 78; as Band-aid® 75, 77; defined 227; removing 150; telephone conversations 110
backplate 227
Baker, Nancy 117
Bank, Mira 117
Barnes, Paul 117
Bartholomew, Ann 117
BG see background (BG)
blocking 52
Blush, Douglas 117
Bonnefoy, Mathilde 117
Buff, Conrad 4
C
cadence: dialog 73, 76, 83; frame rules and 65, 66; as melody 64; meter and 72–3; music and 83; opening credits 99
Cahn, Dann 40
calibrate 227
Calomay, A. J. 30
Capra, Frank 116
career assessment 3–19; current status 9–10; editing tools 15–16; editor choice 14–15; emotions assessment 13–14; finances 8, 16–17; focusing on goals 13; limiting internet use 11; pace preference 8; personality 10; planning career path 9–10; project choice 10; reevaluating regularly 18–19; venue choice 5–9; volunteering 9, 12; work ethic 10
Cassidy, Jay 117
cause and effect: action scenes 102, 105–6; for cutting pattern 70–1; pre-lapping 74; projectile rule 66
characters: breakdown 43, 44–5; emotional changes 70; position 70
chase cassette 228
cheat sheet 228
checking blacks 228
chyrons 92, 93; background choice 96; frame placement 96; placing 95–6, 97; reality television 190; scripted documentaries 135–6; simplicity for 97; story and 95–6
Cicarelli, Betty 117
Clifford, Graeme 40
clone 228
Coates, Annie 87
Cohen, Steve 74
cold open see teaser
comedy: 50-50 shot 103; punchline 103–4; rules for cutting 103–4; transitions 94
Cook, Pat 173
cover sheets 228
cues 139–42; classifying 124; end of act 81; ending 83–4; features 82, 83–4; first cut 60; key questions for 82–3; levels 84; mixing 84–5; nonscripted documentaries 169–70; overscoring 84–5; setting tone with 129; starting 82–3; television 82, 83–4; temping with approved 26; see also music
D
dancing 69
DAT see digital audio tape (DAT)
default settings 228
Despres, Eli B. 117
DI see digital intermediate (DI)
dialog: cadence 73, 76, 83; character 43; consonants 75; courtroom scenes 108; crossing the line 110–11; editor 78; as melody 64, 83; music and 27, 81, 83–4; pace of 72–3; post-lapping 70, 74; pre-lapping 48, 56, 64, 73, 74; question timing 65; removing 71–2; sound effects and 25–6; speech blends 75; syncopated time 74–5; telephone conversations 109–10; unwritten 57, 70, 106
digital audio tape (DAT) 228
Discovery Channel 116
Dittrick, Michael 77
documentaries 6, 7, 8; compilation films 116–17; defined 115; editing as labor intensive 191; history of 115–16; mockumentaries 117; newsreels 116; popularity of 117; propaganda films 116; reality television 117–18; skills needed for 119–20; as storytelling 118–19; television 115–16, 121; theatrical 117; ways to cut 190; see also nonscripted documentaries; reality television; scripted documentaries
Donahue, Tom 116
Dropbox 156
E
edit decision list (EDL) 229
editing: action scenes 104–7; actor grooming 57; air on A and B sides 66, 70; Bandaids® 75–7; blocking scenes 52; cadence 64, 72–3; car commercials as good example 54; cause and effect 66, 70–1, 74, 105–6; character juggling 56–7; choosing takes 71–2; chyrons 92; collaborating with director 158, 159, 163, 165–6; comedy 103–4; continuity 66–8; contributing to workload 25–30; courtroom scenes 107–8; coverage of scenes 52, 53; crossing the line 110–11; custody of eyes 53–4; cutting on beat 76; cycle of motion 57, 87; dancing 69; defending cuts 29, 148; digital 60; director’s breadcrumbs 51–3; dirty frames 57; discontinuity 66–7; empty frames 57, 66, 72; for excellence 91–2; experimenting with footage 18; eye candy 50–1, 87; eye contact 70–1; follow the ball 68, 104–5; headless hands 58; jump cuts 85–7; layering 55–6, 74; lifts 88–9; Main Title 97–100; master 