Before Editing:

If you have been filming using different devices, you will have to collect all this footage onto one device for editing. Creating back-ups of your footage may be a good idea as well, especially for large projects.

Editing Process:

• Assemble the shots in order
• Trim them so they roughly flow together (the rough cut)
• Edit the shots precisely, adjust the sound levels and add music and effects

Editing Techniques and Tips:

• Show just what the story needs, leave out unnecessary shots.
• Show something new with each edit: a new subject or a different view.
• Vary the shot size and angle. Don't jump between two very similar shots of the same thing.
• Use step shots between sizes. Use mid-size shots between extreme long shots and close-ups.
• Use master shots, long shots and extreme long shots, to orient the viewer.
• Use appropriate pacing. A shot should be on screen long enough for the viewer to understand, but not long enough for them to become bored.
• Use appropriate transitions. Dissolves can be used for slow transitions, such as in montages. Fades to black usually indicate the passage of time. Wipes and other unusual transitions are best avoided.
• Edit on the action. Make edits while an action is happening, rather than at the beginning or the end, so viewers concentrate on the action, not the edit.
• Don't cut moving shots to still shots. Avoid showing something moving in one shot and not in the next; show the movement coming to an end.