- 1). Review the film using a projector before beginning to edit. Take notes on qualities that may make a scene undesirable for editing purposes, such as extreme underexposure or scratches in the film.
- 2). Gather the script and the script supervisor's notes if you have them from production.
- 3). Wear cotton gloves when you handle the film so that the oils from your hands do not stain the emulsion. Always handle the film by its edges, even when wearing gloves.
- 4). Place the reel on the film rewind. This mechanism has a hinged metal rod that fits through the center of the reel, then locks at a right angle to keep it from falling off. It also has a hand or electric crank for winding the film back onto the reel. The film should come off the top of the reel.
- 5). Pull a section of film onto a tape splicer. Make sure the base of the film, the back side, faces up. If it is not, the reel is on the rewind bench backwards. Replace the reel and try again.
- 6). Position the film on the splicer so that the boundary between the last frame of the first scene and the first frame of the second scene are aligned with the edge of the splicer on the side with the blade.
- 7). Press the film's sprocket holes onto the splicer's registration pins. These are tiny metal protrusions on the base plate that hold the film in place.
- 8). Lower the blade quickly and firmly to cut the two scenes apart.
- 9). Carefully bend the first two frames of the detached scene backward to create a crease. Use only frames that show the film slate so that you do not destroy any footage.
- 10
Insert the two bent frames into the slit in a small film reel. Wrap the rest of the film around the reel and secure it with masking tape. - 11
Place another piece of masking tape on the reel. - 12
Mark both pieces of tape with the scene and take number. - 13
Repeat the process until every scene is on its own reel. - 14
Refer to the script, the script supervisor's notes and your notes to select two scenes. - 15
Examine both scenes with a film viewer to find the place where you wish to make the cut. - 16
Mark the splice point on each scene with a white grease pencil. - 17
Place the first scene on the splicer and splice off the unwanted portions of the film. Tape these ends back onto the reel in case you want them later. - 18
Wipe off any remaining grease pencil, then repeat the process with the second scene. - 19
Place the incoming scene on the left side of the splicer and the outgoing scene on the right so that the ends meet over the splice point in the middle of the base plate. This is often marked with a reference line. Make sure there is no space between them and no overlap. - 20
Pull a piece of tape over the splice. Make sure there are no wrinkles or bubbles. - 21
Close the splicer and firmly push the lever on top to cut the tape. This is the first splice. - 22
Test the splice by bending the film into a loose loop. The splice should form a smooth arc. - 23
Repeat the process until the entire film is spliced together. - 24
Splice leader, or black film, onto the beginning and end of the film to give the projector time to get up to speed before the film begins and protect the head of the film by giving the projectionist footage with which to thread the machine.
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