u/AveKatty

Hey guys! I want to DIY this ceiling repair. Do I have to cut the drywall all the way to the end of the cracked part, or would it be acceptable to just put mud over the crack? I can’t tell where the wood beam starts. Also, I want to do this as mess free as possible, any tips on keeping the insulation from falling down when I cut? It was a nightmare trying to clean up the stuff that already fell, and I keep worrying I got hantavirus lol. Thank you!