Definition of Assembly Cut

Editing a PBS series, we learned that it helps for the editorial team to sync up on definitions, and hence expectations, of post-production jargon. So today is Part 1 of my 4-part series on Post-Production Terms.

The Assembly Cut pulls the best moments and narrative elements from string-out sequences. (String outs can be up to several hours’ worth of pared down footage, organized by scene or character or theme. Read more about string outs in our How To Edit Footage Quickly blog.)

The Assembly Cut is the first best guess at documentary’s structure, hence it’s often organized chronologically.

No more than 40% longer than the film’s final TRT, the Assembly’s function is to see the film in broad strokes, once shooting is at least ninety percent complete.  The chief questions that the Assembly can answer are:

• Where are the narrative arcs?
• Which characters, scenes and themes can be cut?
• Which scenes can serve as inciting incidents and climaxes?
• Which ideas are most powerful, pertinent and fresh?
• How do characters transform?

To learn how we incorporate the Assembly Cut into the four stages of post-production, check out our Accelerated Post schedule. It speeds up a 6-12 month timetable into a 10-week edit!