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Film and Video Editing TechniquesPaige Moorby

+Provide a simple definition of what film editing is

Film editing is a pre production process where you edit the clips together to give them meaning. This is the process where the editor combines the clips into a coherent order which makes sense to the audience, it is the process where clips are trimmed and cut and the production is put together to give meaning and to make a full sequence.

+Can you list some examples of early film editing? In the history of film editing it was a very different concept all together. There was just a whole story often taken in one shot, the films would often lack story and intensity. The cameras would often be stationary and the movement would happen on set and in the frame.

In the late 1800’s if people wanted to make the cuts between shots they would have to stop the recording, move the camera, record then move the camera back. Film makers didn’t want to edit the film as they thought it would loose meaning and the representation.

In the film the ‘Motorist’ in 1906 you can see how the editing is not really existing. You can see how long they wait for the car to reach the spot without editing and then how there is a sudden change of scene where they are filming which is how they move the camera and make cuts. They then had a part where they film parts of the movie against art work and move parts of drawn images between others.

Showing the time difference between action shots and the time scale

The move of location

The use of art and drawing to create detail in the film

+Describe the concept of ‘montage’ and juxtaposition and give an example

Montage is when you put together footage at a rapid pace so that you can give the audience a lot of information in one sitting. A montage can allow the film maker to cut shots together to make a really detailed and filled shot.

Sergei Eisenstein took the classic cut edit and made it into a montage so that delivering shots could be done on a much larger scale by cutting rapidly between shots and scenes. Juxtaposition within the film industry is when two shots

are put together closely and makes a contrast between the two. There tends to be a contrasting effect between the two shots that the audience can relate to and see clearly.

+List the types of cut/edit you can use and provide an example of each on in use

Cross cut - A common technique used for showing two locations or two stories at one time. Used to build tension and emotion and used to show different things at different times.

Jump cut - Like a cross cut it is used to cut between action. A jump cut is a lot more prominent and is used to jump from one dramatic incident to another. For example if there was a fire scene then the camera would jump from the fire to a casualty then jump back onto the dramatic danger which is about the occur.

Cutaway - Cutaway is used as a filler cut, it is when the camera cuts between the current situation (action) to something completely different or to a close up of something less important that is going on in the scene. This is used to give the audience more information and can often bring it back to them and be more interesting. An example of this would be having a fight scene and then as it dies down more having a cutaway to something like a close up of a cut hand and it just adds more information and personal aspect the the audience.

Montage- A montage is a rapid way to deliver a lot of clips all at once, it is when you compress a lot of time and events into a lot shorter period of time. A lot of the time when a montage is made there is a juxtaposition.

Fade in/ out Dissolve

+Below, list the four relationships between shots

Graphic Rhythmic Temporal Spatial

+For GRAPHIC relationships provide a description and examples of it’s usage

When a film is produced the creator may try to match the graphics between shots, the graphic is the match of the pictures and the visuals in the shot. They do this to make the video flow and match together to create an even sequence in the film that has points of similarity. The graphics have a similarity in colour to avoid clashing and bold points that could corrupt the continuity flow, they might also have a similar movement shot within graphics to keep the flow or the complete opposite they might make it different so that there is a bit of a clash and mix between the movement but it still flows and the graphics still match.

In the film Inception (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Thx9P7AI-I) there is a strong graphic relationship. The flow of the film is very continuous and through out it has a very steady and equal flow and the movement matches avoiding any types of sudden cuts and jumps. There is a graphic match with the colouring of the film. There is a blue grey colour that contrasts with a deep orange. These two colours indicate different aspects of the film and what’s going on, the film maker has used these colours to show different parts of the film and has represented them with a cool tone and a warmer tone which is something the audience can identify with.

+For RYTHMIC relationships provide a description and examples of it’s usage Rhythmic relationships are important as they provide a pace for the

scenes. Different types of cuts and shots can be joined together and made a fast or slow pace which creates a dimension of emotion for the film.

If shots cut together and are made into a slow pace then they indicate to the audience that this is a slow, sad or mysterious where as a fast tempo scene is often a lot more fast and action packed. Films often have a balance of different rhythmic shots which change the tempo and pace of the film.

In Spider Man 2 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VUsssa6ArAY) there is a train fight scene which is very action packed. The different shots are on screen for a very short amount of time making the cuts through the film really fast creating a fast tempo. As the pace is really fast it connects with the audience and the use of the short shots and cuts makes the audience have that same adrenaline rush which the film maker wants them to have.

4 seconds of the film

+For TEMPORAL relationships provide a description and examples of it’s usage The temporal relationship is the editing of the time. This is used to cut

time in the film or extend time and can be used as well to have flash forwards and flash backs in time. This is used to let the audience see different events of time but without having to have a really long and boring parts that would make the audience loose interest.

