Why Does an Edit Feel Right? (According to Science)

[@akileshmuppainmath8263]

I feel so lucky to be part of this generation, we get precious things​ for free

[@salvadorarreolarodriguez6165]

agreed! :D

[@jas_bataille]

Very true.

[@emanuelezamboni6782]

I think this continuously.

[@bradbell4022]

Lucky and cursed? It seems a 2 sided coin. Computers democratise and give us power, but also give it to everyone else, so it's harder to make a living. We get professional tools, but work becomes de-professionalised. You can be anywhere to do anything, so you're always at home -- except the rare times you're in the Himalayas. The telephone lets you keep in touch a great distances, so you move great distances - and never phone. Your mobile phone will ring on top of the world, but it will be a marketing scam. Answering - how could you not - will cost £2. The internet means a client is never looking over your shoulder while you edit -- I don't see a down side to this :-)

[@asheer5854]

That means we must do even more extraordinary things!

[@allthingsgumball]

I'll come back to this video when I get smarter.

[@Andrelas11]

@Foul Productions Exactly what I was going to say before reading your comment. When you try to explain why the "feeling" works, it begins to get complicated. Just focus on what feels right and watch your edit over and over 100 times and you will eventually begin to hone in on what and where to cut, trip, splice, etc.

[@mehmetakifsar8737]

me same

[@ahmedabouzid8903]

Dude, I thought I'm the only one on that boat thanks for your comment! I didn't drown alone :D

[@reanetsemoleleki8219]

Nah, there's a lot of highbrow language in this video making it inaccessible. The why's of editing aren't complicated and I don't think they should be difficult to explain. It also would have helped to show multiple examples of what they mean.

[@jarlfenrir]

@@reanetsemoleleki8219 Well said. I came to here to learn something. Not to be told "you know to little to understand this".

[@TomBolles]

Blade Runner is one of my favorite films and I have never noticed that cut with the owl's movement matching Deckard's. Amazing study. Absolutely beautiful. I've never thought about the editing of that film, but obviously it was effective since it is among my favorites. Love these videos Sven!

[@dart3097]

Remembering there are FIVE versions of Blade Runner... which ‘answers’ (or at least speaks to the question, “Who is in control of editing? The director or the editor.” The answer here might be, BOTH or NEITHER. I typically prefer the original cut: because first impressions last and are the standard by which the following versions are measured.

[@Kpopzoom]

The owl is looking out of the large window at the transporter flying towards and subsequently into the building - nothing to do with Deckard or his head. Jeese... talk about fake intellectuals seeing what they want to see!

[@failedfilmmaker]

Still one of the most underrated fillmaking channels around. Incredibly useful and in depth look into making better films

[@hbloops]

This video was really nicely edited, showing the concepts of editing in a subtle and intuitive way while explaining it. Fantastic!

[@ThisGuyEdits]

Credit goes to Krishna Sanchez who cut this episode, he's got great instincts

[@wilberforce95]

This is a concept I've never really considered: in a sense you have to edit/construct a film to appeal to the viewer's body as well as their mind. cool video.

[@giancork1656]

That is if you think about the two as a dichotomy. I would like to think though that the body is, to many extent, an 'embodiment' and extension of the mind. The memory of a movement is stored in the mind and the body at the same time: we know a movement intrinsically with both. It is fascinating. Same way that is fascinating to think where an emotion 'lives' and is it felt within the body. On a slightly different note is interesting to note that some says that a trauma can get 'stored' in your body and linked to a certain emotion. For example, if you fell from a horse and broke a leg, the feeling you felt in that moment gets 'locked' with the physical trauma. So it can happen that a similar emotional response but to a different event could trigger sensations of physical pain or discomfort in the same area.

[@Leprutz]

Don't overdo it hombre. They are explaining in a very scientific way how edit works. But the editors when they edit they just trust their guts and their feelings. They are never thinking of: I must take the movement the time and the space into consideration. Otherwise they'd all get bonkers. This Time Space Movement happens in our brains in a matter of miliseconds and then our feeling tells us if it is right or not. Never overthink it.

[@Kevin_Street]

The editors are using their judgement, which comes from experience. Their gut gives them a good result because they've spent a lot of time editing film before this. I agree with you that they're not overthinking it in the moment, but they had to put in a lot of earlier thought over the years to get to the point where they can do that.

[@BigMac8000]

Excellent summary.

