Rough Cut

A rough cut is an early edit of a film that follows the assembly. The editor and director begin shaping performances, trimming and reordering scenes, and sometimes removing material entirely. Temporary music and sound are common, and color and visual effects are unfinished.

Successive cuts tighten rhythm and clarify story until the picture is locked and finishing — color grading, sound mix, and music — begins.

Writers often learn the most from a rough cut: it reveals which scenes carry their weight once performances do the work. See dailies, rough cuts, and notes for the full post-production sequence.