In the film The girl on the Train (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KkoEE1i0CX8) there is a lot of flash backs through out the film. There is cuts through times and the whole idea of the film is to patch together time. As it is a crime film and there is a whole story that needs to unravel so there is a lot of cuts and pull back from time and in current time to patch together a mystery story. The creator has done this in a very intriguing way and has managed to use time in an informal sequence, the use of repetition and cuts to make a fully understandable and intense film.

+Define the ‘Hollywood method’ of continuity editing and why it became so prevalent…

Continuity editing is editing where there is a continuous flow, the different shots are combined together to create a continuous sequence. These shots don’t always have to be in a single shot so it is just a sequence of shots that are coherent and flowing.

This is so prevalent because it allows footage to be cut up so you can use the parts that are relevant and cut out unnecessary shots. This also allows movies to be made as the footage is cut into sequences that flow together so you end up with a really well addressed sequence. So now people use this when creating a video.

+Provide a description of a scene where the 180 degree line has been used, how does it provide spatial continuity/discontinuity? In Jerry Maguire (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SWdsAksrFC)

there is a 180 degree line. The 180 degree line is used to create a continuity flow and allows the audience to be more involved in the film as they can see more then just the basic aspect of it and the line provides this flow.

In this scene there is a first conversation happening which is slightly tense and stroppy which the audience can feel more because of the line you can see both sides of the characters and it really gives the audience more view on the conversation as you can see the all of the aspects not just a straight on shot.

+POV and identification – explain how we are invited to identify with a character through POV and shot reverse shotShot reverse shot is a shot where the character is shown looking at someone (off-screen or on screen) then the shot is reversed back and the someone else looks at the character. This is often used in convocation and can add tension and dramatic empathy to the shot. An example is In the Hunger Games (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o1Ey0a6LJRA0) The two focus characters are having a conversation and the shot constantly flicks back between them so the audience can see how they are looking at each other. This allows the audience to connect with the characters and feel like they are the characters.

The point of verification is that point where you can see what the character was looking at it is the identification and verification to the audience to show what the character was looking at. In this example it is from the initial shot to shot one where you see who he was talking to.

Initial shot Shot 1 Shot 2

+Provide a definition of cross-cutting/parallel editing, what is so effective about this technique? Where might a director use it?

A cross cut is cutting between stories when editing the editor will cut between different shots and stories showing what is happening at different locations. This technique is effective because you can get more information across to the audience in the same amount of time and in the same style. The cross cutting can be used to create more tension and can create a build up before a final scene, it can also be used throughout a video to cut between different storylines and events which are happening.

Directors use this to deliver a lot more information and create the look of two stories. They also use this to create tension and produce certain feelings to the audience. This technique is really effective as it is so strong and you can use it really subtle or bold and for such a basic cut you can get a lot of different effects and looks forming from it. The cut can also be used to make the audience get different perspectives so cuts from a long shot to a close up gives a different perspective of the same situation.

+What is Ellipsis? Select an example and explain how it works… Ellipsis is when the editor cuts the time of the action to fit in

with the time of the film. For example you don’t need to see every part of a film so parts are cut and ellipsis are put in to sill give information and the audience what is going on but it doesn’t show every single detail.

A film that does this a lot is the 2015 SPY film (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YrY3v1eDmQY) . This film is based around a spy who travels around to different locations. In the film it doesn’t show her travelling to all the locations as it would get repetitive and annoying so they tend to have a shot with her saying where she’s going then a shot of her leaving the airport then a shot of the location, which fixes together and gives the audience the information but doesn’t drag over the whole film.

I’m going to Budapest

+What is meant by the term ‘intensified continuity’? Why do you think continuity editing has developed in this way?

Intensified continuity is the theory that over time the amount of shots have increased meaning that there is more action in films. Not only have the amount of shots increased the set up of shots have also increased and there is a lot more effect given off in the shots as camera movement, framing and shots have come into place so stationary shots are no loner used as more drama and effects can be given through the camera movement.

I think that continuity editing has developed in this way because when it comes to editing less is needed to be done to give different effects. The use of shot lengths and the way that they are shot makes a lot more of an effect before post production even begins to take place. As soon as you begin to change from stationary shots to different shots there is a lot of development forming so then intensified continuity came into place.

+Your Case Study

+Free choice case study

Your individual case study should describe the development of editing in film and aim to highlight the different aspects of editing discussed in the lecture [with examples]

You should select at least 2 different examples/clips to discuss – you should include links to these and use still images to support your arguments

Use the questions listed on the next slide to start your investigations

+Questions to ask

When any two shots are joined, you can ask several questions:

1. How are the shots graphically continuous or discontinuous?

2. What rhythmic relations are created?

3. Are the shots spatially continuous? If not, what creates the spatial discontinuity? [Cross-cutting? Ambiguous cues?] If the shots are continuous, how does the 180-degree system create the continuity?

4. Are the shots temporally continuous? If so, what creates the continuity? [e.g. matches on action?] If not, what creates the discontinuity?