[@shatterpointgames]

After watching this I feel like a better editor, but I don't know what I learned haha

[@DNdavidsonsnation]

I've learned that less is more. No need to put every god damn details to get your audience to understand what's going on. This might be why i hate vlog/vloggers so much. They all put way too much b-roll of unnecessary things because they think it add to the story while in fact it takes away from it.

[@girmonsproductions]

@@DNdavidsonsnation thank you for this comment, I shall save this and keep that in mind when I will be editing my stuff. Cheers

[@SnailHatan]

@@DNdavidsonsnation This is incredibly case-dependent. Some stories require detail, some don’t.

[@JadeAnthonyReston]

I am more motivated to continue to achieve my true passion in filmmaking. Thank you for inspiring us man!

[@TechInquiry]

I have always had the ability to take a bunch of other peoples art (music, drawings, videos, graphics, 3d assets, Legos, pictures etc...) And piece them together in a way that others enjoy ironically I only recently found video editing as a viable business choice but it's thanks to channels like this that I truly appreciate the art of editing.

[@alex_montoya]

Such a good channel. Keep up the good work!

[@asheer5854]

4:38 was like, Holy shit! This is pure magic, a perfect way to subconsciously tell a story. You guys, right there made my Jaw drop. I know realize the vast ocean of possibilities this art form has!

[@losalfajoresok]

I love Blade Runner and never got that owl as a reference. I felt the same.

[@yrussq]

However, it's about director's work in the first place not editor's.

[@waltermaslowski1197]

Amazing! I watched Blade Runner over a dozen times and never picked up on that subtlety. This will help me.

[@handdrawnbink]

I have to add that all of the information in this video is STRICTLY at the mercy of Cinematography, Direction, staging and blocking. If the footage isn't flowing it makes it harder in varying degrees for the Editor to 'make it flow' in a way that's been discussed here - hence the necessity for re-shoots in certain instances. This is also why the 1 page of script = 1 minute of runtime rule is complete nonsense; a sentence in a script may be interpreted by the Director and Cinematographer as a two-minute long shot, and the Editor may equally use the footage at their disposal to lengthen or shorten shots based on the 'flow' described in this video. Love this channel!

[@Digital.Done.Right.]

"it's poetry"

[@TheOtherSideOfTheStove]

This opened my mind and is making me conscious of what I am watching and why certain stories feel right.

[@kickblue22]

To answer your question: what is the most important part of editing? The pacing of the cuts. Allowing the eye time to linger and 'process' what we're looking at on screen. (Or maybe making a deliberate choice to NOT allow the eye that time to process)

[@KSE370]

Amazing video. I really appreciate all the effort you put into this. Keep it going! Greetings from Ecuador.

[@inspiredcircles000]

May blessings shine upon you, just as you have blessed others. Have a wonderful Christmas!

[@xveganx]

Oh man I just wanted to learn how to cut right lil quick, now I'm exploring the world of editing

[@frijolespepepapa9464]

Amazing video, I will keep these in mind when working on stuff! Also, the way you can edit films and videos remind me of the use of panels in comics. The way you use their sizes, placement, and distances from each other help to appeal the reader's way of taking the story in.

[@ryanb846]

I think the cut in Notorious is much simpler than discussed here... the editor simply waited for the eyes of the actress to shift to the keys. Waiting for those eye moments is essential when editing.

[@smackdaddy9802]

I wonder if you realize what you just did for editors everywhere.

[@joshwilliams6517]

free film school for thousands of editors lol.

[@smackdaddy9802]

Josh Williams yep

[@klarnorbert]

Knownledge shouldn't be a privilege. Just think about it, if people before the 20th century had internet: more smart people could have achieved awesome stuff. In the last 20 years, there were more technological breakthroughs than in the last 2000 years.

[@GiTxSHuM]

That’s good you talked about continuity. I get anxious if there is not enough information. But a professor told me that a persons mind will fill in the gaps and make out what could happen between then. A short film I filmed, I literally had a person get up, brush his teeth, get ready, Walked out the stairs then the door, then sidewalk. I cut it to just him waking up. Then walking and it really worked out and was not a drag. Something I still work on today is character development. I seen some good movies develop those. I am assuming the script supports them, but an editor really excutes it well.

[@WillN2Go1]

It seems most editing 'tricks' were and still are learned by happenstance, or because of problems: the take wasn't long enough, the framing wasn't right for the cut, sight lines were mismatched, etc...

