Can I Submit My EditStock Cut For Feedback More Than Once?

Yes, you can submit your cut more than once. In fact, you should. The good news is that resubmitting your cut of an EditStock project through out feedback system is free.

Why multiple rounds work

We can all accept that no editor gets it perfect on the first pass. They also don't on the second. While one round of professional feedback on your cut is useful, two or three rounds is how professionals actually work.

When a director or producer gives you notes, you revise and show them the new cut. They give you more notes. You revise again. That cycle might happen for months on a single project, scene, or even a single performance, depending on how much polish is needed to get the movie feeling right. The creative process is iterative by nature and there is simply no shortcut through it.

During the first round of notes you get usually addresses the biggest structural problems. Who is the main character? How are you focusing the scene on them? Does every scene need to be in the film? Can any scenes become montages?

You fix those, and suddenly you can see smaller issues that were always there but got overshadowed by the larger problems. On closer scrutiny an entire scene might be cut out. There isn't much point to getting notes about changing a performance if the entire scene needs to go. 

Then comes round two. At this point we are looking more closely at pacing. Now that we've removed a scene is the story moving faster? If we trim a scene shorter does it feel tighter? Can we swap any reaction shots? 

In the third round we are looking at fine details. Is this the right music? Are the sound effects added? Tighten this shot by five frames. 

Each round refines something different. Each revision teaches you something new.

How to revise between rounds

Between feedback submissions, you have work to do. Don't reject the notes if you disagree with them. This is a common mistake new editors make. Try it anyway. You can always go back to the way it was. Plus, sometimes you'll be surprised to like the suggestion.  

Don't try to bust out the notes as fast as possible just to be done. Actually sit with the feedback for a day or two. Watch your cut with fresh eyes and ask yourself if you can understand what the note giver was meant with their note. Some notes will immediately feel right. Some won't. Either way, you're learning to objectively judge  your own work, which is as valuable as the notes themselves.

When you think the cut is ready for the next round of feedback watch it one more time all the way through without pausing it. Sometimes people miss simple things like back holes, audio dropout, or added junk at the end of a cut. Fix that. Then resubmit.

What to do when you're done

When you've completed your work it's time to build a kick ass portfolio to show your work. Make sure you send us your resume website, too. We will be happy to take a look for free.