Editors working outside their comfort zone genre is such an underrated recipe for masterpiece filmmaking.
They always bring this wild, fresh storytelling style that completely flips the standard tropes on their head, dazzling the audience with the unexpected approaches taken in each scene to tell it's story, having a new experience in a genre they have seen hundreds of times.
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Mohamed Rizk I completely agree. Stepping outside of a familiar genre can force editors to approach storytelling from a different perspective rather than relying on established patterns. That outside perspective can create unexpected pacing choices, emotional beats, and transitions that make a project feel fresh.
I’m curious from an editing standpoint, do you think the biggest advantage comes from the editor’s lack of attachment to the usual genre conventions, or from bringing techniques and instincts from other genres into the project? I’d love to hear examples of films where you feel this approach really elevated the storytelling.
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I completely agree. I think the same principle often applies to composers as well. When artists step outside their "comfort genre," they tend to rely less on established conventions and more on storytelling instincts. That fresh perspective can challenge expectations in ways that feel authentic rather than forced. Sometimes the most memorable creative choices come from someone who isn't trying to recreate what the genre has always done, but is simply serving the story first.
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Cyrus Sales from an editing standpoint, the lack of influence by the norm of a genre creates different decisions in every cut's place and the chosen shot and angle to show an emotion or an action or a hidden tip for the audience.
The way a comedy editor feels and uses the wide shot is totally different that the drama editor and a whole other thing for the horror editor. Each one of them uses the wide shot for a different purpose and it has different powers in each genre.
The move from that genre to another brings new perspectives and experiences across these different worlds.
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Francesco Marchetti totally agree, it is quiet magical and astonishing, like how children amazes you with how they do stuff or play with toys totally different than you and in a way that never came to your mind. Always mind blowing and always changes the way you feel or see things after.
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Mohamed Rizk This is a really interesting perspective. If I’m being honest, I haven’t given much thought to how the different genres influence editing choices and how those decisions change depending on the story being told.
I’m not new to editing or post-production, but I have found myself taking it more seriously and intentionally planting a flag in this area as my career path. This conversation has made me realize how much more deliberate I need to be with every edit, especially when considering the expectations and storytelling language of different genres.
The idea that the same shot can have completely different purposes depending on the genre is fascinating. A wide shot in a comedy, drama, or horror film isn’t just a technical choice, it carries a different emotional weight and communicates something different to the audience.
I think moving between genres is where editors can continue to grow because each style challenges you to approach pacing, shot selection, and storytelling from a different perspective. It’s a great reminder that every cut, angle, and moment on screen has a purpose beyond simply moving the story forward.