Final Cut Express 2 Editing Workshop, 2nd Edition

Introduction

What Is Editing?

Video or film production is based on the notion of time, usually linear time of a fixed length. Whether it is 10 minutes, 30 minutes, one hour, two hours, or more, the film is seen as a single event of fixed duration. On the other hand, time within the film itself is infinitely malleable. Events can happen quickly: we fly from one side of the world to another, from one era to a different century, in the blink of an eye. Or every detail and every angle can be slowed down to add up to a far greater amount than the true expanse of time—or seen again and again.

Because film and video production are based on the notion of time, the process of editing, controlling time and space within the story, is of paramount importance. ...