How we work: Walter Murch, sound designer/film editor

Murch stands when he edits.

One of the most important things he thinks every editor should do when chosing an out point for a shot, whatever their approach, is what he calls a 'flinch'. He rolls the shot and then hits the editing button when it feels instinctively right to turn away from that shot.

When he does this he logs the frame (or marks the neg with a grease pencil) where he stopped the clip, repeats the process and if he catches the same frame again he knows that was the right cut point. If he is out even by a couple of frames (there are 24 frames in a second of film), he knows that it wasn't quite right and he needs to look at that edit decision again.

"It's almost an involuntary flinch, an equivalent of the blink of the eye. That flinch point is where the shot will end," he says. "It's very similar to gunslinging. That's the reason I stand when I edit."

(quoted originally from a link now lost, itself citing The Conversations: Walter Murch and the Art of Editing Film)

More how we work.

Comments

[See Tshiung Han]

Novelist Phillip Roth also stands while he's working

"He works standing up, paces around while he's thinking and has said he walks half a mile for every page he writes"

Roth also doesn't work where he sleeps. This informs his formal consideration of the novel.

"What [the novelist] is doing is taking something that interests him in life and then solving the problem of the book - which is, How do you write about this? The engagement is with the problem that the book raises, not with the problems you borrow from living. Those aren't solved, they are forgotten in the gigantic problem of finding a way of writing about them."

What is resolved by writing is not clear. Perhaps the novel is the biggest and best thing to mute life's problems.

http://books.guardian.co.uk/review/story/0,12084,1300982,00.html

[anthony]

Hello,

My name is Anthony and as a hobbie i edit music/video/pictures just because i love editing.
I want to know if there is any information about how to get into a career of Film\ video\ audio\ or picture editing. And what steps i need to do before i can reach my goal of becomeing a Film\ video\ audio\ or picture editor.

Thank you very much for your time.

Anthony

[Cesa David]

my name cesa i m from indonesia.
i m a film editor since 1999.
until now, i already edited 5 feuture films,1 of them nomination for best editing in indonesia film festival 2005, more than 15 music videos and more then 20 TVC..
i really want to make relationship with anyone who love film. to discuss or who have plan to make a movie with indonesia film editor :)
thanks.