Donald Schaffer —Video Producer and EditorDonald Schaffer —Video Producer and Editor
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Category Archives: Editing

December 7, 2012

Fix It in Post: Overview of Editor’s Choices in Film Production

After all the footage is captured for a film/video project, the video editor holds the most powerful set of tools to set the tone, create interest, and to move the story forward in a logical format. Shot angles are chosen, bad shots are tossed or fixed, and the sequence of events are adjusted to retain viewer curiosity and build through the climax to conclusion.

I’ve found in working with editors that they bring their own sense of perspective to the table, and a director must acknowledge that.

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November 15, 2011

“I Need a Car” A True Run-n-Gun Video Production

Okay, first, watch “I Need a Car” and see the clip on facebook, then read how it was completed.

I usually don’t do stuff last minute, but it must have been fate that I was thinking about WJXT’s Morning Jam Contest when I was approached by a guy who asked me to help him win a car. Unfortunately, I only had two days to complete the project. GULP! So, I threw all caution to the wind and did a true “run-n-gun” production. 

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October 27, 2011

How to Fund Your Film Project

Production for me has moved from the basic run-and-gun video to full-scale crews and sizeable budgets. When the needs for productions grow, it gets difficult to call favors from your crew, and it seems that everyone wants their cut on the deal. As a producer, I need to keep this in mind, balancing the budget so that it works out favorably for both the client, talent, and crew. In doing this, everyone wins and relationship lines stay open – a huge goal for continued success in the filmmaker’s arena.

So, how can this be done? What are some elements to consider when you are needing to get deeper responses from prospective funding sources?

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August 12, 2011

UK ‘Priest’ Trailer Editor Headed to Hollywood, Courtesy of Sony Pictures

A few months ago, Sony followed three film students from the United Kingdom as they competed for the best edit of a trailer for the film, “Priest.” Of these, Mr.…

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June 27, 2011

‘Wrecked’ Selected for Central Florida Film Festival

June 17, 2011

Shooting for the Edit

Here’s an article that was recently written by Christian Bell, pointing out several production errors that keep the editor from a successful cut: 6 Ways Directors Screw Editors. This somewhat mirrors…

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May 20, 2011

TCA Open House – 30 Second Spot

TCA Open House TV Spot [vimeo vimeo.com/24026483]

April 21, 2011

‘Priest’ Movie Trailer Contest Puts UK Film Students to the Test

In preparation for its upcoming release of its Priest movie, Sony put a group of aspiring film students at the University of Westminster (London, UK) to the test in a pitch and editing competition. It was very interesting approach, so I thought to relay the events that transpired, provide video clips of the entries, and to give my two cents on the editing choices made.

The field started with forty-one recorded pitch-style interviews and worked its way rapidly down to three finalists: Saba Kia, Josh Sanger, and Moritz Riewoldt.

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April 19, 2011

Editing a Successful Film Trailer

When it comes to creating a successful film trailer, many new producers and editors will settle for a quick overview of the entire movie. Come to think of it, many big films are guilty of this too, and then the audience wonders why they had to pay to see the flick in the first place, since they learned the entire plot in the minute spot they saw on TV! Here are a few concise tidbits you can follow as you create a tight and entertaining trailer that will draw people to want to see your film.

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April 18, 2011

Simple Steps on How to Be Creative

I was doing some TRAFing (Toss, Refer, Act, or File) of a pile of stuff I allowed to accumulate in the one possible storage location in my little office, and I came across this set of notes I took from Ed Young, Jr. at a C3 conference back in 2005. Obviously, I’m about to throw the notes away, but I really want to refer back to the great points made; I also think that any creative individual can use these, too. I’ve taken the liberty to adjust the notes a bit from Ed’s “10.5 Commandments of Creativity” to something more palatable outside of the church, too.

It is super important for creative people to use their creativity. There is thought to be nothing more stifling to creatives than to have that freedom taken away – like possibly being exiled at work into the dark dungeon of a gray cubicle with nothing allowed but the phone, a computer with limited access, a pen, and maybe a picture of the family, for instance. Of course, we often find a way to get around the boundaries, drawing on napkins or doodling on notes in meetings, but there is nothing more refreshing than being given the license to think 0n a grand scale. Yet, I believe that many people stifle their own creativity even more than their employers or environments could do by not considering how they can maximize it. Rather, they limit themselves by creating undue stress, amassing projects in tight deadlines, and also by merely not developing themselves fully. 

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About donaldschaffer.com

Welcome to donaldschaffer.com.

Here, you will find musings and practical elements surrounding creativity and the artist’s journey, primarily—but not exclusively—within the scope of film/video production and development by Don Schaffer.

Recent Posts

Be a Light for Those Outside the CircleMay 8, 2021
The Power of PresenceMay 3, 2021
Finding Wonder after DarkApril 23, 2020
So You Want to Be a Film/TV Director?January 23, 2019
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Here, you will find musings and practical elements surrounding creativity and the artist’s journey, primarily—but not exclusively—within the scope of film/video production.

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