DOCUMENTARY EDITING & STRUCTURE

Most documentary directors and editors are familiar with the moment, after the shooting is complete, that they sit down in front of a mountain of material and think, Now what? The process of editing can be intimidating, and structuring your material is the key to successfully sharing your vision. Having a plan helps you to know not only what is essential, but what may be distracting to the overall project. In addition to general procedural tips we we’ll explore various approaches to structuring documentaries, including some strategies borrowed from fiction.