Unit 3: Post-Production Editing Hitchcock’s North by Northwest: Storyboard Version Alfred Hitchcock Often said that he felt as if the film had already been made once he had completed the storyboards Had already seen the film in his mind through the storyboards Was often impatient with actors, especially Method actors, wanting them to simply get the job done Hitchcock was meticulous about storyboarding, sometimes drawing hundreds of shots for one sequence.

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Editing: Hitchcock’s Psycho Storyboards serve as a blueprint for the cameraman Most directors use storyboards to varying extents Even directors who employ large degrees of improvisation, allowing certain scenes to develop organically, outline many sequences by storyboarding The shower scene in Hitchcock’s Psycho (1960) is one of the most famous and best examples of film editing in the history of cinema.

Editing: Definition The foundation of film art is editing. –V.I. Pudovkin, Filmmaker and Film Critic Editing Physically joins one shot to another Gives a film its meaning through how the shots are joined Forms its own language structure

Editing: History Avid and Final Cut Pro were used in the Editing of Sin City (2005) Originally actually cut and pasted films More and more, film editing is done on computers with sophisticated editing software instead of the “old-fashioned” way

Editing: The Editor Some Goals of the Film Editor Editing for Overall Continuity —keep the story progressing in a logical order Coherence —keep the story’s flow even if some time is omitted or compressed Rhythm —maintain pace and speed within the film, match the editing with the sound and action Hitchcock is considered the Master of Film Editing

Editing: The Editor Some Goals of the Film Editor Film Editors must Consider Aesthetic aspects of the film Dramatic nature of the film Psychological aspects of the film Hitchcock is considered the Master of Film Editing

Unit Four: Editing The foundation of film art is editing. –V.I. Pudovkin, Filmmaker and Film Critic Editing as a Language System Think of a single shot as a word Join it to another shot to form a phrase Add another shot to form a sentence Soon paragraphs (scenes) are formed Paragraphs and scenes become chapters (acts) All of these edited shots become an entire film in the same way that written language forms a novel

Editing: Continuity Joining Shots Literally Piecing it all Together Wipe —generally a clear horizontal, vertical, or diagonal line (a variety of shapes can be used) pushing one image off screen while replacing it with another A few possible transitions to join two shots

Editing: Continuity Joining Shots Literally Piecing it all Together Fade out —gradual dimming of an image from normal brightness to black or another color Fade in —the reverse of a fade out, image is gradually illuminated and brought into focus from solid black (or white, or color) to clarity A few possible transitions to join two shots

Editing: Continuity Joining Shots Good editing is essential to the quality of a film. Jump cut —does not preserve continuity of time, space, or both, creates abrupt transitions Form cut —the shape of an object is matched to a similarly shaped object in the next shot (often used together with a dissolve shot) Dissolve —first image slowly fades away as second gradually takes its place Combination cuts —the dissolve and form cut are one example, but many other combinations are possible Additional transitions

Editing: Continuity 4-3 Different Film Styles have their own Editing Conventions Rope How to Train Your Dragon North by Northwest MementoTree of Life

Editing: D.W. Griffith and Classical Cutting A Film’s Story Time may Cover Minutes, Days, Weeks, even Years Classical Cutting Aims to provide smooth transitions between shots Eliminates or condenses unnecessary time and space

Editing: D.W. Griffith and Classical Cutting Different Film Styles have different Editing Conventions Griffith is the director associated with the development of Classical Conventions Griffith is credited with improving existing editing techniques and developing many of the conventions widely used and known as classical cutting today His first epic film, Birth of a Nation (1915), was the first film to garner popularity with a wide range of social classes... and to prove that filmmaking could be a highly profitable business and an art form

Editing: D.W. Griffith and Classical Cutting Griffith was the first director to: Use the close-up for dramatic effect, revealing psychological rather than mere physical character development Use close-ups to appeal to audience emotions Mix long, medium, and close-up shots for dramatic effect D.W. Griffith is Considered by Many to be The Father of Film

