Patty Mooney is the VP of Crystal Pyramid Productions and New & Unique Videos, a video producer, editor, and mountain biker who has been shaping the world of video production for over four decades. She continues to embrace innovation while

The Lost Art of In-Camera Editing and Intentional Filmmaking

By Patty Mooney

As a filmmaker with decades of experience behind the lens, I’ve watched the evolution of video production—from the analog days of tape to the digital revolution of 4K and AI-assisted editing. While I embrace the incredible tools available today, I can’t help but feel that something valuable has been lost along the way. One of the most important yet often overlooked skills in filmmaking is the art of in-camera editing—a practice that not only sharpened our instincts but also made us more intentional storytellers.

A Time When Every Shot Mattered

Back in the days of analog video, every frame mattered. We didn’t have the luxury of shooting endless takes and sorting it out in post-production. Every decision—when to start recording, how to frame a shot, when to stop—was made with precision. Editing wasn’t a safety net; it was an extension of the creative process that started before the camera even rolled.

Because film stock and videotape weren’t cheap, we had to be hyper-aware of composition, lighting, and movement. You couldn’t just shoot for hours and “fix it in post.” You had to feel the story unfolding in real time, anticipate what was coming next, and adapt on the spot. There was an urgency to it—a necessity to be present behind the camera.

That’s something I think modern filmmakers could really benefit from: stepping away from over-reliance on technology and embracing the discipline of committing to a shot with full awareness of its role in the final edit.

The Power of In-Camera Editing

In-camera editing is a technique where you mentally piece together your film as you shoot, minimizing the need for extensive post-production. This means:

• Knowing exactly when to start and stop a shot to create natural, fluid transitions.
• Using movement and natural scene changes to build a seamless narrative.
• Perfecting match-action cuts—lining up movements so the next shot picks up perfectly, creating a sense of continuous action.
• Avoiding excess footage—filming only what’s needed instead of sorting through hours of unnecessary content.

In my early days of shooting extreme sports, mountain biking, and adventure travel, we had one or two chances—at most—to get a shot right. No drones. No GoPros. No stabilization software. Just our instincts, a camera on a tripod or shoulder-mounted, and the adrenaline of the moment.

One of my favorite aspects of in-camera editing is how it forces you to be a proactive storyteller. You’re making creative decisions on the spot, rather than passively capturing footage and hoping to make sense of it later. That’s a huge advantage—not just in saving time in post, but in creating a film that feels organic and intentional.

A Moment of Realization on The Swell Life Shoot

I had a moment of clarity about this while working as a sound operator on a shoot for The Swell Life, a documentary series produced by the Oprah Winfrey Network. The series followed a surf school for special needs kids, a truly inspiring story. There were probably five camera operators filming at all times, capturing everything from wide shots of the beach to close-ups of the kids on their boards.

As I stood there monitoring audio, watching cameras roll non-stop from every angle, all I could think was, All that footage is going to overwhelm the editor!

I could just picture the poor editor wading through terabytes of content, trying to piece together a story from hours of unnecessary footage. And sure enough, I later heard that the edit took far longer than expected because of the sheer volume of material.

It reminded me of how we used to shoot in the days of tape. We had to be selective. We had to trust our instincts, knowing what was essential and what wasn’t. We weren’t afraid to miss a shot because we knew we were getting the right ones.

I was reminded of this again during a shoot for A Current Affair at a culinary school. Mark was the camera operator, and I was on sound. The producer surprised us by asking only a few questions of the interviewee and capturing just a half-hour of B-roll. It seemed odd to us at first—we were used to shoots where producers gathered far more material than necessary—but we quickly realized this veteran producer knew exactly what he wanted. There would be no excess footage, no wasted time in the edit. He had already structured the segment in his mind, so there was no need to roll endlessly. That level of efficiency and confidence in storytelling is something I deeply admire and something more filmmakers today could learn from.

The Cost of Online Editing in the 1980s and 1990s

And let’s not forget the astronomical cost of online editing back in the day. In the 1980s and 1990s, an hour in an online editing suite could easily run $250 per hour—or more. That was just for the suite itself, not including the editor’s fee.

Because of that, we had to be incredibly efficient with our edits. We couldn’t afford to sit there tinkering with endless options. Instead, we would carefully compile Edit Decision Lists (EDLs) as a form of "offline editing," ensuring that by the time we got into the expensive online suite, we knew exactly what frames we needed to assemble. There was no room for indecision.

Imagine modern filmmakers today, used to dragging clips around a non-linear timeline with infinite undos, being told they had to make every edit count because the ticker was running. That pressure forced us to be disciplined, precise, and deeply involved in every aspect of our craft.

The Arrival of Non-Linear Editing: A Game-Changer

As much as I appreciate the discipline of in-camera editing and the lessons learned from early tape-based workflows, I’ll be honest—I wasn’t a huge fan of the hands-on nature of traditional editing. Having to physically cut tape, rewind, and meticulously time edits was tedious and time-consuming. So when non-linear editing (NLE) arrived, it was an absolute boon. Suddenly, we could experiment, make precise adjustments, and work much faster without the pressure of the clock ticking in an expensive online suite.

The beauty of NLE was that it allowed us to refine storytelling in ways that just weren’t possible before. We no longer had to make irreversible decisions in-camera—we could tweak pacing, add layers, and explore creative choices in post. While I still believe in the importance of getting things right in the camera, I fully embraced the advantages of digital editing. It gave us freedom without sacrificing efficiency—if used wisely.

What Modern Filmmakers Can Learn

I love new technology. I use DaVinci Resolve for motion graphics, and I appreciate how digital tools have opened doors for creators worldwide. But I also believe that the craft of filmmaking shouldn’t be lost in the process. Here’s my challenge to modern filmmakers:

1. Shoot with intention. Before pressing record, ask yourself: “How does this shot serve the story?”
2. Limit your takes. Instead of rolling endlessly, challenge yourself to capture the perfect shot in fewer attempts.
3. Think like an editor while filming. Picture how each shot will transition to the next. Try match-action cuts or natural scene transitions instead of relying on post-production fixes.
4. Experiment with in-camera storytelling. Try shooting a short sequence where the footage is already structured like a finished piece. This will train your eye and instincts in ways that digital editing can’t.

Bringing Back the Heart of Filmmaking

Technology will continue to evolve, and I’ll always embrace new tools that make storytelling easier. But at the end of the day, great filmmaking is about connection—to the story, to the moment, and to the audience.

So, whether you’re shooting on a cutting-edge cinema rig or a vintage camcorder, remember this: The best stories aren’t found in software—they’re found in the choices you make before you ever hit record.