For a period, we were offering editing options on our New York wedding video services, until I realized that no one knew what editing was. Finally, we removed the options, but it remains the part of the process that I enjoy the most. A lot of people don't know it, but there was a time when editing was at the cutting edge of the film world. Of course, by now, the art of editing is so well established now that creative power lies with the director, but the importance of good editing remains. Especially in the wedding video industry, where many people are relative newcomers or lack formal training.

When it comes down to it, editing is truly about communication. It can be storytelling, it can be abstract concept, but it is always about communication. More tangibly, editing is the language in which all of us understand film. It tells us when time passes, when people cross distances worlds apart, and what people do. It lets us see thought, and understand meaning.

When we see a shot of a person turning their head down, followed by a close-up of a ring, we assume that they've just looked at their ring. When we see a bride staring into the distance and then a romantic kiss with the groom, we know we are seeing her thoughts. When we see a couple walk away from us, followed by a shot of them entering a reception hall, we accept that they’ve moved forward in time and travelled from one location to another.

Everyone knows the importance of shooting. If you don’t capture it, you have nothing to work with. And who can’t appreciate the unbridled majesty of the setting sun as the day comes to and end? In fact, shooting is so well recognized, that people will pay for an extra camera, an extra shooter, or the use of different types of equipment. And yet, when it comes down to it, if I had a choice between adequate shooting with excellent editing or adequate editing with excellent shooting, I would take the editing.

Editing sets up the connections and let’s us understand the experience. It takes us into the world of the couple, and creates the meaning behind the day. It’s a bit like comparing a postcard with an Edward Weston photo. Some may prefer the look of the postcard, but it’s just not something you can dig into to and look at over and over. More to the point, have you ever wondered why some videos feel like they’re from the 80’s? Editing. Or why they feel schmaltzy? Editing. Or why the pace feels slow? Editing. In the end, editing tells the story and creates the meaning behind the video, and that makes all the difference.