Do you cut differently in HD versus film?

Not really. The difference in editing comes from the tool that one uses, not what it was shot on. As an example, editing on a linear tape system is vastly different from a nonlinear format like Avid or Final Cut Pro. The biggest difference is that one is more inclined to block out broad strokes of a story on a nonlinear system and then go back to finesse afterwards. Linear systems tend to make you want to clean things up as you go along.

Is there a tendency for more footage/coverage when a show originates in HD versus 35mm?

When HD first was being used as a shooting medium, there appeared to be an enormous increase in volume. Now, I am not so sure. On a film project last winter, it seemed like the volume was similar to that generated by crews using HD. The general tendency is that there is more material shot, no matter what it originates on.

One theory is that the tendency for shorter shoot and prep times leaves a crew scrambling to get a script shot; consequently more tape or film gets pumped through the cameras.

How does that affect you?

The obvious impact on an editor is that there is more material to sift through – not always more good material. But the editor needs to go through it to become familiar with what is available, which takes time. More material equals more time.

How has an HD workflow changed the way editors work in the room – i.e. less or more assistants, less or more mentoring for young editors, more hard drives, etc.?

HD has not affected this a great deal.

Do you find yourself doing more than editing a show? Such as doing some color correction and working more with FX shots in progress?

As computer-based editing systems become more advanced, the toolset available becomes increasingly complex. Time limitations dictate that we don’t get into a huge amount of color correction and FX – though we do some – but basic keying, placing images into monitors and working with multiple images onscreen are common. All of these FX then are recreated in the online, with tweaking as needed.

Also, editors tend to do what we call temp mixes – adding sound effects and temp music to a cut – [which] dresses it up for the client to screen. These audio sketches are often used by the composer and sound editors as a guide for their work.

Since you have a lot of realtime capabilities, do you have more options for a scene or sequence? Or, sometimes too many?

It used to be that an editor would do an assembly using a work print made from the camera negative. We would then do notes using that cut. As each successive version was edited, the previous one was ‘destroyed,’ or pulled apart (literally) to make the new cut.

Now, with computers, the editor can save each successive version of a scene – often going back to the original after reviewing. I think most editors would never balk at having more options.

Does HD resolution affect the choices you make?

It used to be that digital pictures were like Lego blocks. Yes, resolution does affect [choices]. Sometimes an edit is about a motion of something, but I love being able to see clearly what is going on on an actor’s face. *