49–50; matching 66–7; meter 72–3; mismatch work arounds 67; montage 69; network cut 147, 148; notes on 24, 26, 29, 148, 149; 180° rule 110; one-eye rule 72; opening and closing scenes 51–2; opening credit sequence 97–100; overmatching 68; owning every cut 58–9; polishing cut 59–61; position of characters 70; post-lapping sound 73–5; pre-lapping sound 48, 56, 64, 73–5; producer’s cut 147, 148; projectile 66, 70, 74; recaps 100–2; Rule of Thirds 54; scene cutting practice 28–9; scenes for cutting practice 28–9; script breakdowns 42–9; silence 56; sound track 52–3; splices 53; sports sequences 68; studying editor’s work 18; telephone conversation scenes 69, 70, 109–10; ten o’clock rule 54–5, 68; timing of questions 65; tools 15–16; transitions 92–5; venue screen size and 55
editor: act-cutting 181; additional 13, 31; ADR 78; assistant 4, 5, 21, 25, 30–3; choosing 14–15; communicating goal to become 23–4; credit 14–15, 29–30, 98; departure as opportunity 31; dialog 78; foley 78; lead 181; as mentor 13, 14, 36; mirroring style of 24; preferences 229; researching 14; responsibility to protect everyone 71–2; role in nonscripted documentaries 154; sharing credit 30–1; sound effects 78; story 178; as storyteller 111–12; studying work of 18; support of 13, 14; tease 181
EDL see edit decision list (EDL)
Eisenberg, Daniel 117
Electronically Traded Fund (ETF) 17
Engfeher, Kurt 117
Estevez, Emilio 52
ETF see Electronically Traded Fund (ETF)
event 229
eye candy 50–1; action scenes 106; courtroom scenes 108; defined 50; explosions 68; as key to successful jump cutting 87; soundbites over 101
F
features 8; blockbuster 6–7; cues 82, 83–4; independent 6, 7, 8, 33; length 86; master 49; montages 146; music 78–9, 82, 83–4; opening credits 99–100; plan for moving up 12–13; scores 26; sound effects 77–8; tools 15–16; visual effects 26
50-50 shot 103
Final Cut Pro 15
finances 16–17; budgeting 16–17; credit cards 16; expenses 16; investments 17; IRA contributions 16; savings account 8, 17
Finton, Greg 155; collaborating with director 165; developing cut 163, 164; making first cut 161; viewing material 157, 158
Fleder, Gary 87
Flexfile 229
format 229
4-frame rule 65
frame rules: 8-frame 40, 63, 74; 4-frame 65; 10-frame 65, 66; 12-frame 65, 66; 2-frame 64–5
Fricke, Ron 116
G
Galloway, James 65
Georgiva, Stela 117
Gersh, Sharyn Tylk 77
Golden Ratio 54
GoPro camera 188
Gorham, Chris 30
Greene, Danford B. 77
Grierson, John 115
Grossman, Ali 116
Groth, Jeff 117
H
Hamerow, Eleanor 173
Hanser, David 173
Hays, Lora 117
HBO 116
Heath, John 64
Hess, Walter 115
Hirshon, Sue ‘Spyke’ 116
Hollander, David 80
Hornbeck, William 116
I
IAP see Individual Account Plan (IAP)
IMDb 14
Individual Account Plan (IAP) 17
Isaacs, Bud 67
J
Jordan, Jeanne 117
jump cuts 85–7; defined 229; enhancing comedy with 87; problems fixed by 86–7; scenes for 85–6
K
Kahn, Michael 158
Kenneally, Carole 4
Kinnard, Christian 117
Klauber, Kevin 117
Klein, Gene 84
Kleinerman, Isaac 115
L
Lampson, Mary 117
layback see audio layback
leaving 35–6; for career opportunity 35; frequency 35; giving notice 35; venue change 35; for worthy mentor 36
lifts 43, 88–9; breakdown 48; defined 229; middle of scene 89; transitions 88–9
Light, Debra 116
LinkedIn 36
Livingston, Victor 116
Lombardi, Julie Bob 117
Lombardo, Lou: cause and effect 66, 105; 8-frame rule 40; importance of sound 77; matching 67
looping see automatic dialog replacement (ADR)
Lorentz, Pare 115
Lovejoy, Ray 31
Lyon, William A. 116
M
Magidson, Mark 116
Make the Cut: A Guide to Being an Assistant Editor in Film and Television (Coleman and Friedberg) 3, 9
