Editing is a grueling job, and those long hours sweating over tiny details can turn it into one you get less and less excited to do. But it doesn't have to be this way. In fact, there are many things you can do to simplify your editorial approach and creative philosophy so you're able to maintain your passion, as well as your sanity. In this video, editor Justin Odisho shares six "rules" that, if followed, can drastically change the way you view your projects, your workday, and your career as a whole. Check it out below:

Here are the tips Odisho mentions in the video:

  • 80% of your transitions are going to be cuts and fades:  Sure, occasionally you're going to bust out a stylish transition for a music video or something, but most of the time you'll be using cuts and fades. You'd be wise to master them.
  • Simple minimalistic text titles are just fine: If you're not proficient in graphic design, you might be sweating over your titles, but you really don't have to. Simple text titles are totally acceptable.
  • Less is more: Editing is more about what you're taking out than what you're putting in. This goes for footage, effects, and transitions. So, before you try to flex your creative muscle and throw every trick you've got at your project, remember that sometimes less is more.
  • Take breaks: Editing is not a 9-to-5 gig. Sometimes you'll be staring at your screen for 12, 14, 16 hours per day for months, and with that kind of immersion in a project, it's absolutely necessary to walk away from your computer, go be a human, recharge, and come back with fresh eyes.
  • Editing relies on your source material: It's super important to be on the same page with your director (if you can) because if you're handed stinky garbage footage, you're only going to be able to give back a slightly less stinky garbage edit.
  • Know the rules so you can break them: We all want to be cowboys and break all of the rules, but the fact is, cowpoke, that you need to know the rules before you can break 'em. And if you do decide to break some rules, know why you're doing it.

What are some other helpful rules/tenants/axioms for editors? Let us know down in the comments.

 

Source: Justin Odisho

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Editing & Post-Production