Media Studies : Analyzing Editing in Coming-of-age Dramas (Blog #21) RESEARCH

I’ve been wanting to strengthen my editing skills for a while now. I can handle quick, simple edits like the ones I did for the interviews in a recent blog. I know there’s still a lot of room for improvement. In one of my other AICE classes, my group was assigned the task of creating a commercial promoting a solution to the global issue that is an organ shortage. I was lucky enough to write the story, act in it, and do all the editing. That project taught me a lot, not only because I edited the entire video, but also because I helped film scenes for my friends’ projects, which gave me extra practice with camera work.

The real challenge came during the editing process for our commercial. For some reason, the microphones didn’t record any audio whatsoever, my guess is that they disconnected for the phone being used to record and none of us noticed. That simple mistake made my role as editor ten times harder. I ended up having to edit the full three-minute commercial as I normally would, with sound effects, graphics but now having to record voiceovers for a large portion of it.

(How the videos were without any editing.)

What should have taken under two hours to accomplish turned into a five-hour process. It was a humbling but valuable experience. I’m already familiar with CapCut, which is the program I used to edit the video, but this project pushed me to understand it on a deeper level. More importantly, it taught me to double-check everything, especially audio, after changing locations. It would’ve taken only a few seconds to check, and it would have saved me hours of extra work.

Looking back, I’m actually grateful this happened on a project that could be fixed, rather than on my film opening, where mistakes like these might have meant reshooting entire scenes. With the lessons I learned, I now understand how editing can make or break a project. Watching other students’ videos confirmed that for me. Some clips were left running longer than they should have been, like background voices saying “Go” before someone started delivering their lines. Small editing mistakes like that really affect the audience's first impression and overall experience.

(The final edit)

(1:40 - 2:49 is the section I've been referring to.)

That’s exactly why I wanted to take the time to analyze editing in coming-of-age dramas. Understanding how professionals shape pacing, emotion, and clarity through editing will help me grow and avoid repeating the same mistakes in my own work.

Continuity editing

Coming-of-age dramas usually rely on soft, seamless continuity editing because it helps the story feel natural and real. Instead of drawing attention to the cuts, the editor lets scenes flow gently from one moment to the next, making it easy for the viewer to stay focused on the character’s emotions. Since this genre is all about personal growth and relatable, everyday experiences, the editing leans into simplicity. It creates a sense of authenticity, making the world feel like one we’ve lived in ourselves.

Cross-Cutting

These films often switch back and forth between a character’s emotional struggles and the real-life situations that trigger them, like family conflict or school pressure. This kind of cross-cutting shows how the character’s inner world and outer world constantly collide. It highlights the idea that growing up is not simply something that happens quietly inside but it's shaped by the messy, overwhelming environment around us.

Montage

Montages show up often because they’re a great way to capture change over time, whether a character is settling into a new routine, building a connection with someone, or slowly losing control. Instead of lingering on every small moment, a montage strings together quick glimpses that add up to something emotional and meaningful.

Match Cuts and Symbolic Transitions

Editors in this genre love using match cuts or symbolic transitions to link different stages of the character's life. Maybe a shot from childhood lines up perfectly with a shot from the present, or a sound in one scene carries into another. These visual connections quietly remind us that the past never really leaves us, our memories, habits, and fears all shape who we’re becoming. It’s a subtle way of showing that growth is not linear, it’s layered.

Long Takes

When characters hit emotional breaking points, editors often use long, uninterrupted shots. These moments feel raw because the audience is forced to sit in the scene without any quick cuts to break the tension. Long takes make the moments feel more honest and vulnerable, almost like we’re sharing the space with the character. Since coming-of-age stories, especially dramas, often explore deep insecurities and personal truth, this technique helps the audience truly feel the weight of what the character is going through.

Jump Cuts

Jump cuts pop up when filmmakers want to show a character’s anxiety or emotional chaos. These sharp, jarring edits intentionally break the smooth flow of a scenes, making the viewer feel just as unsettled as the character. It’s a visual way of showing that their thoughts are racing, or that they’re struggling to keep everything under control. In a genre filled with pressure, confusion, and self-doubt, jump cuts help bring the character’s mental state to life.

Slow Motion

Slow motion is often used to highlight big emotional moments such as first loves, embarrassing incidents, or personal victories. By slowing down the moment, the film draws attention to how important the moment feels to the character. For my opening specially, it could highlight the grade the character received on an assignment and how that might make or break her. What might seem small on the outside becomes huge emotionally. In coming-of-age films, where life-changing lessons often come from tiny experiences, slow motion helps turn those moments into something unforgettable.

Editing Pace and Rhythm

The overall rhythm of the editing often shifts to match the character’s emotional state. When they’re overwhelmed or spiraling, the cuts might speed up. When they’re isolated, reflective or even heartbroken, the editing becomes slower and more still. This pacing helps the audience feel connected to the character’s mindset. It’s almost like the editing becomes another way to hear their thoughts.

Freeze Frame

Occasionally, a film will freeze the frame on a specific moment such as an expression, a realization, a split-second of embarrassment or clarity. These freeze frames draw attention to experiences that shape the character’s identity. By pausing time, the film is making sure the audience knows that this matters and to remember it. Since coming-of-age stories revolve around defining moments, freeze frames help highlight turning points that stick with the character.

Diegetic Cuts

In modern coming-of-age dramas, editors often cut to the text messages, phone screens, or social media posts to show how characters actually communicate. These moments make the story feel current and realistic while also revealing parts of the character’s emotional journey that is not always spoken out loud. They show the digital side of growing up, the pressure, the misunderstanding, and the constant connection, which plays a huge role in shaping who the characters are.

Working on editing projects this year, especially the organ-shortage commercial, really showed me how editing can shape the feel and impact of a story. Dealing with challenges like missing audio have taught me to slow down, pay close attention to details, and problem-solve in ways I hadn’t before. Watching other students' work and my own also made me notice how small editing choices can completely change how a viewer experiences a video. Studying techniques in coming-of-age dramas like smooth continuity cuts, montages, and slow motion , really helped me see how editors guide emotion and storytelling. Overall, this experience has made me more confident in my editing and more aware of how it can bring a story to life. Despite the editing not being the best, it still taught me so much that a simple video wouldn't have taught me, putting the skill to practice really helped in this situation.