Kill your Darlings: How an Editor shapes the story

“Killing your darlings” is never easy - but it’s essential. Join a panel of film editors as they dive into the craft of shaping the story in the edit suite. At the heart of the conversation is distillation: knowing what to keep, what to trim, and what to remove entirely.

Panellists will explore how cutting unnecessary scenes, shots, dialogue, and even whole subplots (or characters!) can sharpen narrative clarity, strengthen pacing, and heighten emotional impact. They’ll also share how editing defines tone and performance through timing and rhythm, and unpack the collaborative process with directors when making tough creative decisions. Discover how every cut helps shape the story and why less is more.

Panellists include:
- Shannon Michaelas