Editing and Performance

Editors shape performances as much as directors do. By selecting which take to use, when to cut to a reaction shot, and how long to hold on a face, the editor constructs a performance that may differ significantly from what happened on set.

The editor also controls what the audience sees during dialogue. Showing the speaker provides information; showing the listener provides emotion. The choice of where to look during a conversation determines whether a scene feels like an exchange of words or an exchange of feelings.