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Pre-Edit Alignment Guide
Before the edit starts, compare what everyone thinks they are making. This guide helps turn a treatment, a brief, and a collection of references into decisions the editor can use.
Find the disagreement while it is still a conversation
A reference can mean different things to different people. The director may like the stillness; the agency may like the pace of the opening; the client may expect the same amount of product coverage. Ask what each person is pointing to before treating the reference as an agreed direction.
The same applies to words like “premium,” “warm,” or “bold.” Describe the choices behind them. Does premium mean fewer shots, a quieter performance, more attention to materials, or something else?
Write a brief that helps someone make a cut
Identify what the audience needs to understand, the moment that carries the idea, and the requirements the film has to meet. Keep those separate. A mandatory pack shot is a requirement; how the film arrives there is a creative decision.
Include what changed during production. Explain why a take matters instead of sending only a list of selects. A small hesitation or an unfinished gesture may be exactly what makes a performance convincing.
Decide how you will review the work
Who sees the first cut? Who combines the notes? Who can settle a disagreement between the agency and client? Agree on those roles before the first presentation, and leave room for the director and editor to discuss the material.
Ask reviewers to describe what is not landing. “We do not understand why she changes her mind” gives the editor a problem to solve. “Remove shot twelve” may be a solution, but it can also hide the actual concern.
Keep the open questions visible
You do not need every answer at kickoff. You do need to know which questions the edit is exploring and which decisions are already approved. Note who will resolve anything outstanding, especially music, claims, product visibility, and version requirements.
Use the guide to prepare for that discussion, then keep the agreed notes with the project. For the wider schedule and handoff, see The United Process.