“Every block of stone has a statue inside it, and it is the task of the sculptor to discover it.” So said the 16th-century artist Michelangelo. Our block of stone is the footage - that much is clear - but we need to learn how to find the statue.
Where to Start
While putting together a puzzle, start with the edges. And so it goes with editing.
The goal of a rough cut is to make the best possible version of the Director’s original intentions. The Editor does not yet have permission to run wild with the material. That comes later in the process. When an Editor begins to build out the rough cut, there are specific rules they must follow. These rules are in place to allow the Director and the Editor the opportunity to see the story as it was initially planned. This stage will enable them to watch everything shot during production, hear every line of dialogue, and better understand if the original story order works as intended. Here are simple rules for a rough cut:
Rough Cut DOs and DON’Ts:
DO
Follow the script closely.
Use every camera angle that the Director filmed at least one time.
Use the shots as the Director intended to throughout the scene.
Make the film presentable without the Director “imagining” what it will be like.
DON’T
Don’t delete or rearrange any lines of dialogue.
Don’t shift scenes out of order from the script.
Don’t remove any scenes.