Three Ingredients

One of the things I used to look forward to be about being an editor was knowing the art of being an ambassador. You start as a translator, but as you get to know the other worlds with which you must interact, experience makes you an ambassador. I had this romantic notion that the editor sits mid-way between the worlds of ‘Story’ and ‘Commerce’ in the land of ‘Technology.’

Sometimes the ways of Commerce need to be explained to the world of Story. Sometimes the truth about Technology needs to be understood by Commerce. I thought that the editor should be prepared to think like the director when debating with the producer and vice versa. I now see that there’s no time for this sort of debate. The editor is there to implement the director’s vision using technology in order for the producer to reach the audience they want.

Editors need to understand the way directors see the film, producers see the film and what is possible to implement with the given technology.

I’m still interested in the combination of story, commerce and technology. I suppose all descisions made on a film will be influenced by at least one of these ingredients…