The art of editing goes beyond cutting footage—it’s about sculpting a story, shaping emotions, and capturing the essence of its subjects. For Quibi’s Prodigy, an ambitious eight-episode docu-series spotlighting young athletes, editor Lucas Harger faced a formidable challenge: transforming 165 hours of raw footage into just 70 minutes of screen time. Each episode, limited to 10 minutes, demanded precision, creativity, and an entirely new approach to storytelling. This unique project showcases how editors can adapt to innovative formats while maintaining the authenticity and depth of their narratives—a valuable lesson for post producers and supervisors navigating today’s evolving media landscape.
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There were a number of key things said in this article which resonated with us. This project demonstrates the art of crafting impactful narratives under challenging constraints, offering valuable insights for post-production managers.
1. The Editor’s Role in Storytelling
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There were a number of key things said in this article which resonated with us. This project demonstrates the art of crafting impactful narratives under challenging constraints, offering valuable insights for post-production managers.
1. The Editor’s Role in Storytelling
Editors play a critical role in shaping the narrative, influencing how audiences perceive a story and its characters. For Quibi’s Prodigy, editor Lucas Harger had the monumental task of condensing 165 hours of footage into eight 10-minute episodes.
2. Challenges of Quibi's 10-Minute Format
The short runtime of each episode demanded a high level of precision. Harger described it as exercising "extreme economy of time," transitioning swiftly between moments while ensuring the story felt cohesive and compelling. This constraint encouraged innovative storytelling by focusing on key elements rather than attempting to encapsulate entire life stories.
3. Selective Storytelling
Harger’s approach was to leave “breadcrumb trails,” providing glimpses into the subjects’ lives without exploring every detail. This method engaged viewers, leaving them wanting more while respecting the complexity of the individuals featured.
4. Overcoming Overwhelming Footage
With 165 hours of content and no traditional assistant editors, Harger and his team undertook the entire process from ingest to export. This hands-on approach allowed the editor to develop an intimate understanding of the footage, uncovering both literal and emotional narratives.
5. Collaboration and Leadership
Harger functioned as more than just an editor; he also coordinated a team of editors, sound designers, and colourists to meet tight deadlines. This role resembled that of a post supervisor, with Harger identifying and shaping the final story from an overwhelming pool of material.
6. Emotional Connection with Subjects
Harger emphasised the importance of respecting the intimacy and trust shared by the athletes, whose personal stories were the heart of the series. By carefully curating moments from interviews and B-roll, the edit allowed the audience to experience the subjects' journeys in a powerful and authentic way.
7. The Craft of Finding the Story
The editing process for Prodigy required discovering the true essence of the footage. Despite pre-production plans, the edit revealed unexpected emotional truths and moments, reinforcing the importance of flexibility in post-production.
Key Takeaways for Post Producers and Supervisors:
Precision is crucial: Limited runtime challenges editors to distil stories to their essence without losing impact.
Leadership in post-production: Editors were taking a leadership role as the key HOD of the department, managing their teams and processes, akin to post supervisors in HETV, ensuring quality across all aspects of the final product.
Adaptability: Initial plans may evolve in post-production as the true story emerges.
Efficiency in workflows: A well-organised ingest-to-export process can help manage large volumes of footage effectively.
Last Updated 17/12/2020