Malkames, Marlise: career path 214–15; finding story 179, 180; working as team 182
Mann, Delbert 67
master 49–50; defined 230; features 49; final edited 231; orienting audience 50, 58; television 49; viewing 49; when to use 49
matchback 230
matching 66–7, 71; see also overmatching
McCoy, Ray 107
Menke, Sally 158
mockumentaries 117
monologs 108
Moore, Michael 117
multi-layered tracking 15
Murch, Walter 22
music (MX) 10, 25, 79–85; action scenes 107; archiving scores 79; audience 79; as Band-aid® 76; codes 230; composers 141; composing score 85; cues 81, 82–4, 139–42, 169–70; end of act cues 81; features 78–9; generation gaps 79; marking cut points 80; naming tracks 81–2; nonscripted documentaries 156, 169–71; overscoring 84–5; play-on 80–1; public domain 171; scores 26–7, 79, 80–1; scripted documentaries 126, 132, 138–42; sliding 232; spotting 60, 139, 141, 169, 230; television 79; temp tracks 82; terminology 139; tone 230; see also cues; needle drops
MX see music (MX)
N
needle drops 27; defined 230; finale 142; instrumental vs. lyric 107; long 140; Main Title 100; naming 82; play-on 81; script breakdown and 48; scripted documentaries 138, 140, 142; when to add 60, 77, 78; see also music (MX)
networking 5–6, 17; letter writing 36; social media 36; word of mouth 36
nonscripted documentaries 6, 7, 8; collaborating with director 158, 159, 163, 165–6; developing cut 163–5; digital cameras 154; editor’s role 154; finding story 154–5, 158–61; first cut 161–3; footage choices 156–7; mixing 171–3; music 156, 169–71; narration 166–9; post-production duties 172–3; refining cut 171; sound effects 156; starting point for 155–6; timeline 128, 157, 160, 167; treatment 153–4; viewing material 156–8; see also documentaries; reality television; scripted documentaries
notes: asking for 26; director 58, 119, 135; editing 24, 26, 32–3; network 148, 149, 180, 181; producer 12, 27–8, 32–3, 180, 181; reality television 180, 181; on recaps 27, 101, 102; scripted documentaries 148, 149; tone meeting 47
O
OC see opening credits (OC)
180° rule 110
one-eye rule 72
Oser, Jean 115
Ott, Thomas 117
output: defined 231; editor’s cut 26, 169, 172; network cut 148
P
Pennebaker, D. A. 117
Pilko Cans 188
playback 231
popping the tracks 231
pop-up text messages 97
PPA see post production assistant (PPA)
pre-lapping 73–5; courtroom scenes 107–8; defined 231; dialog 48, 56, 64, 73, 74; telephone conversation scenes 109
Premier software 15
Preston, Tim 116
Priess, Don 116
Q
R
reality television 6, 8, 117–18; appeal of 176; assistants 190; audio tracks 185, 187; challenges of 177–8; chyrons 190; competition shows 176; confessionals 189; cutting approaches 188–90; examples 175–6; finding story 178–81; history of 175–6; pick-up interviews 177; recreations of events 176–7; resistance to term 177; small cameras 188; stacking 184–8, 186, 187; stringouts 178–9, 189; titles 190; viewing material 189–90; working as team 181–4; see also documentaries; nonscripted documentaries; television
record side 232
Reidy, Tricia 117
Richman, Woody 117
Riefenstahl, Leni 116
Roberts, Kim 117
Rosenfield, Jason: developing cut 164; making first cut 162; music 169; viewing material 157
Rule of Thirds 54
run-outs 232
S
Schoonmaker, Thelma 42
scores 26–7, 60; archiving 79; composing 85; overscoring 84–5; play-on 80–1; temp 233
Scott, Charles 117
script breakdowns 41–9; character breakdown 43, 44–5; envisioning scenes 42; lift breakdown 48; music 47; pre-lapping dialog 48; before recap 100–1; stock footage 47–8; story breakdown 43, 46, 46; thematic breakdown 47, 47–8; tone meeting notes and 47; transition breakdown 94–5
