Talking pictures : how they are made and how to appreciate them (1937)

Editing the Film of stories, the preparation of sets, costumes, and research, or with the final step of laboratory and editing technique. It is necessary for the student of photoplay evaluation to understand the problems of the "cutter" or "film editor," and the film laboratory technician. Very few people are sufficiently trained to know when these professionals, who work without the emphasis of publicity have done successful work. But bad film editing, as we shall see, can easily nullify fine direction and fine acting. It goes hand in hand with good laboratory technique, but this latter phase will be studied separately. The minimum "after photography" period is two months. However, when intricate special effects were required, pictures have taken as many as two years between the end of photography and the final shipping of "release prints" to the theatres. For color photography the time needed for completion is much longer than for the black and white medium. Before the picture starts, a "cutter" is assigned. "Cutter" is his studio name, but he has a more formal title, that of film editor, which more clearly defines his function. The editor in a newspaper uses periods, commas, and semicolons to increase the written power of a newspaper article. A film editor arranges and rearranges close-ups, medium shots, angle shots, reverse shots, and long-shots to give the picture story he assembles, scene by scene, maximum dramatic emphasis. The film editor receives and places in flat metal boxes, two exposed and developed films for every scene taken. These boxes are filed on shelves in his cutting room. The [217]