LO: - Develop understanding

of Editing

What is editing?

A process of cutting down.

Connecting one shot to another.

It is the “art of storytelling” and is unique to audiovisual productions.

What is happening here? What is the meaning?

What is the next shot?

Show Vertigo clip…

What is editing?

Editing can be split into 3 sections:

1. Juxtaposition of shots

2. Transitions

3. Effects

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 to select from.

Count the cuts Watch this clip from Waterloo Road How many cuts are there? What can you say about they way the

cuts are put together?

Classic Hollywood style (or Continuity editing) The classic Hollywood style of editing is all about

simplicity and is also known as continuity editing.• http://classes.yale.edu/film-analysis/htmfiles/editing.htm#22

186

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

Classic editing normally begins with a master or establishing shot, then cuts to a two shot or mid, followed by a close up.

Cross cut

Alternates 2 (or more) lines of action that occur in different places, usually at the same time

The 2 actions therefore become connected – associating characters and events from both lines of action.

Eyeline Match An eyeline match is a film editing technique

associated with the continuity editing system. It is based on the premise that the audience

will want to see what the character on-screen is seeing.

The eyeline match begins with a character looking at something off-screen, there will then be a cut to the object or person at which he is looking.

For example, a man is looking off-screen to his left, and then the film cuts to a television that he is watching.

Shot reverse shot

Shot reverse shot is a film techniquewhere one character is shown looking at another character (often off-screen), and then the other character is shown looking back at the first character. Since the characters are shown facing in opposite directions, the viewer assumes that they are looking at each other.[

Match On Action

Cut which places two different views of the same action together at the same moment in the movement, making it seem to continue uninterrupted.

These characteristics make it one of the most common transitions in the continuity style

Montage

Montage editing is the process of using images that on their own have separate meaning but when put together create an altogether different meaning. It’s similar to a an art collage

Look at this example from Spooks – do you think it is effective?

Transitions - Visual Punctuation

Transitions are often likened to punctuation in writing. Cuts, fades, dissolves, wipes are like commas, colons and full stops.

What are the purpose of transitions?

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

Iris wipe

• A round, moving mask that can close down to end a scene (iris-out) or emphasize a detail, or it can open to begin a scene (iris-in) or to reveal more space around a detail

Wipe• A transition between shots in which a line passes

across the screen, eliminating the first shot as it goes and replacing it with the next one. A very dynamic and noticeable transition, it is usually employed in action or adventure films. It often suggest a direct connection between the two images

Some key examples

Dissolve• A transition between two shots during which the first

image gradually disappears while the second image gradually appears; for a moment the two images blend in superimposition. Dissolves can be used as a fairly straightforward editing device to link any two scenes, or in more creative ways, for instance to suggest hallucinatory states

Fade• A transition between shots or scenes that appears on

screen as a brief interval with no picture

Some key examples

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, speed up, freeze frame.

Picture effects: black and white, tinting/colouring, extra grain, split screen.

Bordwell and Thompson

Bordwell and Thompson came up with four theories of what they called ‘editing relationships’. We will focus on:

1. Rhythmic relationships

2. Time relationships

Rhythmic relationships

Rhythmic relationships are about the pace of the editing:• Quicker editing for quick action sequences?

• Slower takes for longer character studies?

Time

Time relationships is about condensing periods of time:• E.g. a whole week in the narrative can be

condensed to ten seconds in the edit suite.

Analysis – Doctor Who Make notes on:

• Juxtaposition of shots/shot selection

• Editing transitions

• Editing effects and motion control

Task: how does the editing help to construct representations of gender?

Doctor Who analysis Continuity editing creates a sense of

authenticity Flashbacks help to tell Martha’s story and

show that she was a powerful and influential person in helping to defeat the antagonist

The pace of the editing increases to reflect growing tension

Editing effects (swirling lighting) are used to show the Doctor regaining his power

OTS

Editing task – draw storyboards into a sequence.

A mid shot of a blood stained shirt A mid shot of an open window A close up of hands A wide est. shot of an office block A dog’s eye view tracking shot of some feet walking A static long shot of a man in a room through a window A POV of someone walking An ECU of an eye/eyes A cutaway to a clock A high angle CCTV shot of a dead body

In order you feel tells the story best! Only use the 10 shots provided You don’t have to use all of the shots You can repeat the shots