To date the two have worked on eight different pictures together. Scorsese and actor Harvey Keitel have also collaborated on numerous films. Once a good relationship is established between and editor and director, they tend to work together on numerous projects. Each will know what to expect from one another and will in turn create respectable work for one another. When there is plenty of coverage of scenes, it gives the editor much more to work with in order to accomplish this task.
Film editing is used to determine which shots are to be used where and when.
Because many films are shot out of sequence, it is the job of the editor to put the film in the order in which it is intended and to create the final product. Films are often shot out of continuity. That is, all shots to be made at one location are recorded at the same time, regardless of when they occur in the script. Film editing usually begins the same time as the production begins. The editor, director and producer view each day's work print in order to evaluate how well things are going.