Paper edit template
Plan the cut before you open the timeline. Pick a structure and a target length, and get a paper edit sheet with a time budget for each section and columns for the clip, in and out points, the exact quote and B-roll notes.
| # | Section | Purpose | Target length | Clip | In | Out | Quote (exact words) | B-roll / notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hook | The most surprising or human line you have | 0:16 | |||||
| 2 | Context | Who this is and the situation they were in | 0:25 | |||||
| 3 | The turn | What changed, what they tried, what went wrong | 0:33 | |||||
| 4 | Result | What is different now, in their words, as concretely as they said it | 0:33 | |||||
| 5 | Close | A short line that lands | 0:13 |
Section lengths are a starting point, split by how much each part usually needs.
How to use the sheet
- Write the one sentence the viewer should remember. Every quote you choose has to serve it.
- Read the transcripts and highlight lines that say the point in one breath.
- Put the best line for each section into the sheet with its clip name and in and out timecodes, and note the B-roll that could cover it.
- Add up the lengths. If a section runs long, cut a quote rather than speeding up the speaker.
- Build the timeline top to bottom from the sheet.
The full method, with a template and common mistakes, is in what is a paper edit, and how do you make one.
Questions
What is a paper edit?
The story of your video written as a list of quotes and shots, in order, before you edit. Editors read the transcripts, mark the lines worth using and arrange them on paper, then build the timeline from that list.
How are the section lengths worked out?
Each structure gives every section a share of the target length based on how much that part usually needs: a hook is short, the middle carries the most. Treat them as a budget to check your selects against, not a rule.
Does it work in Google Sheets and Excel?
Yes. The download is a .csv file that opens in both. In Google Sheets use File → Import and upload the file.
Is anything saved or uploaded?
No. The sheet is made in your browser and downloaded to your computer.
Cutting the video too?
Endroll is an AI video editor for Windows and Mac. Write what the video should say, and it finds the moments in your own footage and builds the cut, captions included. See how it works.