Film editing

Film editing is a component of the post-production process of filmmaking that is both artistic and technical in nature. The word is derived from the conventional method of working with film, which is increasingly including the use of digital technologies in its execution.

The film editor works with raw material, choosing shots and putting them together into sequences that will be used to produce the final motion picture product. Despite the fact that the editing process in other art forms such as poetry and book writing has many similarities to film editing, it is generally considered to be an art or talent. It is the sole art that is unique to cinema, distinguishing it from the other art forms that came before it. In the film industry, film editing is frequently referred to as the "invisible art"^[1] because, when done well, the spectator may get so absorbed in the storey that they are unaware of the editor's efforts.

Film editing, at its most basic level, is the art, skill, and practise of putting together a series of shots into a cohesive sequence. The work of an editor does not consist only of mechanically piecing together sequences from a film, cutting off film slates, or editing conversation passages. To successfully "re-imagine" and even rewrite the picture, a film editor must work with the layers of visuals, narrative, language, music, pace, as well as the actors' performances, to create a coherent whole that is both visually appealing and emotionally engaging. Editors are often involved in all stages of the production of a film. Akira Kurosawa, Bahram Beyzai, Steven Soderbergh, and the Coen brothers are examples of auteurist cinema filmmakers who edit their own films. Other examples are Bahram Beyzai, Steven Soderbergh, and the Coen brothers.

With the introduction of digital editing in non-linear editing systems, film editors and their assistants have taken on a broader range of responsibilities in the filmmaking process that were previously handled by others. Before, image editors were only concerned with the visual aspect of a project. In addition to picture editors and directors, sound, music, and visual effects editors were responsible for the practical elements of the editing process, typically under the supervision of the picture editor and director. Digital technologies, on the other hand, have shifted these duties from the photographer to the image editor more and more often. Editors often clip in temporary music, mock up visual effects and add temporary sound effects or other sound replacements to lower-budget films, which is particularly prevalent on low-budget films. In most cases, these interim components are replaced with more polished final elements created by the sound, music, and visual effects companies who were contracted to finish the film.

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