How to end scenes. One of the hardest ensemble skills — it requires reading the scene from outside while respecting what's happening inside. Jimmy Carrane: "The best edits are gifts to your teammates. You're saving them from having to figure out how to end the scene."
Types of edits:
Sweep edit (wipe): A performer from the backline walks or runs across the front of the stage, "wiping" the scene away. The cleanest, most unambiguous edit. All performers clear; a new scene begins. Standard in Harold format.
Tag-out: A backline performer taps one of the on-stage performers, replacing them. The remaining performer stays, and a new scene begins exploring a different facet of their character or game. Tag-outs create "runs" — rapid sequences that test a pattern across multiple contexts.
Cut-to: A performer steps forward and initiates a new scene that illustrates or heightens something from the current scene. Cinematic — like a film cut. More aggressive, signals "I know exactly where this should go."
Organic edit: Performers simply walk on and start something new; current performers read the energy and walk off. Softer, more fluid. Favored by Annoyance and some iO traditions — no formal mechanism, just ensemble awareness.
When to edit — the timing judgment:
- Edit when the game has been found and explored 2-3 times. The scene has said what it needs to say.
- Edit before the scene dies, not after. "Get in late, get out early." Leave them wanting more.
- Edit on the laugh. A big laugh signals a peak — carry that energy into the next scene rather than letting it deflate. But this isn't absolute: sometimes the biggest laugh is a stepping stone to something better. Develop judgment about whether the laugh is a peak or a platform.
- Replace "someone should edit this" with "I should edit this." The best time to edit is almost always before you think it's time.
Who edits: Primarily the backline. Performers inside the scene are focused on playing and may not have the structural perspective. The backline functions like film editors: watching from outside, making structural decisions. But self-editing happens too — experienced performers sense when a scene has peaked and walk off.
Editing is an act of generosity and ensemble awareness, not authority. You're not judging the scene — you're serving it.