Film editing is an invisible but effective art: A Sreekar Prasad

“Usually, the director of a film leaves his mark through the entire film, while the actors get credit for their actions along with the cameraman who gets to tell a story through visuals. But the work of the film editor, which is an invisible art, never gets recognition. The editing work is creativity, which is one of the important factors of the film,” said nine-time National Award-winning film editor, A Sreekar Prasad.

He was speaking on the topic 'The Invisible Art of Film Editing' during the 21st Pune International Film Festival organized by the Pune Film Foundation and Maharashtra Government today at PVR Icon in Pavilion Mall on Senapati Bapat Road. Samar Nakhate, Chairman, of the Selection Committee, PIFF interacted with Prasad in presence of Dr Jabbar Patel, Director of PIFF.

“An editor's role is also more important than just being associated with the length of the film, who actually provides the director with an objective insight. Editing is all about having the right cut, at the right time to make the film more interesting. The editing work should be integrated with the story to help the director convey the intended meaning to the audience. Indian cinema is a rich amalgamation of language, emotion, dialogue and visuals, and the editor plays the major role of tying all these into a single thread. The director's vision is what the editor brings to completion and hence the synergy between the editor and the director is a game changer in the entire film process,” said Prasad, who was the head of the editing department for the Indian blockbuster movie ‘RRR’.

“Being open to technology to make our work better is a part of evolution. The editor also has to remain open to change and adapt to different types of genres and stories. Creativity should take precedence over a technicality, but that doesn't mean one should be blind to the growth of technology. It is very important to know your target audience. Some people may have good ideas but less targeted audiences, which may not make the film work. You have to be clear about who sees your story,” Prasad added.

When asked about the song ‘Natu Natu’, from the movie RRR, which has won plaudits the world over, Prasad said that the work was done with immense passion.

“The credit goes to the director, S. S. Rajamouli who pushed it to a bigger level. What connected beside the songs and dance was the camaraderie between the two actors, which accordingly got all the attention. The story also appealed to the audience,” he said