The Practical Guide to Documentary Editing

The Cutting Room Relationship

“Half the job is doing the job, and the other half is finding ways to get along with people and tuning yourself in to the delicacy of the situation.”

—Walter Murch¹

There is one final piece of the editing jigsaw that we need to understand. It does not relate to the craft of the film in the most direct sense, though it is deeply connected to it. This is the relationship we form with our creative partners. On a professional level, we are working primarily for the director over and above the other creative contributors. It is the director who we must support (and protect) as rounds of viewings and the sometimes intemperate opinions of others threaten the balance of the film. It is the strength of the creative partnership ...