Should Directors Edit Their Own Films? - - DSLRguide Collab (pt 5)

Does co-editing with the director make for a better film or a faster process?
In this episode, I'm trading cuts back and forth between Simon Cade from DSLRguide and myself as we work towards a polished version of a trailer for the Fast Anchor Film Festival in Manchester, England.

THIS GUY EDITS (TGE) is a youtube channel by film editor Sven Pape, an A.C.E. award nominee, whose credits include work for directors James Cameron, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, and James Franco.

You get to see my timeline and as I cut scenes. I show work in progress. TGE is not about how to run a piece of software, but rather how to tell stories creatively.

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My absolute favorite Film Editing Book is...

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I cut my latest film "Flesh & Blood" for Sundance filmmaker Mark Webber.

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All Rights Reserved
© Copyright 2016 This Guy Edits™

Editing Software: Final Cut Pro X

Music used under the creative commons license:

[FightSceneFilmSchool]

I absolutely LOVE that we get to see you edit in real time and witness your thought process as it happens. That's what makes these the most useful editing videos out there.

[TheNewTravel]

I heard a quote recently about writing: "All the young writers keep trying to look good. Stop trying to look good and TELL THE STORY."

What's brilliant about this Collab series (from what I've seen so far, just starting Pt 5) is that This Guy Edits doesn't care at all about making himself look good, or defending his perspective versus DSLRguide's. It's all about sharing the process and the story behind the process with us, the audience.

Watching this has been a superb learning experience, and I'll be recommending this to friends. Great work!

[UltimateKyuubiFox]

I think I realized the difference between what Simon and Sven are trying to do. Sven wants it to look good. Simon wants it to feel real. Reading the comments, you get some people talking about how Simon kept lingering on shots for too long, but I think that what he was actually trying to do was to make the viewer sit with the real moments. Every quiet moment was a 'real' moment, where you couldn't cut away or keep things peppy, it was simple and real and unquestionable. A very different approach. I didn't 'feel' Sven's cut as much. Maybe because it feels more cohesive, when the point Simon's getting across is very much about dissonance. It doesn't get to be especially pretty or particularly flashy. It's Kubrickian in it's willingness to sit in those moments and make you slightly uncomfortable or sad or questioning. I felt like I had to lean in a bit more because it wasn't feeding me new information. I think that's the difference between an editor and a director. I think if Simon finds a way to communicate these kinds of ideas verbally to editors in the future, he'll be a pleasure to work with. Right now, he's more an editor himself, so he doesn't have the language to communicate with one beyond thinking inside his head as he's editing.

[ethanc-k]

What you're working on ended up really speaking to me. Like.. it kinda hit me hard, gave me a wake up! It just feels very true to me. Congrats on making something that could possibly make someone identify with it- that's talent

[DanielRolinson]

Really enjoyed watching these videos so far, this one in particular really hits home the saying that 'editing is an art form' - 2 people using the same footage create two films so very different to the other. Both with strengths and weaknesses that with compromise, the two can help create a fantastic end product. It's really interesting to see two different perspectives on the same footage.

[AlagosTheKiwi]

Love these episodes and collaboration with Simon. Please more of this! :)

[HitechProductions]

I was surprised by Simon's comment that he didn't really know what he wanted. Maybe it's because we typically see finished products from Simon, but I'd always thought he typically did know what he wanted. This might be a very interesting look into his thought processes. And that is what I typically get the most out of.

I wonder, how often do film makers know what they want upfront. I would think it's rare, and that you need to see how it works before you really know what you want, but I could easily be wrong. I know for me so far I always have to see it before I know what I really want. ;)

I haven't watched the whole thing, but that really stood out to me.

[haugecreative]

Excellent episode, Sven. Great example of how two different approaches on the same piece can be valid—neither wrong—just different. A good reminder to me as an editor to be open minded and collaborative during the creative process. I like where you are going in your response cut. I wonder if the pacing between the fast cut sections and the slow needs to be more balanced up front (first half) to settle into a rhythm, and then a change to that timing will bring more emphasis and focus toward the end. I also won't be surprised if Simon will want to finish on a percussive stroke. Great job, keep it going!

[serkanonf]

I like the Sven's rough cut especially on twist scene when we learn the thoughts aren't from the actress.

[HitechProductions]

I REALLY liked the pace change and shot selection after "If I would have only done this...". Some of Simon's changes I like, some I don't. That makes me personally happy as I have learned enough from TGE episodes to have an opinion. :) This episode is one of the best so far for teaching me. I'll be rewatching this a few times. :)

[JamesCox]

This is great how you two are collabin' and working it all out to see what fits and works. Awesome video! = : )

[ronaldquint]

I find my eyes go back and forth as you edit and watch the video, as though I'm right there.

[tongankiddd]

this is a cool series. great content.

[RivuSouravBanerjeeVideoEditor]

At the age of 34, i started Editing. Sometimes i wonder why i didn’t started earlier bcus this is what i always wanted to do.I am obssessed with Filmmaking . and i am happy that i started. Successful or not, at the end of the day i can say to myself that .. i tried.
☑️ I watch your videos again and again, all the new and old ones ... and everytime i learn something new.

[ruhaanchopra]

Both cuts were nice. They were very different and excelled at achieving what they wanted to ; Sven's cut a little more linear and more smooth and Simon's a bit more musically better and a bit more non-linear. I know he wanted to make more dynamic emotions but I didnt like Simon's montage in the start. The shift of emotions tho was amazing. 👍

[rajanbingi]

really superb playlist u have 👍💗can u plz upload a video regarding editing a show reel for a musician thank u

[cjkalandek]

My answer to this video's title question.

I think directors _should_ learn how to edit films. Because if they have a vision, they can best achieve that vision if they edit a film themselves.

However, I understand that directors have enough on their hands that they wouldn't have the time or the energy to put a film together themselves.

[khoorshid]

HI,
can you please tell me how the project files are shared so rough cut can be edited remotely as you mentioned 1:50?
What about actual footage, should it at the same folder naming and structure?
Thank you advance.

[IcarusReams]

Get you a guy who looks at you the way Sven looks at Simon

[amptransformers]

I really really love this series and i definitely think you guys need to work together more often. In Hollywood doesn't the director send off the clips and the editor puts like 3 or 4 different versions together and then the director offers advice from there. like a "i like this part here and this part here" sort of thing.???