Editing: D.W. Griffith and Classical Cutting Classical Cutting and Cutting to Continuity Some terminology of classical cutting Eyeline match and Matching Action Shot/ Reverse Angle shot Master shot The 180 o rule Establishing shot Re-establishing shot Outside/in editing

The 180 o Rule

Editing: Soviet Montage and the Formalist Tradition Psychologist Pavlov’s theories of logic and the association of ideas were the basis for Soviet editing experimentation Kuleshov, Pudovkin, and Sergei Eisenstein built on and applied Pavlov’s ideas along with those of the Greek philosopher Heraclitus to create a highly formalistic approach to editing... a revolutionary approach “Montage” comes from the French monter (to assemble)

Editing: Soviet Montage and the Formalist Tradition Sergei Eisenstein—the Master of Soviet Montage believed like Heraclitus, that the essence of existence is constant change that the conflict or juxtaposition of opposites is the impetus for motion and change that montage is the foundation of film art transitions between shots should be sharp, jolting, even violent “Movies must capture the essence, not merely the surface, of reality.” –Giannetti

Editing: Soviet Montage and the Formalist Tradition Sergei Eisenstein—the Master of Soviet Montage believed the rhythm of editing in a movie should be like the explosion of an internal combustion engine stories should explore ideas images should be thematically or metaphorically relevant The Odessa Steps Sequence is an Excellent Example of Soviet Montage

Editing: André Bazin and the Tradition of Realism André Bazin Was a French critic and theorist Edited the well-known journal Cahiers du Cinéma Proposed the realist theory of editing in direct opposition to the Soviet formalist ideas Bazin believed that film could present a virtually objective view of the real world.

Editing: André Bazin and the Tradition of Realism Realist Editing Attempts to preserve the continuity of real time and space Frequently uses long shots Commonly uses lengthy takes Favors deep-focus photography to allow composition in depth often uses widescreen aspect ratio prefers pans, crane shots, and tilts rather than cutting to individual shots General Conventions of Realist Editing

Editing: André Bazin and the Tradition of Realism Rack Focusing Uses a telephoto lens to change focus and direct the viewer’s eye to specific areas Blurs one part of the frame while the other is in focal clarity, a viewer will tend to look at the clearer image Techniques to Achieve Continuity without Cutting

Editing: André Bazin and the Tradition of Realism Sequence Shot A long, tracking shot Generally a lengthy take Usually involves complex staging and camera movement Techniques to Achieve Continuity without Cutting

Editing: Editing Questions for Film Analysis: 7 Editing Questions for Film Analysis: 1)How much cutting is there and why? 2)Are the shoots highly fragmented or relatively lengthy? Techniques to Achieve Continuity without Cutting

Editing: Editing Questions for Film Analysis: 7 Editing Questions for Film Analysis: 3)What is the point of the cutting in each scene? To clarify? To stimulate? To lyricize? To create suspense? To explore an idea or emotion in depth? Techniques to Achieve Continuity without Cutting

Editing: Editing Questions for Film Analysis: 7 Editing Questions for Film Analysis: 4)Does the cutting seem manipulative or are we left to interpret the images on our own? 5)What kind of rhythm does the editing establish with each scene? 6)Is the personality of the filmmaker apparent in the cutting or is the presentation of shots relatively objective and functional? Techniques to Achieve Continuity without Cutting

Editing: Editing Questions for Film Analysis: 7 Editing Questions for Film Analysis: 7)Is editing a major language system of the movie or does the film artist relegate cutting to a relatively minor fraction? Techniques to Achieve Continuity without Cutting

Chapter Five: Sound Cinematic sound... does not simply add to, but multiplies, two or three times, the effect of the image. —Akira Kurosawa, Filmmaker

Sound: Historical Background Innovations and Transitions Beginnings and Developments While quality varied with venue, silent films were screened with musical accompaniment; some theaters boasted large orchestras, but Wurlitzer organs were standard for most theaters The first musical was also the first “talkie”—The Jazz Singer (1927) introduced synchronized sound and revolutionized the industry forever By 1930, talkies were universal. Within three years, studios and theaters worldwide were wired for sound.

