Pro Video Editor Roasted By Director (Editing Breakdown)

In this video, I brought in veteran commercial director Scott Rice to roast my rough cut of a comedy PSA about underage drinking. Scott’s not only a longtime collaborator, he also teaches with Matthew McConaughey at UT Austin, so I knew I’d get honest, high-level feedback.

We walked through multiple cuts of the ad, starting with my raw first instinct edit. Scott pointed out where the comedy was falling flat—too quick of a punch-in, reaction shots that didn’t land, and a static audience during the wedding auction scene. His big note? Make it feel like the crowd is really reacting to what the auctioneer says.

Over the next few versions, I tightened pacing, tweaked reaction shots, and layered in specific audio moments. We talked about the importance of:

• Holding wide shots to let moments breathe

• Matching audience reactions to dialog, even if they’re filmed separately

• Playing with “button” endings—those final jokes that really seal the punch

• Using music intentionally to flip the emotional tone and add contrast

By the final cut, Scott was laughing—mission accomplished. That “There it is. Right now.” moment? It took forever to land, but it works because every visual and audio piece was timed to feel authentic.

If you're editing comedy, take this as a reminder: it’s all about reactions, rhythm, and refining the joke beat by beat. And yes, getting roasted is part of the process.

Happy editing!

Austen is an ADDY award-winning film & commercial editor with over 20 years of experience. He has worked with global brands like Meta, KPMG, SAP, and Christianity Today. His PSA work has championed causes like school safety (with Matthew McConaughey), driving safety, and anti-tobacco. A thought leader in the editing field, his online lessons quickly amassed over 100K views after launch.