Could editor Eddie Hamilton start editing scenes before the film was developed and scanned?

The idea that an editor can start editing scenes before the film is developed and scanned hinges on the current technology used in film production. Traditional film editing relies heavily on obtaining the footage in a viewable format, which means the raw film must go through a development process to convert the physical film into digital data.

When film is shot, it exists as unprocessed raw footage. Before this footage can be edited, it needs to be transformed into a digital format that an editor can work with. This process includes development (for capturing the images) and scanning (for digitizing them), both of which are essential steps. Neither of these can be bypassed if the goal is to edit the raw footage effectively.

Given these requirements, it is accurate to state that Eddie Hamilton cannot begin editing until the film has been both developed and scanned. This is why the correct answer is that he would not be able to start editing scenes until these processes are complete.