Editing

What is editing?

Editing is often thought of a as a process of cutting down.

It can also be the process of coordinating and connecting one shot to another.

Editing can be split into two sections: The positioning of shots to make

meaning. The use of transitions and effects to make

meaning.

Count the cuts From the short clip count the number of

cuts.

How many cuts are there? Why are some cuts quite long? What can you say about they way the

cuts are put together? Are there any editing effects used?

Juxtaposition of shots

The placing of shots side by side to create meaning.

The editor and director will decide after shooting is complete which shots to use in the ‘final cut’.

The director might well have hours of footage or ‘rushes’ to select from.

Classic Hollywood Continuity style

The classic Hollywood style of editing is all about simplicity and is also known as continuity editing.

Editing in this style should be ‘invisible’ so that an audience are unaware the sequence has even been edited.

More continuity rules explained

Watch this explanation and make notes on keywords: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8xauSCz1mEk

Establishing ‘master’ shot: scene tends to begin with a establishing shot.

The 180 rule: Continuity editing abides by the 180 degree rule, whereby all the action has to stay within 180 degrees of the camera.

The Eyeline match: usually provides insight to a character's private thoughts.

Axis of action: the focus of the action. Reverse cutting or shot-reverse shot: A technique alternating over-

the-shoulder shots showing different characters speaking. This is generally used in conversation scenes.

Match on action: when you cut on the action so that the movement is seamless. e.g: entering a room.

Cross-cutting: Cutting back and forth between two or more events or actions that are taking place at the same time but in different places. Cross-cutting is used to build suspense or to show how different pieces of the action are related.

Continuity Exercise…

Many films are dependent on conversation to help create the drama therefore will use simple continuity editing.

Watch this clip from and spot the continuity.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S-8SQlKc9Os&feature=related

Walking through rooms Walking upstairs Entering his room Task: in groups you are going to do a continuity exercise of one of

the above. You will need to edit it in camera.

Montage Montage editing is the process of using images that on

their own have separate meaning but when put together or collide create an altogether different meaning. It’s similar to a an art collage

Watch this clip from ‘Rocky IV’. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i3p3uRnHSG4&feature=related

The montage sequence became a trend on the 80s as a shorthand way for filmmakers to condense large chunks of the story, often using cross cutting as well.

This was directly influenced by music videos and MTV.

‘Montage cont….’

Montage can also be used to experiment with and not just as a story condenser.

Watch this famous examples from Brian De Palma’s

‘The Untouchables’ as an example.

What meaning is created? What other editing effects were used?

Transitions- Visual Punctuation

Transitions are often likened to punctuation in writing.

Cuts, fades, dissolves, wipes are like commas, colons and full stops.

Q: What is the purpose of transitions?

To signify the passing of time or change of scene. The longer the transition the more significant.

Fade out/in

The ‘straight’ cut

Iris wipe Wipe Dissolve Out

Editing Effects

As well as cutting, co-ordinating and using transitions the editor and director have to decide whether editing effects should be used. Not all films use editing effects but those that do want to make the editing obvious.

Editing Effects: Motion Control: slow motion, sped up, freeze

frame. Picture effects: Black and white, tinting/colouring,

extra grain, split screen.

Long Takes…no editing

Occasionally directors will include sequences that don’t feature any editing at all.

Watch this famous example form Scorsese’s Goodfella’s.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yCYwcObxl78

These long takes are difficult to capture for camera crews and actors why?

Bordwell and Thompson

Bordwell and Thompson came up with four theories of what they called ‘editing relationships’:

Pictures Relationships Rhythmic relationships Space relationships Time relationships.

Picture and Rhythmic Picture relationship is when one shot is matched

up to another to create menacing. This is often called a ‘match cut’. Look at the example from ‘Psycho’.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8VP5jEAP3K4 - 1960

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PdAJrEgsU70&NR=1&feature=fvwp – 1998

Rhythmic is all about pace of the editing. Quicker editing for quick action sequences

( MTV) slower takes for longer character studies.

Space and Time

Space is about cutting to create the illusion that the story is going from one place to another.Character in interior studio in LA walks out of exterior and into jungle.

Time relationships is about condensing periods of time. A whole week in the narrative can be condensed to ten seconds in the edit suite.

Analysis ‘Raging Bull’ dir: Martin Scorsese (1980)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5wwItkoapuA

Make notes on juxtaposition of shots/shot selection and connection

Pace and rhythm of editing (length of cuts) Editing transitions (fades etc) Editing effects and motion control.

Practice task: how does the editing in ‘Raging Bull’ create meaning for the audience?