Film editing is the process of selecting and arranging shots to create a coherent and compelling narrative in a movie. It’s crucial because it shapes the pace, tone, and overall storytelling of a film, impacting how the audience perceives and emotionally connects with the story.

In the beginning of film, there was no editing. It was a single shot, taken from a single static camera. The fascination with a “moving image” was enough and using the medium to tell fictional stories was still a few years away. Even then, film editing simply involved cutting from one scene to the next. 

The movie editing process goes through stages, similar to writing a college term paper. Writing a college term paper consists of getting an idea, writing the rough draft, doing a revision, and then creating the final version. Editing has different stages that an editor has to go through these stages: logging and assembly, the first rough cut, the main edit, and the fine cut. This editing process is only an example of the procedure because every movie editor, like anyone, has his or her own procedure or routine that he or she follows.

The film editing process falls to the film editor, also called the video editor in video production. How much creative license the editor actually has depends on the individual production. The film director might even edit themselves, especially for short films, or assist in the process to realize the director’s vision.

Film editing techniques: Standard cut, L cut, J cut, Match cut, Cutting on action, Jump cut, Transitions, Parallel editing, Cutaway shots and cut ins, Montage.