8 Simple Rules on How Not to be “Miss I Don’t Know How To View A Rough Cut Lady”

rough ′cut′ 
n. the first assembly of a motion picture film following preliminary cutting and editing.

Whether you’re working with an external production company or an internal team, learning how to collaborate through the post-production process is critical to making a great video.

If you don’t know what a “rough cut” is, then please read this and watch the video above afterwords. If you DO know what a rough cut is, I encourage you to read and watch anyways… hopefully you’ll learn something or laugh!

Here are a few simple rules:

1. If you receive a rough cut without notes, typically the editor is looking for input on the overall piece. In other words, is this a step in the right direction? Was anything major missed? Is it satisfying the objectives you’ve set forth for the video?
2. If you do receive notes asking specific questions, answer them. The question itself means the editor needs guidance and would like you to help. In these cases, unless there is something majorly wrong, try not to focus too much on other specific items. (You can always critique the overall piece, that’s what you’re paying for!)
3. The numbers flashing on the screen? Yeah, pretend they’re not there unless you need to hit pause and write the number down for the editor’s reference
4. The sound will probably suck, don’t bring it up! (Unless it’s just terrible.)
5. If there’s supposed to be music and there isn’t, don’t bring it up! (Unless you haven’t spoken about it yet… if that’s the case, shame on both you and the editor!)
6. Graphics – if they are there, they are probably ‘temp’ assets that will be replaced before the final cut is finished
7. Graphics – if they aren’t there, they will be by the end. (Unless you haven’t spoken about it yet… if that’s the case, shame on both you and the editor!)
8. Video quality – if you’re viewing the rough cut online, it may have been heavily compressed to get it to you as quickly as possible. Though this problem is slowly going away, unless it looks like it came out of a 1978 VHS deck, the final video quality will be much, much, much better.

OK, now that you’ve read that list, check out the video above from the fantastic Bud Light “Real Men of Genius” series!

If you want more of that, check out our office’s favorite one “Mr. Roller Cooler Guy“