How to make a Short Film edit tighter in Post Production

How do you go from one tight edit to an even tighter edit?

You cut. And then you cut again. And then you cut some more.

This is now my third cut down of my short film Alien Echo. It is the stage where you have to get ruthless. Then even more ruthless. Another full day in the edit suite spent stripping it back. Stripping it again. And then stripping it back to the bone.

I am happy with the progress. Very happy, actually. Because each cut gets the film closer to what it wants to be.

The first draft came in at about twenty five minutes. Way too long. The second version last weekend landed at nineteen and a half minutes. Better, but still not there. Today the film is sitting at around sixteen minutes.

That is the work. Removing anything that does not earn its place. Holding onto only what serves the story. Finding the bare bones and trusting that less really is more.

Another good day spent in the edit suite on Alien Echo.

Be a creative punk.