Chapter 18

In Conclusion

 The Good Life—Oh Yes!

Is editing the best job in TV and films? Yes, by a mile, but I’m rather biased. As I said at the start of all this, I can’t think of any other job where you try to hide what you do and how you do it.

The good life, oh yes, and I hope I’ve encouraged some of you to share some of the thrills of this marvellous craft.

 You Can’t See the Join—Or Can You?

How a programme or film is put together should be invisible to the viewer. The only time I start to see the structure of a film is if I’m bored with it and start to play the ‘What’s the next shot going to be?’ game. If a viewer starts to be aware of how a programme or film was assembled, then there must be something wrong. The viewer should enjoy the programme, not the editing. It’s the same with a musical performance; the audience should enjoy the concerto, not the piano.

 Britain’s Got Talent—Awards for Hiding What We Do!

Given that we try to hide the fact that we exist at all, and we let script, performance, direction, and design take all the credit, it seems a strange concept to award a statue or mask to something that should remain invisible. In addition, by the time a film or TV programme hits the screen, large or small, it is very difficult to tell who did what to influence the result. Poor direction saved in the edit suite or great direction not fully realised can produce the same overall result.

It is for this reason that popular and successful films tend to win editing awards, even if the editing that went into them was not necessarily the best that year. Sadly, a film that was totally rescued in the edit suite by brilliant and inventive work will never be acknowledged properly, simply because it wasn’t as popular as the film of the moment.

 Goodnight and Good Luck—And It’s Goodnight from Him

The craft of editing is knowing exactly where and when to change the picture or sound so that the audience in cinemas, living rooms, kitchens, hotel bedrooms, offices, schools, trains, boats, and planes gain the maximum impact from that choice.

I’m really sorry that this aspect of the craft cannot be taught; this has to come from somewhere already within you. You’ve instinctively got to know what is right. The cut shouldn’t be there, but THERE!

If you have that instinct, and I think you’ll know if you do, I hope this book has helped extend your skills and given you increased confidence.

Whatever is the case, I wish you well.