Rough Cut

rough cut is an early editorial assembly in which structure, scene order, and major performance choices are present but timing, transitions, sound, and polish remain provisional. Its purpose is to evaluate the shape of the piece while there is still room for substantial change. It is at this stage that new AI-assisted workflows can be introduced, such as using AI tools to generate a first pass of feedback and critique on structure and pacing before human stakeholders are involved. The feedback process on a rough cut is a critical stage, where vague emotional notes must be translated into actionable edit tasks. AI assistants can be used to structure this feedback, offering multiple interpretations of a note like 'it feels slow' and suggesting concrete changes to pacing, shot selection, or sound. It is the raw material upon which the process of 'editorial tightening' will later be performed to arrive at the fine cut. This stage embodies the 'making a mess first pass' philosophy, where experimentation and finding the shape of the scene are more important than polished perfection. In documentary workflows, the rough cut is often the first video translation of a pre-structured paper edit.