Film and Video Editors
About a year ago, I happened to watch a movie called "What Happened to Monday," released in 2017. In my opinion, it's one of the most thrilling films I've ever seen. What amazed me most about this movie was watching a single actress play seven different characters -- the incredible Noomi Rapace portrayed the seven identical sisters the film revolves around in a way that's hard to describe. I couldn't believe my eyes when a scene showed all seven characters talking to each other, each with a different hairstyle and outfit, each speaking in her own distinct way, as if there were seven different actresses playing each character rather than just one. The most important question that occurred to me then was: how are scenes like this made in movies or TV dramas, where an actor plays two, three, or more characters at once? Every shot that appears in a scene bringing together characters played by the same actor is filmed separately -- the actor appears in each shot wearing that character's costume and talking to the other character as if they were really standing right there. Afterward, these shots are merged together so the scene looks natural and believable, using specific computer programs designed for this purpose called "editing" or "video editing" software. The person responsible for all of this, who has the expertise to use these programs, is called a "film and video editor," or simply "the editor." They're one of the key players in filmmaking -- without them, movies or dramas would just be a pile of unordered footage with none of the exciting artistic touches added. The editor is responsible for the final shape of the film or drama. They choose the best shots and scenes that were filmed, then arrange them according to the director's vision and the work's script -- cutting and removing footage that doesn't serve the story, and rearranging scenes so the film makes sense and flows coherently rather than randomly. Then they finish their remarkable work by adding the music and sound and visual effects the director requests, so that they and their colleagues can ultimately deliver an exciting, gripping piece of art worth watching.
Meet the Writer: Waleed Abo Omiraa
What You'll Actually Do
The core tasks and responsibilities that fill a typical day.
- Cut shot sequences to different angles at specific points in scenes, making each individual cut as fluid and seamless as possible.
- Study scripts to become familiar with production concepts and requirements.
- Edit films and videotapes to insert music, dialogue, and sound effects, to arrange films into sequences, and to correct errors, using editing equipment.
- Select and combine the most effective shots of each scene to form a logical and smoothly running story.
- Verify key numbers and time codes on materials.
- Organize and string together raw footage into a continuous whole according to scripts or the instructions of directors and producers.
- Review assembled films or edited videotapes on screens or monitors to determine if corrections are necessary.
- Program computerized graphic effects.
- Review footage sequence by sequence to become familiar with it before assembling it into a final product.
- Set up and operate computer editing systems, electronic titling systems, video switching equipment, and digital video effects units to produce a final product.
- Manipulate plot, score, sound, and graphics to make the parts into a continuous whole, working closely with people in audio, visual, music, optical, or special effects departments.
- Supervise and coordinate activities of workers engaged in film editing, assembling, and recording activities.
- Trim film segments to specified lengths and reassemble segments in sequences that present stories with maximum effect.