Fine Cuts: The Art of European Film Editing

Introduction

The fascinating odyssey of investigating and appreciating the lives and careers of more than two dozen editors from across Europe has reminded me of my own initiation into the craft. Many of my contributors entered the cutting room by accident rather than intention. Certainly the majority did not choose editing as a career until after their initial experiences. Their innocence at the outset, even their naivety, may in some cases have made them better candidates for the job since, in my opinion, a lack of preconceptions gives the aspiring editor certain advantages.

Ironically, by the time I had graduated from university with a degree in sociology, which had been a strange diversion from reality, I knew categorically that I had to ...