How to Edit Dialogue Scenes for Natural Conversations

When editing a conversation scene, it is not enough to cut and connect two clips. It is important to create the feeling of a smooth flow of the dialogue and not an interview for the viewer.

This is the main reason why the importance of dialogue editing for any video editor. It doesn't matter whether you are editing a movie, interview, YouTube video, web series or just a normal conversation scene, your timing can make you or break the entire scene.

It is deciding which words/answers need to be included in the test. Certainly not all of them, just those required to tell the story.

Understanding the Conversation Before Editing

Before you go about editing your scene, take a break to do yourself a favor and watch your scene at least once or twice. Familiarize yourself with what each and every character says, how he responds, and his highlights.

Pause a moment to do the cutting. Read the scene first.

Ask yourself:

* Who is speaking?

* Who is listening?

* What is the mood of the conversation?

* Where does the emotion change?

* Which reactions are important?

* Are there pauses that should remain?

This will help you with editing decisions down the road.

Build a Clean Dialogue Edit

Start With the Best Takes

If there is more than one version of the scene, listen to all of them before editing the final one. Test the audio - when auditioning, make sure to pay attention to the words and which source sounds better.

You merge takes, sometime one with better acting with a second with better sound.

Remove Unnecessary Pauses

There are pauses in real conversation - but not every pause should be kept.

Some long stops, repetitions, repetitions, grammar errors, and uncomfortable stops can be usually reduced.

Be sure not to take all pauses out: A little pause can indicate fear, anxiety, concern, anxiety, caution, or one's own thinking.

For example, if a person says, 'I do not know...' and leaves a break before his final words. Take advantage of this brief pause to make the scene more authentic.

Use the Right Camera Angle

When a scene of talking characters is being shot the typical camera angle is: wide shot, medium shot, close-up, over-the-shoulder shot, or shot of a character's reaction.

Follow the Speaker

The best and the easiest way to do this is to be shown the person who is doing the talking. This is easy to keep up.

But, you can omit being on the speaker for every word. Yet, there are also moments when the reaction from the other person is more valuable than the words said.

Reaction Shots Are Good for Showing How Characters React to Information

But what happens when you find that your character is talking about something unexpected in the scene? You should stop there at the reaction of the other person for a while.

This can be an effective addition to the scene.

Editing at Natural Pauses

The best method to edit dialogue is to find natural pauses.

You can cut:

* When a person starts speaking

* When they finish a sentence

* During a change in expression

* During a small movement

* When someone looks toward another person

* When the emotional focus changes

Don't cut through an important expression or movement arbitrarily unless it serves some sort of artistic purpose.

Use the 180-Degree Rule

Use the 180-degree rule to create clear editing of 2 people talking. Screen direction should not change if we shot them from the same side.

(eg: if one character is looking left in frame and the other looking right in frame, the audience knows they're looking at each other. ) The technique generally works in the same way whether the objects are moving towards or away from each other.

Can create a sense of disorientation when they cross the camera line.

Match Cuts and Continuity

Continuity is very important in dialogue scenes.

Watch for changes in:

* Hand positions

* Head direction

* Body position

* Props

* Clothing

* Lighting

* Camera angle

If you see a character holding a cup on one shot and the next angle suddenly reveals the cup sitting on a table, that can pull the viewer out of the story.

You don't need to be totally consistent but when you make an error it should be correct if you can.

Use J-Cuts and L-Cuts

It's amazing how much better dialogue editing can be with audio.

A J-cut occurs when there is an overlap of audio from the next shot before the video switch. An L-cut is an overlap of audio from the previous speaker before the video switch.

For instance, we hear Character A is just about to conclude a sentence and the visual switches to Character B's reaction; this preserves the energy of the conversation without having each edit land with loads of evidence.

This method is very effective in interviews, short films, documentary films, and youtube videos.

Practical Tips for Natural Dialogue Editing

Prioritise Clean Audio

Gotta be Mr. Jangles man! When a scene is really visually cool, but it's haunting you as a viewer because the audio snaps away for no reason.

Listen for differences in:

* Volume

* Background noise

* Room tone

* Microphone distance

* Echo

* Breathing

Audio fades should be used if needed. Maintain the same dialogue level throughout.

Keep Room Tone

Room tone - the ambient sound of the space you are filming. You can leave a very small amount below the words for when you cut them out, so the scene doesn't sound too hollow.

Use B-Roll Carefully

B-roll can be a way to mask jump cuts and provide visual interest. When interviewing someone, you may choose to visually reveal a product, location, photograph, screen capture or activity while they are speaking.

Don't cut out everything with B-roll. Key facial expressions need to breathe on screen.

Watch the Scene Without Sound

Once you've done your biggest edit, you can view your whole scene without sound.

Can you still follow the visuals without the cuts? If so your shot selections are probably fine. If not, are you cutting too frequently or are you choosing inappropriate reaction shots?

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Cutting Too Frequently

As we go through the story, you don't want to be jumping from character to character all the time. Let key faces and reactions stick.

Removing Every Silence

Silence is telling emotions. Don't assume every gap in conversation is a fumble.

Ignoring Reactions

Sometimes it is not the person who speaks, but the person who listens who holds the power. Take note of the honest reactions of people.

Overlooking Continuity of Sounds

Sometimes even minute changes in the level of the background noise or the volume can disrupt an excellent editing job.

Too Many Effects

A dialogue scene does not necessarily need a great number of transition, zoom and other visual effects. Allow the performances to carry the scene and the story.

Final Words

In terms of natural dialogue editing, it is important that you know about the conversation and did not make a crazy fast edit. An efficient editor is aware of the performance, reaction, timing, continuity, direction of the camera and sound.

Begin with an empty edit and then start building the scenes around the natural pauses. Taking care of long pauses, employing reaction shots where necessary and making use of J and L cuts will facilitate the editing process.

Practice and begin to see how the editing of dialogues works. Sometimes it is these minor editing techniques that take an ordinary dialogue to a storytelling level.