Making a short film about a vintage shop in Norwich taught me how much editing depends on decisions made before the camera starts recording.
I handled filming and editing in a team of three, with my teammates taking responsibility for sound and interviewing. We had researched the shop and agreed on a direction, but our first edit exposed a problem: the interview answers did not form a clear story.
We considered recording another audio interview. When that was no longer possible, we had to work more carefully with what we already had. We narrowed the film's focus to the owner's personal journey, filmed additional supporting footage, and rebuilt the sequence around that story.
Feedback also challenged my instinct to include more visual detail. Some of the extra shots distracted from the person speaking. Reducing them gave the interview more space.
The experience changed how I thought about preparation. A location visit needs to consider sound and light as well as appearance. Interview questions need to connect. Each additional shot needs a reason to be there.
Preparation and editing belong to the same process. Both involve deciding what the audience needs to understand, and giving that story enough room.