In the old Hollywood studio system, beginners almost always started out as assistant editors. Film executives understood that once you grasped the concepts of editing, it was much easier to learn camera work or directing or sound, etc. That’s because editing is the very core of the production process. The editing room is where films and television programs are built.

This is counterintuitive for a lot of beginners who often assume that camera work is the centerpiece of the production process. But that error in thinking is the reason that many beginners create boring, unwatchable programs. Learn the principles of editing, and you are on your way to professional production.