Rhythm-First, Music-Second

n editing methodology where the editor first cuts a scene to find its own internal rhythms and patterns, based on performance, dialogue, and action, before introducing any music. As practiced by Pietro Scalia, this ensures that the subsequent musical score supports the scene's inherent pace rather than artificially imposing an external one. The music is then chosen or placed to enhance a specific element, such as tension or mood, that has already been established in the picture cut.