[@ChestersonJack]

I wonder if the "sitting in the theater" technique will work for me. I have autism, and I'm not good at picking up on the "energy" in a room. At least, not intuitively. I need to see people's faces.

[@jacquesca]

Here before the title and thumbnail change!

[@hapyvenom9067]

I was thinking that aswell 😄

[@ThisGuyEdits]

no need to change it. it's got incredible CTR :)

[@VicInvades]

lol

[@philippbornschlegl9611]

brillant. Deconstruction such small subtle details, especially in Blade Runner, which I've seen roughly 15 times already, is amazing. subconsciousness is just amazing :) thank you for that episode!

[@kravvall4869]

1:25 I do believe it comes down to priming. You have seen the image of "open minivan next to the sea" often enough to know "holiday", You have seen the image of "old man sitting on front porch, staring into the woods" so many times you know he's contemplating life and possibly dying. This is the same with editing, the order of those scenes has been done so many times before, so you know what to expect. Of course good storytellers work with this expectation, but I do in no way believe this is "natural", this has just been hammered into your brain for decades now, and you brain expects exactly that what it knows.

[@kickblue22]

what if the minivan door opens and we see the old man sitting in the woods and he's.....(wait for it)....STARING BACK AT THE MINI VAN????

[@wildwestdelz2794]

thank you for sharing/creating this. through your videos I was able to focus more on editing for story and emotion and feel than all the technical continuity stuff, It has really pushed me forward in my edits. thanks again.

[@Theofficialzackking]

Something that I have been working on recently is gaining an embodied understanding of the script. Once I feel like I understand the script not just in my head but in my body I tried to allow my gut feelings to help me shape the edit.

[@sykeris_]

Every editor should see this.

[@BryanCmpbll]

Holy cow this is SO FREAKIN GOOD.

[@juleshorne8580]

What a brilliant channel - thank you

[@quite1enough]

it is also good to go beyond hollywood movies with this analysis, such as Bergman, Bresson, Muzoguchi, Ozu etc, and generally on theory of cinéma d'auteur (politique des auteurs); and also there's two great books by Robert Bresoon - "Notes on the Cinematographer" and "Bresson on Bresson"

[@Andrelas11]

Editors refine and sometimes control entirely the pace and emotional cadence of a scene by utilizing WHEN they make a cut and WHERE they choose to cut to. ALOT of this can be very closely tied to the director & DP as well. All three work together to give us very specific choices. A tight shot that is very awkward gives the same type of "body feeling" mentioned in this video but that's not the editor doing that. Cutting to that shot at a specific moment to emphasis that feeling however is something the editor could do there. I also don't really think an editor controls where our eyes go in a scene. Sure they can disrupt our "look points" by making jarring cuts, but they can't really direct you to look somewhere without altering how the shot was captured (AKA re-framing). I think adding special terms (like kinesthetic imagination) is nice for trying to quantify talents or moments but it makes things a little more complicated than they are. Which this video is designed to do since its "According to Science". Most good editors simply start out with feelings, gut feelings. Those feelings are like a strange, uncontrolled power that as you use them, they become controllable so you can actually perform edits with purpose rather than just relying on your gut feeling.

[@futuresdojo]

Tim's video is amazing! I would highly recommend it. I would suggest you use headphones though, because the sound levels are VERY poor and make sure you watch it without distractions as you'll want to hear everything Tim shares. Cheers!

[@akar_excel]

I love the way they explain the concept

[@itsjohnthomas]

Thank you for sharing - I think rhythm is really important in editing still learning more what it looks like

[@nonpareilsims]

Incredibly helpful! Thank you

[@JayGeeWhyWhy]

Why do I have a hunch that the mid-video plugging for the sponsor was part of the plan as well because the editor of this video understands what and when exactly would be the most likely moment to begin the plug and still be able to retain our attention given to the advertisement lol??? edit-ception?

[@ruffsnap]

Around 10:00 -- Something also important to point out is that there is a tendency to whittle down work, and sometimes you go TOO far. It's a common thing, whether you're taking a creative writing class, or in film school, instructors will often harp on "less is more", but sometimes you can't cut as much as you might think you can cut. Just like there is a LOT in just one shot, there is also a LOT that you are potentially missing by whittling down 10 camera shots into 3 or something like that. You have to take care in every aspect!

[@SongvilayFilms]

Love your channel man!

