Top Reasons Why Film Directors Cut Scenes

Deleted scenes are commonplace in filmmaking. Especially in feature films where many scenes will never make it to the final cut. If you’re brand new to filmmaking, you might be personally wondering. Why do film directors cut scenes? Delete scenes happen for a variety of reasons. Ranging from the scene being unnecessary to there being a better scene to put in the place to just plain timing. As we examine some of the top reasons why film directors cut scenes you might be surprised at some of the most common reasons behind a Director’s decision to delete a scene.

Pacing

Oftentimes, scenes are deleted because there is simply too much footage to include for the overall pacing of the film. In fact, pacing is one of the primary reasons why film directors cut scenes! In order to reduce the overall length of the film.

That way, it fits within the desired time constraint of a full-feature film. Or to fit within the constraints desired. And to ensure the audience isn’t faced with a bunch of footage that really isn’t necessary.

Unnecessary Scenes

Sometimes, scenes are deleted because they just don’t make sense. There’s no real value to having the scene included in the film.

For example, you might have a scene that includes mundane tasks such as the character brushing their teeth, combing their hair. Or otherwise performing a task that isn’t required to be seen by the audience in order for them to know what’s happening.

Unnecessary scenes can easily be cut to make better use of every minute available for the final footage. 

Wrong Narrative Path

Another one of the top reasons why film directors cut scenes goes along with pacing and being unnecessary and it’s scenes that are taking the wrong narrative path. If a scene just doesn’t seem to make sense, and might even confuse the audience? It is often cut by the director.

These deleted scenes may have had some function in establishing the character. Or otherwise referring to the plot. But they are more illogical than they are logical.

Unfortunately including scenes that don’t make sense will not only frustrate the audience. But they’ll also draw out the pacing without any real value.

Alteration Requests

Finally, sometimes the reasons behind why film directors cut scenes are more so behind the studio or network that intends to air the film. If a studio or network has apprehensions about a particular scene, they may ask for the scene to be cut, or otherwise eliminated.

While this certainly isn’t always easy, it does happen. For reasons generally related to fear of lost ratings, reaction of critics and censors as well as various other purposes the scene gets cut.