Telltale Signs of an Amateur Editor vs. Professional Editor

Recently I taught a class on story structure. I asked 27 students to send me editorial questions in advance. Here is one of the most interesting:

“What are the telltale signs of an edit from a professional compared to that of an amateur editor?”

I told her that if we’re talking about “Story” with a capital S, the main difference is that most amateur editors are not fluent in story structure–and thus don’t deliver on dramatic impact. If they truly are fluent, they’ll be able to answer these questions. If they’re not, you’re apt to be watching a boring and possibly confusing documentary.

The other dead giveaway is the lack or presence of fluid micro-edits. Do they understand how and when to edit on motion, edit on swish, smash cut, cut on wipe, etc.?

Chapter 17 of my free e-book Documentary Editing lays out 8 micro-edits that are tell-tale signs of a professional editor. These micro-edits will enhance the aesthetics of your documentary.

Finally, career documentary editors are fast. They can get the job done in fewer months, saving you big bucks!