4 Must-Haves for Working with a Professional Film and Content Editor

There are 4 things that I find are essential to begin a productive conversation towards your editing needs. A basic idea of your timeline, your budget, a script, and some creative references. I find that without even one of them, what we have is less of a strategy and more of a mystery towards collaborative success.

Basic Timeline

Putting things on a calendar always helps clarify a realistic plan of action. You don’t need to have every detail figured out or know every detail that needs to be considered, but showing me what you have in mind for the timing of the editing process gives me a starting place for our conversation on what would be feasible within the resources we have at our disposal.  Note that a short timeline is not always an immediate disqualifier, it just requires a lot of communication and thoughtful collaboration to execute it in a healthy way.

Budget

Similar to the timeline, proactively allocating funds and putting on paper what you can afford to spend on different aspects of the editing process is an essential starting point for determining what is realistic. It doesn’t need to be spelled all the way out, but waiting until we’ve talked through the whole process and you’ve been given an estimate, to just begin allocating money for your project always leads to an unpredictable timeline for completing the work. 

A Script, Outline or Summary

If you’re making a dramatic short, I’ll need a script. If you’re making a documentary or a sizzle I’ll need an outline. If you’re creating social content, I’ll need a brand summary. These are foundational documents that help me thoughtfully consider what might be needed in the editing process, as well as whether my particular strengths align with the nature of the project. Without a narrative script, documentary outline, or brand summary to start our conversation, something important to your story could be overlooked, which could be very expensive to recover or resolve.

Style References

Along with a script or outline, I’ll need at least a couple of references to the style you’re interested in for the edit. These could be references to the genre, pacing or overall format of the edit. These references present the aesthetic and tone ideas that might be beyond what your script or outline can adequately describe. 

That’s it!

I’ve learned over time that someone has these 4 things ready, is also someone who is taking their project seriously. And I’ve learned that it’s essential that I only take your project as seriously as you do. So I hope this list is helpful. Reach out if you have any questions or if you’ve knocked out this list and you’re ready to get started!