Editing Tip 14: What Happened, Miss Simone?

I hope all is going well with your film projects. Big congrats to our story consulting client Pamela Tom, whose documentary Tyrus Wong: Brushstrokes in Hollywood is premiering at the Telluride Film Festival!

Another director with whom I am working recently faced a classic editing problem.

His rough cut’s introduction started with a news report. Although gripping, the news report would have immediately introduced the viewer to someone else’s editorial voice, not the director’s own.

Today’s editing tip solves the problem of opening your film with someone else’s footage. Does your current rough cut open with a news report, a performance, or archival footage?

The problem with opening your film this way is that the viewer has no instantaneous sense of the filmmaker’s authorship.

To solve this problem, consider opening your film with a quote.

In What Happened, Miss Simone?, director Liz Garbus opens her acclaimed new Netflix documentary with suspenseful performance footage of the legendary Nina Simone.

Just prior to this footage, Garbus introduces the film with a quote from poet Maya Angelou: “Miss Simone, you are idolized, even loved, by millions now. But what happened, Miss Simone?”

In a deft move, Garbus effectively authored the film, making the documentary her own artistic statement straight out of the gate. In addition to referencing the film’s title, she framed Simone’s performance with a provocative question that teases this tragic (and inspiring) tale.

What quote could you use with which to begin your film?

For other examples of documentaries that employ a quote in the film’s introduction, check out Long Night’s Journey Into Day, Lost Boys of Sudan and We Live in Public.

And … if you anticipate needing an editor, please email me (karen@newdocediting.com) to see how we can help. Our talented staff of editors, trained in the best storytelling techniques, can help bring your vision to life.

Here’s what one director had to say about working with one of our editors:

“I was fortunate to find New Doc Editing. My experience was nothing less than wonderful. New Doc Editing is well organized and extremely professional. Their editors have stellar editing skills, are patient, and unbelievably dedicated. I am very proud of the film we created. It would not have been possible without my fantastic editing team.”

– Chris Carpenter, Director