Pro Video Editor Explains The Three Levels Of Editing

There are three levels of video editing: level one focuses on the technical; level two focuses on criteria like story, rhythm, sound, and action; and level three focuses on emotion.

I’ve been a pro editor for over 20 years, and today I’d like to invite you into my edit suite so I can explain these three levels of editing in the context of a broadcast commercial that I worked on (watch the video above for the full lesson and to see the finished commercial). Read through to the end of the article for one of my favorite editing tips.

All three levels I outlined are important and necessary. Most of us start at level one. We get excited about editing, we download some software, and we start learning how to import clips, make edits, add music, etc. As we progress, we begin to realize there’s a sort of vocabulary to editing and so we might start to incorporate more sound design, refine our in and out points, or even incorporate some story structure. Then we eventually get to level three, where our primary focus is on how we want the audience to feel.  We then use all of the editing theory we’ve learned, along with our technical proficiency, to pursue that goal.

 I teach, however, that we should all start at level three (no matter where we are in our editing journey), and so that’s what I want to go over here. But it doesn’t have to be complicated. Think of emotion as the north star you can keep coming back to throughout the editing process.  

So what was my emotional north star for this commercial? Well, I’d say there were at least two emotions I was aiming for. At the start, I wanted to create a sense of awe in the audience. During the second sequence, I wanted the audience to feel delight (ideally, they would even smile or laugh). For the ending, I wanted the delight to continue, but I also wanted there to be a sense of closure.

You likely won’t have a project where you’re only shooting for a single emotion. In fact, if you’re only targeting one emotion for an entire video, that should be a warning sign that you’re not taking your audience on a journey.

So now we have an emotional map: awe, followed by delight, and then closure. I encourage you to discuss your project's emotional map with your collaborator (like the director or producer) before you even start your edit.

With map in hand, we can move on to level two.  Here I ask myself, "What editing techniques can I use to accomplish my emotional goals for the piece?"

In the first couple of shots, I wanted to convey this sense of awe (the first stop on our map) by setting up a "superhero" aesthetic.  We used visual effects to add a cityscape out the window, giving the shot scale. We also added a color grade that makes it feel more like a superhero movie. We made the main character sound like she’s in a big space, and added in an orchestral music cue. We sweetened the sounds of her footsteps to give them more weight, and chose an in point where the main character’s cape is blowing. We cut into the next shot when her fists come down, and even emphasize that move with more sound design.

In the next section, we're into the heart of the story, where I want the audience to feel delighted or playful, leaving them smiling or laughing.  So what decisions did we make to support this vision?

Well, we actually tried a lot of different versions of this middle section. In the original script, the camera stayed on the main character during her entire speech. Through exploration in editorial we decided to cut away to the different superheroes using their powers while the main character was talking. These were actually all improvised on set—kudos to the director, creative director, and actors for coming up with these moments on the fly.

So instead of staying on the speech, we cut away from the main character for almost one third of the commercial. Though we used a nice J-cut (which is when audio comes in before the visual), it's actually delayed as we don’t come back to the speaker for a few more shots (an approach which is pretty unique).

And now for the ending, where we want to maintain the sense of delight, while also making sure the audience feels a sense of closure. The cut to Aquaman supports that, as it feels like an ending. And then we get to the whole table of superheroes with the camera pulling back, which also connotes an ending. We bring back the music motif from the beginning, which adds to that sense of closure. And then we get a great sound effect of all the superheroes turning the page as they continue to read their health plan (we end with one last joke, which in the commercial world is called a button). 

Again, these are all valid techniques that support the emotional map.

And finally, we arrive at level one—the technical. Below I want to point out a few practical bits that you can incorporate into your own editing today.

First, the music. If you’re working on a project without a composer (like I was for this commercial), I recommend searching for orchestral stock music on a site like Artlist (affiliate link) and find pieces that you can edit into your film so it has the feel of a score (I did something similar with this musical motif).

Second, let’s look at visual effects. I did not execute these visual effects, but rather worked with some really talented visual effects artists. However, part of your job as an editor is to know what’s possible, and if you’re not doing the work yourself, you should try to gain as much knowledge as you can from your collaborators. So not only can you make sure you give them what they need to succeed in terms of file types (in this case raw Apple Pro Res 4444), but you’ll also be able to make recommendations on shots because you know what’s possible.

Now for one of my favorite editing tips, and one I use all the time. When you have a static shot with two actors and there’s a little space between them, you’ve suddenly exponentially increased your editorial options because you can now select the best take from one actor and the best take from another actor and combine them together. This is possible in most editing software with a basic matte or crop, and a lot of times it doesn’t need more processing than that. 

Here’s a great example: we used the best take of the superhero leaving her chair to use the restroom and the best reaction of Bob from HR. But we even do this on non-VFX shots. So keep this in mind when you have a static two shot.

I hope this video inspires you to prioritize emotion, followed by criteria like story, rhythm, sound and action, then the technical. Pursue these three levels of editing, in that order, and you’ll go far.

Austen is an ADDY award-winning film & commercial editor with over 20 years of experience. He has worked with global brands like Meta, KPMG, SAP, and Christianity Today. His PSA work has championed causes like school safety (with Matthew McConaughey), driving safety, and anti-tobacco. A thought leader in the editing field, his online lessons quickly amassed over 100K views after launch.