Sometimes editing video is rather like carving wood.
The woodcarver starts with a blank form, a lump of tree that suggests… something. They might see it, in their minds eye, as a suggestion: a shadow or ghost. Or they might, in a flickering glance askew, glimpse the finished article.
But it’s not there. Not yet. It must be revealed… or found.
Imposed?
So one sloughs away the outer layer, the detritus that has played its part, of supporting the essential internals. Sloughs and hacks and chops and lops and cares, hoping and trusting that the process will clarify rather than obscure.
And repeat.
And repeat.
Until… there! Do you see? No? No!
More. Invert. Rotate. Walk around, return.
There. Definitely there.
Yes.
More digital celluloid sawdust hits the cutting-room floor, and the work is revealed.
And now we finesse, and polish, and seal.
You slip with the chisel, gash your hand open until blood spurts everywhere, requiring an amount of level headed calmness to apply firm pressure and raise the limb.
Yes, I’ve seen video like that too.