When editor Eileen Meyer joined Crip Camp, the film had heart, standout scenes, and tons of incredible footage, but it wasn’t feeling like a cohesive story. The early cut felt like different personalities stitched together and not a collective voice. Along with her co-editor Mary Lampson, Meyer faced one of the central challenges of documentary editing – shaping footage into a story that has a clear emotional journey, both for the film and the viewers.
Unlike scripted films, where we know the story before we even start filming, documentary editing relies upon discovery. The story is found by combing through hours of raw footage, free-flowing interviews, and authentic moments.
In this article, we explore what documentary editors do, and why it matters.
Discovery and Storytelling: The Heart of Documentary Editing
At its core, documentary editing is the creative and interpretive process of developing a narrative from real-life footage. Footage may consist of interviews, candid observations, historical clips, and scenes that capture the natural mood or environment.
Documentary editors review hours of footage to identify voices, themes, and throughlines. In this process, their job is to present the tale that was buried in the footage all along.
Documentary editors wear multiple hats – that of storytellers, investigators, and ethical arbiters.
They have to
- Find a structure and patterns in raw footage
- Construct a narrative flow from distributed stories
- Find a way to present a “balanced” truth
- Make tough calls about representation and context
A documentary editor shapes what viewers see, feel, and comprehend. Since we’re dealing with the facts, it is an enormous undertaking. The goal is to help the truth land clearly, powerfully, and honestly.
Guiding Emotion and Meaning
Documentary editors play a major role in setting the emotional tone of the film from start to finish. Beyond the bare facts, editors use visuals, sound, and music to shape how the audience feels.
They use B-roll footage as subtext, choosing pictures that have symbolic meaning. Examples include shaking hands during a testimony, lonely empty hallways, or nostalgic grainy home videos. These visuals can turn filler shots into an immersive scene.
Editors treat sound design as their invisible collaborator to add layers to interviews. Ambient audio, background music, and silence are all useful techniques. The sound of footsteps in a deserted hallway clearly communicates a sense of loneliness. A sudden quiet following a tragic revelation lets the viewer soak in the emotional impact of the scene. Editors carefully balance the use of these tools to draw viewers into each scene.
Editors try to establish a distinct atmosphere via color grading. Warm golden tones suggest intimacy and hope. Desaturated blues are used to express unease or sadness. These palette choices let audiences get an intuitive feel of the film.
Editors also control the rhythm of revelation and reflection via pacing. They employ techniques such as montages to speed up the flow and create urgency or energy. In key moments, they hold shots to let viewers fully understand their significance.
When all these elements work together, viewers experience the story without noticing the transitions. The hallmark of excellent documentary editing is the ability to make difficult technical choices seem like normal human emotion.
Collaboration, Perspective, and Project Management
Documentary editors work in close partnership with directors and producers as part of a creative team. If included at an early stage, experienced editors can guide production. They may suggest additional footage or alternate angles, based on what will be most useful in the edit.
After post-production starts, editors go through the footage and transcripts to filter out the most compelling content. Their slightly removed perspective often plays an instrumental role in the structure and the broad story of the documentary.
Editors are both storytellers and workflow managers. They’re responsible not only for narrative clarity but also for keeping the project organized. From the first day of post, editors and their team handle tasks like syncing audio, logging footage, backing up media, and building a structured project. Experienced teams follow consistent protocols to avoid technical issues and ensure that valuable footage isn’t lost or missed.
The Documentary Editor’s Moral Compass
Every choice a documentary editor makes must have a foundation based on ethics. Whatever we see on screen is the result of human decisions. Editors must balance the drive to tell a compelling story with the responsibility to portray all their subjects fairly and accurately.
Misleading edits or manipulated juxtapositions distort reality and can cause harm to those depicted. Sensationalizing footage by, say, combining unrelated clips ends up showing a false sequence of events or omits important context.
Documentary editors must also be objective about the point of view reflected in their work. This is heavily influenced by their interpretation and the director’s vision. While this is unavoidable, they must regularly step back and evaluate if they’re letting the real voice of the subject be corrupted by theirs.
Editors also have a duty to maintain transparency. This often means letting viewers know what’s real and what is recreated. This also applies to the participants. Informed consent must be secured, and portrayals must be cross-checked to maintain integrity.
Documentary editing is a moral responsibility in addition to a technical craft. On the other hand, poor editing can reinforce negative narratives or disseminate false information. A well-edited film captivates audiences while presenting real experiences with authenticity.
A Final Word on Documentary Editing
Documentary editors often go unnoticed by audiences, yet their influence is implicitly felt throughout the film. Whatever the genre, criminal justice, wildlife, or personal stories, editors are responsible for guiding the viewer’s experience. They combine story structures, visuals, sound, and pacing to create a film that flows naturally.
The authenticity that viewers value comes from hundreds of decisions made in the editing room. Experienced editors bring clarity to complex topics and help audiences connect with the subject matter.
At Kween Media, we understand that great documentary editing requires both technical skill and storytelling instincts. Our team is ready to help you turn your footage into a powerful film that leaves a lasting impression. Contact us to discuss your next documentary project.