So… Why is it we shoot to edit? Why not make everything a long take?

Well, we shoot to edit because it enables us power and control over otherwise extraneous variables if we were to shoot in Long takes.

When shooting to edit the filmmaker has control over lighting within the particular shots.  If one were to shoot a single take whilst alternating between angles, the light sources would also need to be altered; if not, the result is a discrepancy between the lighting from different angles. When shooting to edit, the filmmaker possesses the ability to move around lighting sources ancontinually alter the white balance  (that is, if changing locations within one scene – for instance taking the action from one room to another).

Another  reason we shoot to edit it so that the editor and filmmaker have more variety of takes to choose from. As a result, The actor’s best performance can be chosen. Similarly, Actors do not have to delivery lengthy paragraphs of speech but rather,split into shorter paragraphs to improve their performance and focus on their acting technique more intricately.

Furthermore, we shoot to edit so that certain props can be moved based on their requirement or lack thereof within certain frames in a scene. During a single take , it is difficult to move around props during filming due to potential interruptions. A filmmaker may want, for instance, a certain picture framed within a shot because of its symbolic significance however, from a different angle featuring the same human subject, the filmmaker may decide the picture is disruptive to the frame and thus needs to be moved.