The Melbourne International Film Festival (MIFF) is a chance to discover new stories, new filmmakers and new ways of seeing the world. While most viewers focus on the plot, performances or cinematography, there’s another creative craft shaping every movie we watch: film editing.
Great editing often goes unnoticed. In fact, that’s usually the point. A skilled video editor helps guide our attention, build emotion and keep a story moving, all without drawing attention to their work.
But you don’t need years of experience to start watching films with an editor’s eye. If you’re catching a film at MIFF, try paying attention to a few simple details.
Notice the cuts
Every film is made up of countless individual shots stitched together. The moments where one shot changes to another are called cuts, and they’re happening all the time.
As you watch, ask yourself: why did the editor choose to cut here?
Perhaps the scene switches to a character’s reaction to show what they’re thinking. Maybe a quick series of cuts creates excitement during an action sequence. Or perhaps a longer shot is used to let a dramatic moment breathe.
Once you start noticing the cuts, you’ll realise how much they guide your experience of the story.
Pay attention to pacing
Some films feel fast and energetic. Others unfold more slowly and deliberately. While the script and actors play a role, editing has a huge influence on pacing.
Think about the difference between a tense chase scene and a quiet conversation. One might use rapid cuts to create a sense of urgency, while the other relies on slower editing to build atmosphere and emotion.
The pace of an edit can completely change how a scene feels, often without audiences consciously noticing.
Listen as well as watch
Editors don’t just work with visuals. Audio plays a major role in the storytelling process too.
Music, sound effects, ambient noise and dialogue all work together to create mood and immersion. Notice how a scene changes when the soundtrack becomes louder, quieter or disappears altogether.
What you hear is just as important as what you see.
Look for style
Colour, transitions, titles and visual effects all contribute to a film’s unique look and feel.
A warm colour palette might create a sense of nostalgia. Cooler tones can feel dramatic or atmospheric. Even a simple title sequence can reveal a lot about the world you’re about to enter.
These creative choices can help shape the audience’s experience and bring a filmmaker’s vision to life.
Curious about the craft?
Watching films through an editor’s eye is surprisingly rewarding. It reveals the thousands of small decisions that transform raw footage into a compelling story.
If you’ve ever wondered how movies come together behind the scenes, our ‘Film Editing with Adobe Premiere Pro – Introduction’ short course is the perfect place to start. Professional editor Shaun Smith will introduce you to the fundamentals of editing, from organising footage and working in a timeline to adding titles, adjusting audio and applying effects.
Shaun has more than 20 years’ experience as a film editor, working on projects from HBO productions to feature films and documentaries, including The Eye of the Storm, Kath and Kimderella, Wentworth and Sidney Nolan.
In his course, you’ll gain hands-on experience using Adobe film editing software, creating three edited projects using drama, documentary and TV commercial footage.
This MIFF season, don’t just see the finished product. Take a moment to appreciate the craft behind it and discover a whole new way to experience film. And if you’d like to try it for yourself, join our short course and explore the film editing techniques behind the movies you love.