Editing Forum?

Eric Boellner

Eric Boellner

Well-known member
I was just wondering if there is a specific forum for editing as an art, or as a subset of filmmaking? I've noticed there are forums for different editing software and platforms, but none that I've seen for editing in general. If the mods could direct me to whatever would be the most appropriate place for discussion on the craft and art of editing, I would greatly appreciate it.

Thanks!
Michael
 
For what it's worth, I would like to make the following argument for an editing forum, knowing full well that this issue has been brought up before.

DVXuser has become, at least in my estimation, the leading on-line resource for indie filmmakers. It has transcended the technical and delved into the theory and practice of filmmaking as a whole.

NLE's are a tool, and learning how they work is obviously helpful. But knowing how to use an NLE does not make you an editor anymore than knowing how to cut things with a scalpel makes you a surgeon, or knowing how to use a hammer makes you a carpenter.

Editing is about pace, tension, dynamics, drama, relationships and above all, learning how to maximize what you have to tell an effective story. That craft is about recognizing opportunities in the context of the story, and making singular, far-reaching and intentional choices. You don't learn those things by reading that Apple>F8 switches your external monitor in FCP.

Editing is the last chance we have to do the best job we can with the raw materials this site teaches us how to gather. It is also a skill any director/filmmaker should understand, even if they don't want to edit, so they can supply the best raw materials they can.

We have everything else. Why not the thing that puts all the pieces together?
 
Jim Brennan said:
For what it's worth, I would like to make the following argument for an editing forum, knowing full well that this issue has been brought up before.

DVXuser has become, at least in my estimation, the leading on-line resource for indie filmmakers. It has transcended the technical and delved into the theory and practice of filmmaking as a whole.

NLE's are a tool, and learning how they work is obviously helpful. But knowing how to use an NLE does not make you an editor anymore than knowing how to cut things with a scalpel makes you a surgeon, or knowing how to use a hammer makes you a carpenter.

Editing is about pace, tension, dynamics, drama, relationships and above all, learning how to maximize what you have to tell an effective story. That craft is about recognizing opportunities in the context of the story, and making singular, far-reaching and intentional choices. You don't learn those things by reading that Apple>F8 switches your external monitor in FCP.

Editing is the last chance we have to do the best job we can with the raw materials this site teaches us how to gather. It is also a skill any director/filmmaker should understand, even if they don't want to edit, so they can supply the best raw materials they can.

We have everything else. Why not the thing that puts all the pieces together?
Click to expand...

Great argument.
 
Users could put clips up of their editing works in progress. People would chime in and say what a good job they did. Honest criticism would be discouraged because we don't want to hurt anybody's feelings. You know, like in little league baseball - everybody gets a trophy. It's going to be an awesome and valuable forum.
 
milksac said:
Users could put clips up of their editing works in progress. People would chime in and say what a good job they did. Honest criticism would be discouraged because we don't want to hurt anybody's feelings. You know, like in little league baseball - everybody gets a trophy. It's going to be an awesome and valuable forum.
Click to expand...

you can do this in the user films section now.
 
Zak Forsman said:
you can do this in the user films section now.
Click to expand...
True, but that forum also discusses writing, cinematography, directing, etc...all of which have their own forums.

milksac said:
Users could put clips up of their editing works in progress. People would chime in and say what a good job they did. Honest criticism would be discouraged because we don't want to hurt anybody's feelings. You know, like in little league baseball - everybody gets a trophy. It's going to be an awesome and valuable forum.
Click to expand...
Well, I don't know what will happen with the forum. I am sure that there are those who are all about back slapping, and there are some who come with their claws out. Most of us fall in the middle. But no matter how you speculate about what might happen, I find it odd that a site that discusses, acting, writing, cinematography, directing and art direction as crafts does not have a forum for editing as a craft. We have separate forums for hardware and do not assume that cameras are the same as cinematography. Why do we assume that knowledge of an editing tool is the same as the knowledge of editing?
 
+1

Jim Brennan said:
For what it's worth, I would like to make the following argument for an editing forum, knowing full well that this issue has been brought up before.

DVXuser has become, at least in my estimation, the leading on-line resource for indie filmmakers. It has transcended the technical and delved into the theory and practice of filmmaking as a whole.

NLE's are a tool, and learning how they work is obviously helpful. But knowing how to use an NLE does not make you an editor anymore than knowing how to cut things with a scalpel makes you a surgeon, or knowing how to use a hammer makes you a carpenter.

Editing is about pace, tension, dynamics, drama, relationships and above all, learning how to maximize what you have to tell an effective story. That craft is about recognizing opportunities in the context of the story, and making singular, far-reaching and intentional choices. You don't learn those things by reading that Apple>F8 switches your external monitor in FCP.

Editing is the last chance we have to do the best job we can with the raw materials this site teaches us how to gather. It is also a skill any director/filmmaker should understand, even if they don't want to edit, so they can supply the best raw materials they can.

We have everything else. Why not the thing that puts all the pieces together?
Click to expand...
 
Jim Brennan said:
For what it's worth, I would like to make the following argument for an editing forum, knowing full well that this issue has been brought up before.

DVXuser has become, at least in my estimation, the leading on-line resource for indie filmmakers. It has transcended the technical and delved into the theory and practice of filmmaking as a whole.

NLE's are a tool, and learning how they work is obviously helpful. But knowing how to use an NLE does not make you an editor anymore than knowing how to cut things with a scalpel makes you a surgeon, or knowing how to use a hammer makes you a carpenter.

Editing is about pace, tension, dynamics, drama, relationships and above all, learning how to maximize what you have to tell an effective story. That craft is about recognizing opportunities in the context of the story, and making singular, far-reaching and intentional choices. You don't learn those things by reading that Apple>F8 switches your external monitor in FCP.

Editing is the last chance we have to do the best job we can with the raw materials this site teaches us how to gather. It is also a skill any director/filmmaker should understand, even if they don't want to edit, so they can supply the best raw materials they can.

We have everything else. Why not the thing that puts all the pieces together?
Click to expand...

Great post, Jim. I think it's actually good that the site started with the technicals and then (hopefully) will spread into the craft. When you start with the craft, it's hard to get beyond theory and into real world activity.
 
milksac said:
Users could put clips up of their editing works in progress. People would chime in and say what a good job they did. Honest criticism would be discouraged because we don't want to hurt anybody's feelings. You know, like in little league baseball - everybody gets a trophy. It's going to be an awesome and valuable forum.
Click to expand...

I'd be happy to hurt someone's feelings if it gets us an editing subforum.

</sarcasm>
 
I'd be very happy with an editing forum, I don't know anything like as much as I'd like about the art and craft of editing.
And I'd have no problems with someone saying "that edit is a heap of dog poo" provided they also said "because of this and this" and provided they also said "if you do this and this it won't be a heap of dog poo"
Dave
 
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