Having worked on some of the biggest shows in Jamaica, such as On Stage, Golden Nugget, and Royal Palm Estate, award-winning filmmaker and editor Carlington Silburn shares some insights about the dynamics of being an editor.
An editor’s Influence on the overall planning
“It depends on how much the director trusts the editor. Often, the director would have their vision. However, in my case, I would work with producers mainly for the television side, but from my experience, coming in, producers would be trained in editing, and they would work with editors to get the vision accurately out.“
“I also encourage editors to challenge producers if they have ideas and not just accept everything,” he added.
At what point does the editor come into play?
“Normally editors come into play after the content is shot so when and the producer (for TV) or director discusses the shots and style for the project.”
What makes a good editor?
“Firstly, adaptability. You have to be able to adapt to new styles and techniques.”
“You also must have open-mindedness to a variety of stuff. Coming up in the business, I watched [different] shows and, by doing that, [allowed me] to transition from different styles of programs, such as sports to drama, to reality TV. Watching different types of shows to see and expand the types of editing,” the master editor shared.
He continued, ” Also, learn to have fun with your craft [and] don’t be restricted.
Transitions or Concept
“While transitions offer an attractive flair to any project when it comes to establishing lasting impact, the concept is king, Silburn explained.
Two mistakes by inexperienced editors
“There is a lot of focus on fancy cuts and less attention to evoke emotion. Secondly, not finding the right music to bring out the emotions when editing.“
Advantage of experience
Silburn noted the main difference between experienced and novice editors is composure under pressure. He stated that inexperienced editors would be quicker to get flustered if they hit a roadblock or challenge in putting together a project rather than calmly finding a workaround or alternative to solve the situation.
Does software matter as much as creativity?
“Software doesn’t matter as much as creativity, but things have changed. It depends on what you are editing.
“Before the social media age,[creativity], but now, it does a little bit because when you’re editing for social media, people tend to like effects and flashy transitions.”
“So that’s where the software comes in like Capcut that has tons of effects prebuilt, so if you’re at an event, you can quickly shoot and put together an exciting reel that would take longer traditionally.“