scripted documentaries 6, 7, 8; B-roll 123, 124, 125, 146; clean-up tasks 150–1; completing cuts 147–9; creating assembly 127–8; creative tips for 144–7; dramatizations 126, 131; editor’s cut 129–33, 147; emotional impact 129; first cut 128–9; form of script 122–4; format 121; graphics 126–7; interviews 127, 134–5; locking show 151; lower third titles 135–6; Main Title 126–7; montages 131; music 126, 132, 138–43; narration 121, 149–50; network cut 147, 148; organizing media 125–7; pointers 132–3; producer’s cut 147, 148; radio cut 121, 128; sample layout 123–4; sound effects 126, 132, 143–4, 150–1; stand-alone production vs. series part 122; still images 126, 130, 136–8; stock footage 136–8; style consistency 131; tease 130; time codes 123–4, 125, 127, 128, 149; transcript of interviews 121; transitions 146; viewing all material 124–5; visual effects 132; voice-overs 134; writing process 120; see also documentaries; nonscripted documentaries
ScriptSync 156
Seward, Chris 117
SFX see sound effects (SFX)
Shaw, Bruce 117
Silk, Lawrence 115
sliding music 232
software: After Effects 15, 26, 147; Avid 15; Photoshop 15, 26, 147; Premier 15
Sommers, Meridith 29
sound effects (SFX) 10, 25; action scenes 106–7; as Band-aid® 75–7; bridging A side to B side 77; clean-up tasks 150–1; features 77–8; first cut 60; library 78; nonscripted documentaries 156; post-lapping 73–5; pre-lapping 48, 56, 64, 73–5; rule of thumb for 77; scripted documentaries 126, 132, 142–4; spotting 230
source side 232
Spielberg, Steven 158
stand-alone show 232
standards and practices 232
Steinkamp, William 87
Stewart, Doug 22
stock shots: choosing 54; defined 232–3; script breakdown and 41, 48; for transitions 69, 88, 93, 94
strike 233
striping 233
Swietlik, Dan 117
T
Tarantino, Quentin 158
tech support 233
technology 17; camera 117; documentaries 116; editing tools 15–16; media-share 178; staying current with 17, 147, 156
techs 233
telecine 233
telephone filter effect 109
Teletron 233
television: bumpers 227; director 121; documentaries 115–16, 121; ending cues 84–5; episodic 128, 132, 151, 184; length 86; long-form 151, 160; Main Title 97–8, 100; master 49; moving up in 11–12, 15, 32; opening credits 99, 100; opportunities for volunteering 12; pace of 7, 42; play-on 80–1; recaps 27, 100–2; scores 26, 80–1; scripted 6, 8; standards and practices 232; timing 55; tools 15–16; unscripted 8; visual effects 26; see also reality television
Teschner, Peter 117
Thomas, James 117
time codes: defined 233; drop frame 228; non-drop frame 230; scripted documentaries 123–4, 125, 127, 128, 149
timeline 125; alt music 27; defined 233; narration 128; nonscripted documentaries 128, 157, 160, 167; scratch track 167; stacking on 184–5
timings: audio track as guide 130; defined 233; final shooting 138; frames 65; layered 56; music 149; narration 149–50, 168; screen size and 55; telephone conversations 109
trades 233
transitions 92–5; breakdown 94–5; comedy 94; dialog 93; lifts and 88–9; script and 93; scripted documentaries 146; seamless 92–3; tricks for 94
trim mode 234
U
V
VAM see video assembled master (VAM)
VFX see visual effects (VFX)
video assembled master (VAM) 234
visual effects (VFX) 10; as assistant editor responsibility 26; defined 234; features 7; scripted 132; scripted documentaries 132; temp 15; volunteering for 12, 25; wipe 94
W
Walpole, Alton 116
Warner, Jeffrey M. 117
Werner, Ken 173
WeTransfer 156
wild line 234
Wise, Pam: making first cut 161; music 169; viewing material 160
Wyler, William 116
Y
YouTube 118
Z
Zeldes, Jason 117