photo by dbuc
Things have been crazy for the past 4 weeks with this special, non-freelance project I’ve been working on. But after tonight (our last day of shooting), I’ll be in the home stretch – the editing phase. Which means for the next few days, I’ll get little sleep and even less sunlight. Woohoo.
But honestly, as tiring and draining as editing can be, it’s still worth it for the rush you get when you start to see the pieces all coming together.
So as I’m about to say goodbye to my social life and enter the editing room once again, I thought I’d share an editing tip that has always been absolutely crucial to every project I’ve ever done…
Get a fresh pair of eyes to give you honest, critical feedback.
This might sound like a no-brainer, but you’d be surprised how many filmmakers just gloss over this step. Any artist, from musicians to writers, spends hours and hours working on their piece and thinking about it from every possible angle. Before you know it, it’s hour 68 and your head’s so far into your project that you can’t see it for what it is anymore. You’re seeing your initial concepts, the angle that you really liked, that one line and oh how that delivery was just so perfect…but none of that may add up what’s actually sitting in front of you. So you need to show some fresh eyes.
Show someone who has no experience in film.
Think about this first: who’s your target audience? Most likely, it’s just gonna be your average joe schmoe who enjoys watching TV or movies for fun. So show your rough cut to your non-film major, non-advertising friends. Instead of analyzing your every camera move and how you’re personifying the brand, your normal buddies will watch the cut the way it’s intended to be watched.
Show someone who knows nothing about your project.
You gotta get feedback from someone who hasn’t already read your script or heard the idea. Otherwise they’ll have the same problem you do, not being able to see the piece for what it is. Get a fresh, untainted perspective.
Encourage not only honesty, but also negative feedback.
This is the one chance you’ll get to fix any problems, so squeeze every single criticism and complaint out of them. I always tell them, “This is a rough cut that’ll change completely anyways” so they don’t feel bad about telling me what’s not working. You’ve got to get over your fear of creative rejection. Trust me, you’ll want to hear the negative feedback now, not later when you’ve already shipped the DVDs to your client.
Show someone who has experience in film.
Now that you’ve heard from the general audience, it’s time to talk to someone about the specific details.
Show more than one person.
Don’t just show your girlfriend and your roommate, branch out and try to get some different opinions from different people. And try to show people individually and not in big groups. Group think is a killer.
Remember that these are just opinions. In the end of the day, you’re still the one making the cuts. Even if you don’t use any of their feedback, just rest easy knowing that you’ve weighed the options and seen other perspectives, and are now ready to make your final decisions.
I’ll definitely be relying on a lot of fresh eyes over the next few days. But right now, it’s time for me to put on my directing shoes and go finish this shoot. Probably the last time I’ll see the outside world for a little while. Wish me luck guys.
