Lesson 3: Rough Cut vs Final Cut — What “Good Enough” Means

Big idea

A rough cut is not finished—but it must be clear enough to get helpful feedback.

Learning goals

By the end of this lesson, you can:

• Explain the difference between rough cut and final cut
• Know what must be present before getting critique
• Avoid perfectionism and finish your draft

Rough Cut vs Final Cut

Rough Cut (Week 6)

✅ Must have:

• Clear story structure (beginning–middle–end)
• Basic pacing (not too long)
• Main audio understandable (if used)
• Key titles (at least topic/title)
• A clear message or purpose

❌ Not required yet:

• Perfect color/brightness
• Perfect transitions
• Perfect music selection
• Fancy effects

Final Cut (Week 8)

✅ Will include:

• Strong polish, pacing, sound balance
• Stronger storytelling choices
• Improved visuals and final titles
• Clean export and presentation

“Good enough” checklist (use this before peer review)

Your rough cut is ready if:

• I can explain the issue in one sentence
• A viewer can follow the story without me explaining
• The message is respectful and safe
• I used a mix of shots (wide/medium/close or B-roll)
• The audio is not painful to listen to

✅ If 4/5 are true → submit for critique.

Activity (10 minutes)

Write your logline (one sentence):
“My video is about ________ and it shows ________ so that ________.”

Example:
“My video is about plastic pollution in our trading center and it shows how it affects drainage so that the community can take action.”