The Art of Editing

What happens when 4 film-makers edit the same footage

· Filming,Insights

Last week I took part in an experiment with a group of fellow film-makers. Each of us is influenced in our work by the Inner View Method and we were curious about what would happen if we all edited the same footage to each create a short film.

We agreed the film would be 6 minutes, or less. And we had the same 22 minutes of footage to work with. That was it. No other requirement.

For me, although I had been excited at the idea, when it came to actually doing it all sorts of inner gremlins emerged. Would I be good enough, what if I was seen for the impostor that I really am, what if I got it wrong! So, I emailed the group, mainly for my own benefit but probably theirs too, to emphasise that this was not a competition but an experiment, or enquiry. That immediately felt better.

On Friday four of us had films ready to share during our weekly zoom call.

It was amazing. A revelation. Each was different. We'd noticed different things in the footage which had informed our editing decisions. It became clear that we each have our own style and approach to this work. We worked as artists with raw material. What we created was our own individual expression of what we saw. Each one beautiful. Yet, unique.

Once again, here's that theme of different perspectives. We each viewed it from our own perspective, and each as equally valid as the next. Just a different view.

Can you think of a time in your life where a group of people have each had a different view of the same thing? What was the outcome? Was it a celebration of diversity or a competition with winners and losers?