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Editing process The editing process from “Assembly Cut” to “Final Cut”
Video editing is best done in stages where you throw the footage together in an “Assembly Cut,” add in extras for the “Rough Cut,” and end up with a finished product called the “Final Cut.” Editing in this fashion will help the finished product have a consistent feel and save you from spending the first two hours editing the opening title slide, only to find out that the rest of movie really requires something different.

Assembly Cut
Your first pass over the movie will render an “assembly cut” in which all of the video clips are there but each scene needs to be trimmed down.

Rough Cut
Add the title, transitions, music, sound effects, and special effects to your assembly cut and you have your rough cut. Not everything has to be perfect in your rough cut but pretty close to finished. This is where, if you are so inclined, you will begin to show it to other people and solicit their suggestions.

Final Cut
Once you have watched it with others and honed the clips, title, and transitions, and gotten the music in just right, you have the “Final Cut.” Now you are ready to burn a DVD and/or send it electronically to the world.


This tip was created by author/educator Dan Greenwood.