[@StayFractalesque]

this is a really good one, and the bar is already high.. thanks for all the knowledge

[@ShootMeMovieReviews]

Sound must play a part in this as well. I noticed that when he was speaking over the clip from There Will Be Blood, I was almost never looking where the cluster of circles appeared. They would draw my eye, but my inclination was constantly to look elsewhere.

[@philipp9550]

The editing on this video is very well done 👍 😉

[@markus9543]

I expected this video to be informative. But i didn't expect it to be so inspiring. Great job!

[@didijy8007]

The more knowledge there is about how films effect the human mind, body and spirit the more you realize its an ultimate weapon or tool for healing all of humanity or completely destroying them from the inside out and manifesting illness, fear, ignorance, violence and capitalism down to the gene pool. The entertainment industry has one of the greatest powers and that is the power to make believe until the viewer believes

[@ilEditore]

I find that a good edit is a motivated edit... and the next sentence in the story you're telling. Someone looks that way, so you cut to where they're looking. There's a sound off camera, or someone speaking, so you cut to the speaker (dialog prelap)... or someone says something that the audience knows will cause someone else to react, so you cut to that reaction...I believe that the cut to the owl is to establish the geography of the scene and reprise the owl, which landed there earlier. Decker "clocks" the owl... he looks to it, we see it, it looks back at him, then we cut back to Decker. Decker is super aware of everything, he is prescient, and sensed the arrival of the owl and made eye contact with it.

[@arsh0603]

You guys are killing those expensive film schools. :)

[@joemoya9743]

Most important aspect of editing is creating emotional attachment.

[@michaelhull1813]

Funny that I just knew the owl cut was bad. and then... Next level content @thisguyedits

[@puepole]

If there really was a way of scientifically understanding what makes for good movie editing, practically anyone could be taught to do it. You could just hire someone who edits local news footage to cut your film, but it doesn't work like that. It's an artistic intuition that can't be explained, like trying to figure out what makes for a good director or a good music album. It's a fleeting talent that someone either has or doesn't.

[@monocore]

I am a post guy. Even tho I always joke that editing is a lesser job, i'm fascinated by the inner workings of the whole edit process. I can't do it. I don't wanna do it either, lol. Great video.

[@creativevit5961]

Brilliant video! Thanks

[@Dolphinvideoproductions]

Great explanation of editing to engage and evoke emotions

[@alexanderSnilsson]

It makes me want to make a movie. ASAP.

[@FlipGz]

Old movies are pure master pieces I respect how they always left room for your imagination to wonder

[@TonaA.R.]

he most important thing for me to make the editing feels right is time, rhythm and continuity

[@ArnoldVeeman]

8:06 but to me it looks like someone else is in the room, creeping towards the keys.

[@ariana165]

HAPPY BLADE RUNNER MONTH!

[@Alphavmaisoui]

Truly amazing video, thank you

[@snowdoniahoney37]

Inspirational! Thank you

[@MichaelSiar]

Wow. Mind blowing.

[@flipnap2112]

someone once told me, you can learn all the tricks of the trade, but unless you know the trade.. theyre only tricks.. and once someone figures out your magic trick.. it looks silly. the truth is.. we are born an animator, a composer, a dancer, a photographer, a songwriter, a poet, a musician, a writer, or a lover and a sinner.. we see these as different arts, or faults.. but the truth is all these things have one thing in common.. they are all exactly the same thing..

[@cinematicsunseter4039]

this talk is absolutely beautiful.

[@videotropos3288]

Thnx a LOT! And HAPPY NEW YEAR!

[@OtisBlanch]

This was great!

[@lasseleendertz]

Man this is so inspiring!

[@berndwarnders]

A great editor simply learned the language of film and plays with its grammar while always taking our biological make-up into account (and how it relates to media - an ecological perspective, so to say). Also, I wouldn't read to much into eye-tracking studies when it comes to cognition.

[@rachaelccamp]

Amazing series. The thousands of decisions an editor makes in crafting the story is the reason the concept of a “director’s cut” makes my blood boil.

[@miked1869]

You’re right of course that editing is a crucial element of the process and can make or break a film. But to me, ‘director’s cut’ suggests something at a more macro level - an edit of a film that perhaps reinstates whole scenes or narratives that had been removed, for example at the behest of the studio. Under those circumstances, an editor does the same job of taking the director’s vision and turning it into gold.

