School: How Editing Affects the Emotions of a Scene

Most people don't realize how important the job of an editor is. Edits can make or break a film. From holding shots longer to build suspense to cutting shots short to build tension, proper editing will enhance the emotional impact of a scene.

The video below further explains the importance of good editing and gives some tips where it helps a scene feel right:

For the past ten years, I've been editing professionally. Yet one question always stumps me: "How do you know when to cut?" And I can only answer that it's very instinctual. On some level, I'm just thinking and feeling my way through the edit.