Editing can change the way a movie is received. If it’s simply straightforward cutting and transitioning from scene to scene, then there is a real possibility that the film or TV show will appear mundane and not be very attractive to watch. Great and imaginative editing, on the other hand, can bring a film up to award-winning status and be well received and loved by audiences. Raghu (Raghavendra) Gudiveti, the editor from Hyderabad, India, fully understands the value and impact that editing can have on the final look of a film.
He understands that story telling is much more than an actor and actress just saying their lines. He knows what a quick cut or a dissolve can do to move the story forward. He has watched hundreds, if not thousands of films and has broken down and analyzed scenes in countless movies to see what makes them work. Then he would visualize the scene with his own edits in mind and make the film even better to watch.
The last five years in both his personal and professional life as an editor has seen him grow in many ways. He has learned an enormous amount of his craft from earning a Master’s Degree in film and he also learned even more during his “hands on” period when he actually started cutting films, commercials, web series and music videos professionally. He feels that working with other professionals not only allows you to develop as a craftsman with an artist’s eye, but it propels you rapidly into the ranks of someone who has many years of experience under his belt. The first film that Raghu edited, won Best Short at the Los Angeles Cinema Awards in 2018.
He found that when he worked with passionate career editors his game improved, so to speak. He would watch and they would tell him what they were doing and show him short cuts and tricks of the trade. He remembers that even when they were quiet and focused and didn’t say a thing as they cut the film, he would learn by watching their every move and he would completely understand when the scene was finished why they did certain things. He could see the movie come to life simply from a few innovative edits and transitions. He learned that scenes could be shortened to speed it up and advance the action quicker or lengthened to heighten suspense and give the audience something to ponder. However, one looks at it, editing is an important part of movie making and storytelling. Raghu (Raghavendra) Gudiveti, as an in-demand editor, understands how important this part of the collaborative art of filmmaking really is.
