Anyone Interested In Editing Movies Should Watch This Video Essay

Updated: Jan 22, 2023

This video essay completely changed the way I edited my next film.

That’s why I believe anyone interested in editing movies should watch: Walter Murch’s Six Criteria While Editing

Here are my 6 reasons why this video can help you start editing your first (or next film):

Reason #1: Walter Murch’s insights on editing are truly valuable.

He explains his six criteria for what’s going on in his head when he’s putting a film together.

He talks about the importance of emotion, story, rhythm, eye trace, 180-degree rule, and 3D continuity of space.

A good editor must have some sense of how to tell a story, and that involves a sense of rhythm.

He compares it to telling a good joke, where the timing is crucial for it to be funny.

Murch also emphasizes the importance of understanding where the audience’s eye is at any one point.

As an editor, you have to have a pretty good intuition about where the audience is looking at any one point, just like a magician does.

It’s about how to represent the three dimensional world (our life) in two dimensions (on screen).

He says that the best thing you can do as an editor who is trying to learn how to edit: is to edit.

And now, with the internet, there is a lot of material that you can download and practice editing with.

He talks about the technical aspects of editing, and the emotional & creative side of it.

The editor’s role is to cut the film, and to shape it into a story that evokes emotions in the audience.

When I first watched this video essay, it changed the way I think about editing for film.

Walter Murch’s holistic approach to editing makes this video essay a great watch for both beginners and experienced editors.