How Pro Video Editors Cut Commercials (5 Simple Steps)

In this video, I’m breaking down a five-step editing process that has shaped my 20-plus year career editing high-budget broadcast commercials—and it’s something you can use in your own edits starting today. I’m joined by the brilliant Scott Rice, a former editor turned commercial director (and co-professor with Matthew McConaughey at UT Austin), and together we dissect a hilarious parody ad we created to illustrate these five steps in action.

We start with emotion. Not just sad or dramatic emotion—but the emotional journey you want your audience to feel. For our parody, we aimed for delight, recognition, and ultimately, uncomfortable laughter.

Then it’s all about story. Even in a 30-second commercial, we built a full three-act story structure—establishing a shiny happy world, introducing a twist (toxic sparkles!), escalating conflict, and finally resolving it with a competing “safe” product.

From there, we lean into rhythm—the pacing of shots and the musicality of the edit. I actually sang a placeholder jingle to guide our tempo before we had the real music. The pace picks up as the product’s danger escalates, and then smooths out again as we introduce the safer alternative.

Sound is next—every sparkle, drip, and jingle was deliberate. Good sound design amplifies emotion and rhythm. We used it to contrast happy visuals with disturbingly funny voiceover lines.

Finally, we hit action. This is where we talk about when to cut, and what moment within each shot best serves the emotion and rhythm. We’re not just matching action—we’re shaping what the audience feels, one frame at a time.

Here’s the five-step process:

• Emotion (what do you want the audience to feel?)

• Story (a clear dramatic arc—even in short form)

• Rhythm (how pacing supports tone and story)

• Sound (to elevate mood and clarity)

• Action (cutting in/out at the right moments)