Coverage & cutaways

A good editor can be a filmmaker's best friend. The basic responsibility is to collect everything which was taken on camera in a specific project and piece it into a coherent story. However, don't fall for the flimsy idea! There's a lot more to editing than splicing 'err' clicking-and-dragging clips into a timeline! An experienced editor is aware of the essence of the narrative's dramatic elements and decides on which clips are needed to create the entire.

Tutorial for Video Coverage and Cutaways

Pro tip Be aware of your resources (cast, crew, equipment, time spent in the restaurant of your cousin's father-inlaw's friend's uncle's) in mind when deciding whether or not to do "just one more" shoot of a specific film. Unless you're offering serious bills, you don't need to get to be David Fincher on people.

When you're done with day (shoot) day, coverage provides you options to weave together the best film possible, and cutaways are quick, powerful punches to aid you in telling the story in a visual way. Making sure you plan for both of them will make your film more dynamic and engaging for your viewers.

Until next time, friends!