Removing Editors from Main Production Credits

I agree! This is an insult to the art form of film creation.
I feel similarly for production designers who are also getting the flick.
No love!

To the web maestros at IMDB,

As you can appreciate film making is a collaborative process and there are a great many famous and not so famous collaborations between key personnel making the films.

Producers, Writers, DIrectors, Casting, Cinematographers, Composers, oh and of course - Editors.

There are many legendary editing collaborations in film: Martin Scorcese and Thelma Schoonmaker, Steven Spielberg and Michael Kahn, Ang Lee and Tim Squyres, Alan Parker and Gerry Hambling - Of whom Alan Parker wrote in the Guardian recently for Gerry's obituary;

"Watching him work was a revelation to me, and a process that I never failed to be impressed by, in the next 30 years we spent working together.
With white glove on one hand, grease pencil in the other, he hunched over the old Moviola editing machine, his strong hands a blur as he stopped its motion with his right hand, feeding in the film with the other and then suddenly snatching it into the air, snapping closed the film-joiner and smashing down the mini-guillotine with his knuckles. The sheer physical prowess belied the extraordinary delicate nature of his cuts, which were always accurate to a single sprocket: the merest sliver of celluloid. No one has yet worked out a digital system to replicate, or better, the finesse of Gerry's editing."

Please read the whole article, as it really illustrates the personal nature of the editing collaboration and can be found here:

At the moment during testing of your new version of IMDb Pro, on a film’s front page the only credits that are being listed are (in this order):

Director, Writer, Producer, Composer, Cinematographer, Casting Director

Hopefully it is an oversight on the part of the web developers at IMDb, but we believe the Editor’s contribution to a film is vital. Downgrading the Editor credit would reduce IMDb’s credibility, and shows a clear lack of knowledge of the filmmaking process.

Thank you
Frayne Dyke-Walker
Editor - Australia

Absolutely agree... the editor is one of the most important people in the production process.

If the cutting is good, the viewers will watch. If it's lousy, the viewers will get up and walk out.

The editor is like a director, except with more control over the finished product.

Please don't dump the editor credits!!!

Hello IMDB folk.

I'm a member of the Australian Screen Editor's Guild and I concur with their views sent to me in a recent email. As follows:

"I am sure you are aware of IMDb (Internet Movie DataBase). It has become a world-wide industry standard for filmmakers credits.

At the moment they are testing their new version of IMDb Pro.

On a film’s front page these are the only credits they are listing (in this order):

Director

Writer

Producer

Composer

Cinematographer

Casting Director

The ASE thinks this downgrading of the Editor credit is deplorable. Placing more importance on the Composer and Casting Director does not make sense.

We think the IMDb credits should be in the same order as usually billed in films:

Director

Writer

Producer

Cinematographer

Editor

(then the other credits IMDb would also like on the front page)

We believe the Editor’s contribution to a film is vital. Downgrading the Editor credit would reduce IMDb’s credibility and show a clear lack of knowledge of not only film history but the filmmaking process."

END QUOTE

I support this viewpoint. As it is there is a lack of understanding & appreciation of the "Key" role the editor plays in film production. In my view, it is equal in stature to director & cinematographer.

Kind Regards,

Shaun Smith
Editor
Melbourne, Australia

As someone who enjoys film, I strongly believe that the writer, director, producer, cinematographer and editor should be in the main credits. I watch films in part based on who edits the film. I will occasionally watch a film with the sound turned off so I can better appreciate the direction, cinematography and editing.

Note to IMDb Admins: I recommend changing the title of this suggestion
from: "Removing Editors from Main Production Credits"
to: "Keep Editors in Main Production Credits"