Post

Assembly

Also called Assembly cut

What is assembly in film production?

An assembly is the first edit of a film, containing every scene in script order and usually the preferred take of each shot, with no attempt at pacing. It is typically completed shortly after principal photography ends and is far longer than the final film.

The editor normally builds it during the shoot rather than after it, which is what makes it possible to identify missing coverage while the unit is still assembled and able to shoot it.

Reviewed 2026-08-27

Related terms

Dailies: Dailies are the footage shot on a given day, processed and made available for review shortly afterwards — traditionally the following morning, which is where the name comes from. They are watched to confirm that what was shot is usable before the unit loses access to the location.
Picture lock: Picture lock is the point at which the edit is final and no further changes to shot selection or timing will be made. It is a formal gate rather than an opinion, because sound design, score, visual effects and colour all work to a fixed timeline that a later change invalidates.
Coverage: Coverage is the set of different angles and sizes shot of the same scene so that it can be assembled in the edit. A conventionally covered dialogue scene includes a wide master, matching mid shots or singles of each performer, and often close-ups and cutaways.