{"id":106073,"date":"2018-10-10T07:00:10","date_gmt":"2018-10-10T12:00:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.premiumbeat.com\/blog\/?p=106073"},"modified":"2018-10-09T15:46:25","modified_gmt":"2018-10-09T20:46:25","slug":"documentary-footage-editing-tips-tricks","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.premiumbeat.com\/blog\/documentary-footage-editing-tips-tricks\/","title":{"rendered":"Documentary Editing Tips for Working with Lots of Footage"},"content":{"rendered":"

Filming a documentary means lots of footage, and that means the edit is no small undertaking. Here’s our advice on how to manage the project<\/h2>\n

Any documentary filmmaker can tell you that one of the most difficult parts of any documentary project is after you finish shooting and move to the edit. It can be absolutely terrifying in that first moment when you sit down and face the sheer amount of footage you\u2019ll need to review, organize, and lay out to build your edit.<\/p>\n

Even projects that are only supposed to be a few minutes long can mean hours of footage to go through. It\u2019s understandable to feel overwhelmed. However, if you have a good game plan and know some simple organizational and asset management tips, you can push through the initial difficulty and settle into your edit.<\/p>\n

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Make Notes While Shooting<\/h3>\n
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This first trick can absolutely help the most. Whether you\u2019re shooting and editing your own project or shooting to hand off to an editor, the more notes you take while shooting, the better. Even the most mundane information like date, time, subject, and some simple notes on the context will help in the long run. Just because things seem obvious when you\u2019re on the ground doesn\u2019t mean you or someone else will remember these details several months later when bringing them up in an edit.<\/p>\n

So, if your camera lets you make notes on the files, great. If not, carry a notebook and keep track of the following information for every shot (or at least batch of footage). I\u2019ve found it best to spend a few minutes making notes every time you put your camera back into its bag.<\/p>\n