Skill-Builder 3.2: Collaborative Scene – Edit and Review

Overview:

This Skill-Builder presents another opportunity to practice the editing process and tools we’ve covered so far. As with your previous edit of the Card Game Scene (Skill-Builder 2.2: Card Game Scene – Edit and Review), begin by using three-point editing to construct a rough Assemble 1 of your Collaborative Scene. Then, use Segment mode editing and the Trim tools to construct a more refined Assemble 2 of your Collaborative Scene. Once you’re satisfied with the visual storytelling in your second Assemble edit, seek feedback from your training group, friends and family.

Detailed Instructions:

1. Import Media

1. 1. Launch your editing software and open the “Editing Exercises” project. 
   2. In the Project dialogue window, double-click on the Media Bin and create a new sub-Bin named “Skill-Builder Collaborative Scene Media” (or a name appropriate to the activity you filmed). 
   3. Using the Media Browser, Import the footage you shot into this new Bin.

2. Log Your Footage 

1. 1. Download and make a copy of this Blank Shot Log and label it “Collaborative Scene Shot Log.”
   2. Log each Clip by its file number, Timecode, Shot Type and a description of the content. 

3. Assemble 1 – Collaborative Scene

Use Three-point and Segment mode editing to assemble the Shots in an order that effectively communicates the story of the collaborative activity. 

1. 1. Create a sequence for your edit. Label it “Assemble 1 – Collaborative Scene” and put it in the Sequences Bin, inside a new sub-folder labeled “Skill-Builder Collaborative Scene Sequences”. 
   2. This is a silent film, so be sure to mute your audio. 
   3. Your Assemble edit is meant to be rough – focus on selecting and ordering Shots to build a strong storytelling structure. 
   4. Once you are satisfied with Assemble 1, make a copy of the Sequence and label it “Assemble 2 – Collaborative Scene.”

4. Assemble 2 – Collaborative Scene

1. 1. Use the ‘Rolling’ and ‘Ripple’ Trim tools to refine the durations of your Shots and to smooth out transitions in your edit. 
   2. Complete your Assemble 2 with the goal of creating a final Scene that runs 1-2 minutes and includes a clear beginning, middle and end, with smooth visual continuity.
   3. Once your edit is complete, export your Sequence.

5. Review

1. 1. Gather either online or in person to screen and discuss each group member’s edit, one at a time.
   2. Provide feedback on the following points:
      1. Has the editor selected the correct Shots to effectively communicate the story of the activity?
      2. Are the Shots arranged in an engaging order that builds the story from one moment to the next?
      3. Is there any visual repetitiveness due to overuse of similar Shots?
      4. Are the Shots of an Optimal Duration, neither too short to convey their meaning nor too long that they become boring?
      5. Are the transitions between the Shots smooth so that they don’t call attention to themselves?
      6. Is there anything else in the edit that draws attention to itself in a way that distracts you from the subject’s activity?
      7. Does the Scene tell a story with a beginning, middle and end?

Keep the discussion focused on the goals of this exercise and avoid issues that have not yet been covered in the modules.

Review Sessions Setup and Feedback Guide

In-Person Review Session Setup:

– Ideally, use a projector or large screen connected to a single computer to display each person’s work.
– If the exercise includes sound, connect speakers to the computer’s audio output.
– Each group member should bring their footage, exported Sequence, or written document on an external drive compatible with the main computer.
– For efficient playback, use video software like VLC.
– If reviewing footage, avoid playing individual clips one at a time. Instead, compile all clips in the order they were shot into a Sequence using editing software such as Adobe Premiere.
– This compiled Sequence can either be played directly in the editing software or exported and played via VLC.

Online Review Session Setup:

– Option 1: If all group members are joining by computer, each person can share their screen to present a written document, footage, or Sequence—either played from a video player like VLC or directly from editing software.
– Option 2: If some group members are joining by phone instead of by computer, they should upload their written document, footage or Sequence to a file-sharing platform (like Google Drive) before the session. A designated group member can then share their screen during the meeting to present the submitted work, either from a browser or downloaded files.

Healthy Approaches to Feedback:

Giving Feedback:

The filmmaker needs your fresh perspective on their work. Focus your feedback on what you see, learn, and feel. Be specific. If something isn’t clear, tell them what you are curious or uncertain about rather than suggesting fixes.

For example, instead of saying:
– “You should have gotten a Close Up (CU) of the book in his hands,” it is more helpful to say, “I don’t fully understand what he’s reading. How could you have communicated that to me?”

Instead of:
– “The duration of the Shots are too short throughout this section of the edit,” say “I’m feeling frustrated in this section of the edit because I don’t feel like I get to experience what is going on. How can you help me feel more engaged with the story here?”

Rather than:
– “Cut this Scene from your Treatment because it repeats what we experience in an earlier Scene,” say “The fourth Scene feels to me like a repeat of the second Scene. Why are you including the fourth Scene? What does it add to the story?”

As you give feedback, remember that some of our most valuable learning comes from watching and discussing other people’s work. You can often learn as much, if not more, about how to improve your own work from the feedback you give others about their work.

Receiving Feedback:

Feedback helps you understand how others experience your work – mirroring the likely response of your future audience. Their fresh perspectives are one of the most effective ways to learn how to improve the impact of your work.

When presenting your work, let it speak for itself without preemptive explanations or excuses. Similarly, after receiving feedback, resist the urge to explain or defend your choices. Instead, focus on listening, taking notes, and asking questions to make sure you fully understand the feedback.

Return to Curriculum