There is a disease in amateur editing. We call it "The Ping Pong Effect."

• Character A speaks. (Cut to A).

• Character B speaks. (Cut to B).

• Character A replies. (Cut to A).

It is mechanically correct. It follows the script perfectly. And it is absolutely unwatchable.

Writers are obsessed with words. They think the story is happening in the mouth of the person speaking. But editors know the secret: The story is happening in the eyes of the person listening.

Here is why you need to stop cutting for audio and start cutting for subtext.

1. The "Bullshit Detector" Rule

• The Theory: When someone is speaking, they are performing. They are curating their words.

• The Reality: When someone is listening, they are naked. They are processing. They are judging.

• The Edit: If Character A is lying, do not show Character A telling the lie. Show Character B realizing it is a lie.

  • The "Reaction Shot" is not filler. It is the only place where the truth exists.

2. The "Pre-Lap" Anchor

• The Mistake: Waiting for the sentence to finish before cutting to the reaction.

• The Fix: Cut to the reaction 3 seconds before the speaker stops talking.

  • Let the audience see the impact of the words while they are being spoken.

  • If you wait until the line is over, you have missed the emotional beat. You are chasing the scene instead of leading it.

3. The Verdict: Be a Psychologist, Not a Typist

• Your job isn't to visualize the script. Your job is to psychoanalyze it.

• If you only cut to the person with the moving mouth, you aren't an editor. You are a security camera.

• Show us who is hurt, not just who is yelling.