Walking Down Memory Lane
BY CYNDI GREENING, PHOENIX, ARIZONA – We've been editing the documentary for the last couple of weeks. We gathered over 80 hours of footage while we were in Zambia. There was another 20 hours prior to leaving the U.S. and about 10 hours since. I've always been in awe of how documentary editors wade through all that footage to craft (what they hope) is the BEST hour-long documentary. As we work on the Zambian documentary, I find that there are several really good stories that could be told. The trick is chosing the right one. The most powerful one. The most compelling one.
I notice there is an odd thing that is happening for everyone. When we first came back, it was all terribly exciting and it was fresh and familiar for all of us. Now, as we watch the footage, Zambia is becoming a more distant memory. Yesterday, M.K. was saying that it hardly seemed like we were at Victoria Falls. We were all saying that the documentary footage is like a big pile of home movies. Probably far more meaningful (and interesting) to all of us than anyone we make sit through them! I think that is the biggest challenge of documentary editing — finding the story that others find meaningful and captivating. As Zambia becomes more of a memory for us, it gets easier.