Overview of the role
The role of the editor for unscripted projects is an architect of compelling nonfiction storytelling. They are the director’s most important creative collaborator. In unscripted filmmaking the editor becomes the de facto writer as they build their sequences, assemblies and cuts.
Specific responsibilities may vary depending on the size and scope of the production, as well as the editor’s level of experience and the director’s style. The role required of the editor is to follow the director’s vision and to contribute their own ideas in order to achieve something greater than both people could achieve working separately.
The unscripted editor gets to review and choose from all of the building blocks that come into the project. As such, skills go beyond the technical and include a deep understanding of narrative structure and the ability to connect with audiences on an emotional level.
It is important the editor understands the whole production process (and their role within it) from pre-production to final post-production. Sometimes skills and responsibilities will overlap. For example organising your project is an expected task and being organised is an expected skill.
Core responsibilities
These core responsibilities are provided as a guide and are not exhaustive. The exact responsibilities in a particular job will vary depending on the scale / budget band / genre of the production.
- Overall project organisation (aka housekeeping!). This means keeping track of all the project assets as they come in - or ensuring your assistant is keeping track!
- Important elements should be clearly named and easily found including camera rushes, archive, music, graphics, exports and viewing cuts. Keeping track of previous versions is essential because often you have to double back to check what you had before changing things!
- Review rushes, archive, UGC, music and GFX. The editor will review (in as much detail as time allows) all materials coming into the edit.
- Make selects from rushes, archive, UGC and music. The editor will have a system for selecting and organising various clips and music for possible use in building sequences. They will continuously bear in mind the director’s vision while looking for other creative possibilities.
- Assemble editing materials together to create story elements that can join together into a coherent narrative structure. Where necessary, identify areas that need clarification or additional footage. You will take the edit from sequences to rough cut(s) and then to fine cut(s) and finally to picture lock, responding to notes at every stage.
- Develop the overall narrative and thematic arc (along with the director). You’ll need to maintain editorial consistency throughout the documentary and be mindful to shape the character arcs and ensure a compelling character journey
- Strike a balance between informing and entertaining. Present facts and perspectives in a clear and concise manner while maintaining a captivating pace and visual style.
- Explore different creative approaches and perspectives to strengthen the storytelling. You’ll take creative decisions that consider emotion, pace, and flow of the documentary. You’ll experiment with ordering within scenes and re-ordering sequences. You’ll trim, splice, and refine the edited footage to enhance the narrative, pacing, and emotional impact.
- The editor is employed by the production company and is part of a team. Depending on the company size and culture; and the nature of the film-making, obligatory meetings might be very occasional or as frequent as daily.
- The editor will need to attend regular viewings to present their work. They must be able to answer questions around the stage of the edit.
- The editor must interpret and execute notes from the director, executive producer(s), commissioner(s), the financiers, major contributors, post supervisor, archive producer and assistant editor(s).
- As a head of department, the editor needs to be available to their assistant editor(s) in case they need support in any way or they need to report something.
Skills
Check out role specific skills, transferable skills and attributes for the role of editor (unscripted).
- Primary editing software package: the main four editing platforms are Avid Media Composer, Adobe Premiere Pro, Blackmagic DaVinci Resolve and Apple Final Cut Pro. Within each software there are a plethora of tools to become familiar which include but are not limited to: video effects and filters, audio mixing and filters, titling, trimming, resizing and moving, visual transitioning and colour correction.
- Other software: it’s useful but not critical to be comfortable using a variety of technical tools including: Photoshop (or similar), After Effects (or similar) or Audacity (or similar). And not forgetting the importance of keeping aware of the myriad AI tools coming down the line.
- Creativity and storytelling: you are responsible for taking the overall idea and bringing it to life. Therefore, either consciously or unconsciously, you’ll build up skills in storytelling and story structuring. You’ll continuously be expected to come up with your own ideas and to contribute creatively rather than just be told what to do. While film school certainly is not a prerequisite, a broad understanding of film and TV is usual and a deep understanding of the particular genre you wish to work in is expected.
- Organisational and Management: On almost all TV and film projects, you’ll have to deal with copious story-building materials coming from a variety of sources. Day-to-day you may be receiving new camera rushes, GoPro and drone footage, film archive (screeners and masters), archival stills, user-generated-content (UGC), music (commercial, library and specially composed) and graphics. When a film or episode is locked in the offline, it’s essential that all of the assets that compromise the timeline are clearly labelled and discoverable. Therefore it’s vital that you have an efficient system for organising all of these assets. A methodical approach to your Project organisation and awareness of your preferred workflow pays off over time. As your career progresses, leadership of small teams may become necessary and so being organised is vital.
- Communication: filmmaking is a team sport and although often long periods are spent working alone, you must be cooperative and collaborative in your attitude and approach.
- Listening/openness: you need to be open to try ideas and listen more than you speak.
- Diplomacy: sometimes there are competing interests about how to best tell a story.
- Persuasion: to ensure you get what you need from the director and from Production
- Maturity: AKA a thick skin! Remember - all feedback is about the film, not about you!
Editors are always passionate about documentary storytelling. Some have great aptitude for work with music, others with graphics, others again with complex narratives etc. Thankfully, there’s no single personality type for a documentary editor! However there are some common attributes:
- Documentary editors tend to be happy to work alone and ‘get on with it’.
- They are organised with their work.
- They remain calm under pressure.
- They are tenacious when it comes to figuring solutions.
- They are open to suggestions and trying out different options.
- They are sensitive to emotion and intellectual themes.
- They remain cool under pressure.
- They’re team players and compromise where necessary
Discover more checklists
Take a look at additional editor skills checklists