Editing's Invisible Power

Modern editing has become so sophisticated that audiences rarely notice it. The average shot length in contemporary films is around four seconds, compared to twelve seconds in the 1960s. This acceleration happened gradually, and audiences adapted without conscious awareness.

Action films push editing to extremes. Mad Max: Fury Road contains approximately 2,700 cuts in two hours, yet the action feels coherent because editor Margaret Sixel centered every composition on the same screen area. Your eye never needs to search for the important element.

The paradox of great editing is that it succeeds by disappearing. If you notice a cut, the editor has failed.