[@deathtrap5556]

The director's cut is never against the editor, it's against the producer. For example, since I work in ads I can give this example that for a fashion ad a company might want to keep more of the shots that focus on the clothes, whereas the director (and editor) would prefer to keep the shots that tell the story in the ad. Sometimes a director's cut also exists because there's lots of good extra shots they couldn't put in because of time constraints.

[@ChrisProuse]

Love it. Thanks for sharing.

[@TeodorKuhn]

thank you so much for this amazing source

[@noveeve8792]

this is amazing!!

[@redBLINK]

thank you for reminding us that we are artists

[@jessreal2554]

Fantastic!

[@stephanied5668]

This video is amazing. Thank you for making such good content.

[@jaminbenji]

Beautiful. Thank you!

[@idanil016]

Major overthinking in Blade Runner. The owl and Deckard watched in the same direction because they heard Rachel coming

[@Enthralpy]

3:57 Can someone PLEASE lmk what that piano song is?

[@TransitProductions]

Absolutely Brilliant!!

[@SergeiZinevich]

In the scene with the owl, we see the owl defiantly and arrogantly turned away from Detective Rick Deckard. She watched Deckard first. Then Deckard noticed it. The owl turned away. Deckard turned away from the owl. Everything is fine. (В сцене с совой мы видим, как сова демонстративно и высокомерно отвернулась от детектива Рика Декарда. Сначала она наблюдала за Декардом. Потом это заметил Декард. Сова отвернулась. Декард отвернулся от совы. Всё прекрасно).

[@TheRealestIdealist]

This is some very Advanced tips but I love it

[@Maros_Mari]

Wow, great inspiring video that encourages me in editing my documentary, thank you.

[@pascaldeshayes5459]

Brilliant information, thanks!

[@shatterpointgames]

7:17 I think they did this to make her look pretty, they used to do that all the time in the movies.

[@shaynesimmonstattoo]

Absolutely fantastic.

[@AndrewMcMullen]

Great info however dont you think too many disruptive ads completely break the continuity of the editing and make it hard for viewers to retain the message or lessons in this or any other videos which are over stuffed with ads

[@florianbeck4283]

Wow, amazing!

[@invi_carlos]

Beautiful video. The University of KZbin at its finest. Loved the Blade Runner scenes.

[@RumiSleem]

what are some ways I could put these theories into practice with my edits?

[@lancelotlink6545]

So this is quite interesting but also overly complicated. I would like to suggest a simplification for young filmmakers. Think of editing/filmmaking in terms of rhythm and contrast. You want to be doing one or the other. The contrast is reserved for important moments or anytime you want to simply say to your audience hey look at this- this is different. The contrast can come in the form of almost anything- movement, pacing, light, composition, color, sound etc. Rhythm is the comfortable flow that you create that just allows your audience to go along for the ride. You want them to feel comfortable so that the contrast is effective. Loud sounds louder when it's preceded by quiet. That sort of thing.

[@lancelotlink6545]

Also I would add that the eye tracking concept is pretty cool but doesn't really come into play at a level of importance unless you've got quick cuts and movement usually associated with action sequences. That's where it' value is gold.

[@timothycarlson9997]

Thanks for this video. I found it very enlightening.

[@07jackg]

This video inspires me. Thank you.

[@FrankWeaver]

Love this video and channel. Anyone knows what movie is the one from the man in the scuba suit being clapped by people?!

[@hbloops]

I think it's the graduate 1967. Great movie

[@jamosreece1693]

a way I think I can apply this is when something happens off screen make the continuity brake

[@danferraro3598]

amazing work.

[@kickblue22]

Interesting that experiencing the audience reaction helped you make improvements to the edit. I had a short film of mine play at the Queensworld Film Festival here in New York. Very interesting for me too to sit amongst the audience to see the parts where people reacted with laughter and enjoyment (unexpected ) and other parts where I thought 'Oh, THIS next part will definitely get some belly laughs' and instead there was the sound of.........crickets! Complete silence!!! Anyone got any recommendations for a site that provides feedback on rough cuts? (Maybe a paid service or something where you can submit your work to be critiqued by several people?)

[@spuckz]

Imo everything comes down to your experience you made in life, you transfer it into action. I cut interviews on a professional level and I decide whats important and what's not. Same counts on film, your experience, instinct and knowledge on that subject matters.

[@arun03kumar]

You guys opens my mind ❤️❤️❤️

[@Rockyroadpool]

Love this video!