Download - Continuity Editing
Approaches to Cinema 1: Film Form and Language
Week 4: Continuity Editing
What is continuity editing?
‘invisible’, seamless editing
enables viewer to ‘read’ the story efficiently
developed in Hollywoodbetween 1908 – 1920
corresponds to human perception
establishing shot(s)
180 degree rule
The line/axis of vision is established through the establishing shot
what happens if this rule is broken?
shot/reverse shot
eye-line match
match on action
establishmentbreakdown reestablishmen
t
new line of visionestablished
line of visionestablished
types of shot transitions
dissolve
fade in/fade out
screen wipe
crosscutting (or parallel editing)
two sequences of action taking place simultaneously
sequence A sequence B
shot length
classical Hollywood average amount of cuts: 300–500
contemporary Hollywoodaverage amount of cuts:2000
‘take’ denotes length of the shot: ie long take, short take
The Kuleshov experiment
The Kuleshov effect
The meaning of the shotis determined by its association with thepreceding and succeeding shots
alternatives to continuity editing (1): jump cut
alternatives to continuity editing (2): Soviet Montage
‘montage is conflict’ (Sergei Eisenstein)
editing used to contrast images and convey political messages