After years of hard work, the first edit of American Circumcision is done.
I couldn’t be happier. Here’s a quick update:
Where We Are Now
The current edit is nearly 5 hours long – which means we’re in a really good place. By the time the film is edited down to it’s final runtime – around 2 hours or the length of a standard feature film – only the most powerful moments will remain.
Great films often run an hour or two longer in their first edit than the final edit released in theaters. Look up the post-production stories behind American Beauty, Blade Runner, and The Godfather if you want examples. Even lighthearted studio comedies will have an extra hour of improv in their first edit. Serious documentaries usually have even more footage, and American Circumcision certainly qualifies.
What’s Next
Looking through the current edit, I can also see the places were I’ll tighten sequences and take things out. If you’re the type who could watch five hours of an interesting documentary (or wants to after seeing American Circumcision, since what we show is so fascinating), then know that the special features will have everything I’ve taken out. (Seriously, we might have close to eight hours of special features. There’s that much material. If there is something you want to know about this topic, we probably have it.)
In the coming months, I’ll be editing the film down. As we get closer to finishing, two things will happen. First, I’ll share more content from the film publicly – something I’ve deliberately kept secret – and do a lot more on social media. Second, I’ll need more help. I’ll be hiring post-production crew, like a researcher, a sound editor, a composer – and yes, doing a Kickstarter.
There are going to be a lot more opportunities for you to participate in what we’re doing. If you’re interested in seeing what comes next, please sign-up for our email list here.
Read more: American Circumcision
