Post-Production

Michael Teisan I really appreciate you breaking down the reality of the assistant editor track. It’s an incredibly important role and skill set, but you’re absolutely right that it can lean heavily technical. Your advice to start editing immediately and consistently build a reel is so important. At the end of the day, editors get hired off of what they can show, and the more you’re actively cutting, experimenting, and putting work out there, the faster you’re developing your voice and proving your ability. This is a great reminder that there isn’t just one “correct” path, it’s about being intentional about where you want to go and making sure your day-to-day work is actually supporting that goal.

Is there anything from your time as an assistant editor that you feel gave you an unexpected advantage once you stepped into a full editor role?

Ashley Renée Smith I wouldn't say unexpected, but there definitely are advantages to starting out as an AE. I've worked with editors who couldn't even transcode a file. So yeah, having some technical chops is really helpful, but the odds of you being promoted to editor within that company are pretty low for the first couple years. That's why I recommend just taking editing jobs from the start if that's what you want to do.

Great guidance! Thanks for sharing this Michael Teisan.

Assistant editor is a technical role, not a junior creative one! You learn systems, not storytelling. If editing is the goal, just edit. Shoot anything, cut anything, post constantly. The pigeonhole risk is real. Build your own reel, not someone else's assembly.

Yes, in the past assistant editors were working with film and sitting right next to the editor, they would learn all the tricks and learn to become an editor from that. Now everything is electronic and so many post positions are remote these days that you aren't even working in the same room as the editors anymore

Rakesh Malik Great question! "Fix it in post" is every editors favorite phrase! Just kidding. Was your first skills of focus VFX? If not then what? Just curious. I have so much respect for a great VFX artist. It's never been my forte, but I was around a ton of those types of artists while I was going to school for post production. I took a few classes for After Effects so I have a small picture of what it takes. There's so much to it and so much more than just After Effects.

Rakesh Malik To your question, we just launched Aerith Corp and we're developing a VFX suite called Avé that uses quantum computing to solve VFX. We're developing the applications within feature films, the first two being Slayer and Dark Veil. Avé wsoft ill create much faster and more accurate simulations and renders than currently possible, due to the quantum processes. Initially, we'll be working on increasing path tracing and shadow denoising. After that, Avé will go into a public beta testing phase. To your note about post, "fix it in post" is something you hear on a megabudget set just before the person uttering the phrase is fired. I hear it a lot on mid and lower tier productions when the people saying it just assume it's an easy thing to do later and don't have the money to reshoot something.

As someone who isn't well versed in VFX, this is useful info. The "fix it in post" mindset sounds like a trap. Planning ahead makes sense even if you don't know the technical side. Good to keep in mind for any project!

Michael Teisan I started in photography and migrated into cinematography before diving into VFX in a serious way. I've never used AfterFX; the VFX industry globally is almost universally based on Houdini, Maya, and Nuke, FYI.

Sam Rivera A lot of indie filmmakers fall into "fix it in post" mentality because they don't plan ahead, and a lot of megabudget filmmakers fall into it because they don't have to care about the budget -- or about the artists who have to make up for the executives' lack of planning.

I agree. That said, not all 24 or 48 hour film challenges are equal; for example, Vancouver's Run n Gun fest allows filmmakers an additional few days after the submission deadline to complete sound design, color grading, and VFX provided that the locked edit is submitted on time. And they do check the updated versions; if the edit changes at all, the new version is disqualified.

Rakesh Malik How much time do you think is best? Would a month be a good amount?

For a quality short film? Yes, I think a month is a good target. The secret to pulling it off is to learn to scope the film to the target timetable; don't try to make a 30-minute short from start to finish in one month, target a 10-minute short. The other area where a lot of newbie filmmakers drop the ball is post, because they skip the planning part entirely and quite often don't account for post. I've run into directors and producers who didn't heed my advice to buy hard disks before shooting, so it took days just to get them the footage in order to even begin editing. A lot also drop the ball on workflow; if you don't know how you're getting your edit to your colorist, you will run into problems. If you don't know how you'll be sharing your work with your VFX artists, you're going to run into more problems. And don't pretend that your editor is your colorist; most editors "color grade" using LUTs, which is putting creative decisions for your film in the hands of someone making generic LUTs for influencers and wedding videographers and podcasters.

Taking it back to the classics, I think the editing and VFX of the original Star Wars trilogy are pure mastery. The combination of practical and special effects, mixed with the rise of the technology at the time, created a monumental shift in the industry and paved the way for modern storytelling. The editing subconsciously tells the story while letting the characters and themes shine, which, to me, is what good editing is all about.

Look out for our VFX work on "HACKS S5" HBO. Very challenging work. "F1", "Sinners". where high on my list this year for VFX execution.

Amanda Toney it was one of my least favorite movie in years too. You're not the only person who admits this.it was disappointing big time.Great period sets and lavish wardrobe budget but it does not work.

Amanda, I always find it interesting how editing defines the audience’s sense of tension and immersion. Quick cuts can create urgency, but it’s really the control of rhythm and timing that shapes how a scene is felt.

It mirrors how I approach tension in writing — not just what happens, but how long a moment is held before it shifts.

I've only heard good things about the movie. I'll have to watch it.

Timothy Miller I love how you framed VFX as the fixers and colorists as the painters. That distinction makes it immediately understandable, and it really highlights why the order of operations matters so much. If the image isn’t clean before it hits color, you’re asking the colorist to work around problems instead of focusing on shaping the emotional tone. Also, calling out the workflow inside Resolve is great, because more and more teams are navigating that balance between keeping everything in one ecosystem versus handing off across departments.

I later discovered that "invisible VFX" is more commonly known as paint or a paint fix in the post world. Gaining a better grasp of that process, along with color correction, has really heightened my understanding of the workflow. I'm looking forward to broadening my video editing skills for the future!

Ashley Renée Smith

The field of Invisible VFX is huge. Paint effects is, to be honest, only a small part of it. Set extensions, sky replacements, matte paintings, virtual environments... the list is nigh endless.

Workflow wise, I composite in Nuke mostly.

Good breakdown. Invisible VFX fixes what the audience should never notice—cleanup before grade. Color is for emotion, not fixes. What's the most surprising thing you've had to paint out?

Thank you so much for sharing, Pat Alexander!

While I understand that you’re saying and editor should interpret the intentions of the script, not just the literal words on the page, you have to start somewhere. Editing is a process. You never “get it right the first time.”

I agree that it's important to understand a directors vision. In my experience as an editor, the biggest hurdle that makes the editing take longer is if the producer and the director are not on the same page. Then you have to serve as a mediator and convince the producer that the directors vision makes sense by showing them a cut of a scene they might want to get rid of that blows them away. Even then there will be changes. To me it's not about getting it right the first time, it's about learning, being as efficient as possible, and realizing the vision of the project. A lot of times, the director won't even have a specific vision of the exact cut he wants and it's your job to help him figure out what he wants and to take charge of your creative decisions via your rough cut. Sometimes you have to say no and prove to him or her or them that the cut makes more sense in the way you put it together by showing your version of the cut. If you're any good, and the director can see that, then he may like your idea and run with it.

Sachin Moyal (SMED), this is such a sharp observation, and honestly, so true.

That gap between what’s on the page and what’s intended emotionally is where so many revision rounds come from. A strong editor isn’t just assembling scenes, they’re interpreting meaning, tone, and subtext. I think one of the best ways to tell if an editor “gets it” is in the conversation before the cut even happens. Do they ask thoughtful questions? Do they reflect your intent back to you in a way that feels accurate? Do they challenge anything in a way that shows they’re thinking about the story, not just the timeline?