The Art of Editing a Porn Movie: AE Films’ ‘Fucked Ra’
It’s been five years since AE Films’ blockbuster movie Fucked Ra was unleashed upon the world. Boasting Missy Martinez‘s first and only double penetration as its centerpiece, the movie took a flavorful Cleopatra theme and turned it into a hardcore showcase for the ages. But movies don’t drop out of the sky fully formed. There’s a long, winding process to bring them to your screens, and one of the most important steps takes place in the editing room. We asked Adult Empire’s own Brittney (videographer and editor) to tell us about her experiences editing Fucked Ra. She lends insight into both the editing of this AE Films classic and of porn movies in general.
What was the most challenging aspect of editing Fucked Ra?
This was my first porno I edited. I quickly learned that using two cameras to shoot porn is ideal. This movie was shot like a typical movie — first you do your wide shots, then move in for close-ups. However, as anyone reading this would know, porn is pretty action packed. Trying to match action between wide shots and close-ups in porn is very difficult if it’s not shot at the same time, because the performers can’t remember every little thing they did at the first go at it. I did my best at matching action between the wide shots and close-ups, but if you look back at it with a keen eye, you can see that it doesn’t quite match up.
What was the most fun aspect?
Being able to create something from “ra” shots (haha see what I did there?!). Also, using my skills for something off the wall like a porno was a fun, new challenge. Being able to work with footage from a naturally hilarious person like Missy Martinez was also a lot of fun. Her one-liners are on par with the best comedians, and I made sure to keep those in! I hope viewers didn’t miss out on that part of the movie.
In what ways is the editing process different for a porn movie than it is for a mainstream project?
Again, I quickly learned that having two cameras shooting the action at the same time makes life for the editor much easier in a porno. Other than that, it really is the same process as a mainstream project. In fact, I barely noticed tits and dicks after the first few hours of editing — I just did my job to make the movie look as professional as possible!
How did the experience compare to the other AE Films porn movies you worked on?
This was the only one I edited totally from scratch — just getting all of the footage and creating an entire movie from the raw footage. The other AE Films movies came assembled by a prior editor — I just went in to fine tune, color correct and do the extra features for the other movies. The other editors did a great job, so I didn’t really have to do much to the actual editing for other movies. It was nice to have complete control over a movie, especially for my first go at a porno.
What’s the key to a good porn movie, from an editorial perspective?
I can’t reiterate this enough — use two cameras to shoot the action! It will edit together so, so much easier. Your editor will be very grateful! If possible, even use three cameras. One for wide shots, one for close-ups, medium shots etc., and one to really try to focus on the expressions of the performers or any other fine details of the action that the other two cameras might miss. Also, having a professional editor who knows what they’re doing can make the difference in an okay scene to a great scene. Especially when they know the finer details, like color correction and audio sweetening. Being cognizant of the finer details can take an okay scene to great status!
