Who we work with
DaraFilm works with independent directors and producers: people who wrote and shot a short and now need an editor who isn't attached to every take, documentary makers with more interviews than any film can hold, and producers who have a cut but need it tightened and prepared for festivals.
The job is the same each time. Watch everything. Find the version of the film that the footage supports, which isn't always the one in the script. Then cut it down to the length where every scene earns its place, and prepare the files that sound, color and festivals need.
Structure first
The diagram at the top of this page is the frame we think in for narrative work: a setup, a long middle where things get harder, and an ending that pays off what the opening promised. Most shorts don't follow it neatly, and they shouldn't. It's a way to ask useful questions in the edit: where does the audience start caring, where does the middle sag, and does the ending land.
Services
Short film editing
Assembly, rough cut, fine cut and lock, with notes rounds you can plan around.
Documentary editing
Logging, transcripts, string-outs and a structure that holds for the full runtime.
Festival cut and deliverables
Picture lock handoff, subtitle files, masters and screeners.
Trailers and teasers
Pieces for submissions, crowdfunding pages and social posts.
Where we work
All editing is remote, so the film can come from anywhere. We focus on filmmakers in Miami, Minneapolis and Indianapolis and book calls in local time.
Miami, FL
Film editing for Miami directors and producers.
Minneapolis, MN
Film editing for Minneapolis directors and producers.
Indianapolis, IN
Film editing for Indianapolis directors and producers.
What finished scenes look like
Common questions
How much does film editing cost?
It depends on how much footage there is, the target runtime, the number of cuts and notes rounds, and which deliverables you need. We quote each project in writing after reading the script and looking at the footage.
Do you do sound and color too?
We prepare the picture-locked files that a sound mixer and a colorist need. For small projects we can do a basic grade and mix; for festival work we recommend dedicated sound and color, and we hand off cleanly to whoever you pick.
Will you tell me if a scene doesn't work?
Yes. Notes go both ways. You have final say, but an editor who only agrees isn't much help.
Are the images on this site from real films?
No. The sample images are AI-generated and labeled that way, and the structure boards are concept illustrations. We don't publish anyone's film without permission.
Shot the film, stuck in the edit? Tell us the runtime you're aiming for, how much footage there is, and where you want it to screen.
Request a quote