Sound: Historical Background Comic examples of actual difficulties during the transition from silent films to talkies are shown in Singin’ in the Rain (1952) Beginnings and Developments (cont.) Early microphones and recording devices were primitive by today’s standards and along with noisy cameras presented many challenges Sound improved with the development of overhead booms, microphone that followed actors around the set Change can be difficult: John Gilbert and other silent film stars whose voices were not suited to talkies faced sudden career changes

Sound: Historical Background The Jazz Singer was meant to be a silent film with only recorded musical numbers. Jolson improvised dialogue while the recording device was running, thus making the first talkie. Beginnings and Developments (cont.) Coming from a radio and theater background, Orson Welles was an important innovator in sound technique Welles’ perfection of sound montage was a major contribution Listen for this sound technique (and others) in Citizen Kane (1941)

Sound: Sound Effects Types of Sound Synchronous Refers to “visible” sound Means that the sound and image match Nonsynchronous Refers to “invisible” sound, sound detached from its source Sometimes acts in contrast with the image May exist as a totally separate source of meaning from the image

Sound: Sound Effects Types of Sound Diegetic Sounds the characters can hear Nondiegetic Sounds the characters cannot hear, for example the musical score

Sound: Sound Effects Types of Sound Silence Dead track, the complete absence of sound Usually ghostly and unnatural May even signify death Natural Sound Increases realism Tends to depict more natural acting styles; whispers are easily picked up by microphones

Sound: Sound Effects Types of Sound Sound Montage Technique perfected by Orson Welles Overlaps sound. For example, one character’s dialogue overlaps another’s giving a sense of how language and sound are realistically heard

Sound: Sound Effects The Primary Function of Sound Effects is to Create Atmosphere Setting the mood with sound Pitch—high pitched sounds produce tension (excellent for thrillers) Low-frequency—dignity or tension Loud Volume—forceful, intense, threatening Quiet—suggests something or someone delicate, hesitant, or weak Tempo—the faster the tempo, the greater the tension; slower tempo expresses romance or relaxation

Sound: Music Two Philosophies 1.Music should accompany the action strictly as background “mood” music; it need not be too good lest it detract from the images 2.Music must never serve as mere accompaniment; it should retain its own integrity and aesthetic, even add an additional dimension to the cinematic experience

Sound: Music A Much Used Convention Mickeymousing A purely descriptive music Attempts to mimic the visual action with musical equivalents Name is derived from early animation techniques Steamboat Willie (1928), starring Mickey Mouse, of course, is a wonderful example Involves the exact matching of music and action, the rhythms of the music precisely match the natural rhythms of the objects moving on the screen

Sound: Musicals Musical can be Divided into Realist and Formalist Realist Musicals Some tend to be a combination of genres, for example, Ray (2004) and Walk the Line (2005) are dramatic biopics about musicians and their dramatic stories, punctuated with performances that highlight characters’ talents and dramatic onstage action Others are more of the story-within-the-story type of musical Although classified as realist, they will certainly contain formalist elements

Sound: Musicals Realist and Formalist Musicals “Sure he [Fred Astaire] was great, but don't forget Ginger Rogers did everything he did backwards... and in high heels!” –Bob Thaves, Cartoonist Formalist musicals are those which readily come to mind: Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers’ classics, such as Top Hat (1935), or even the revisionist, more recent musicals Moulin Rouge! (2001) and Chicago (2002) are highly formalistic Classical or Revisionist, these musicals use a high degree of formalism to highlight the song and dance numbers

Sound: Musicals Hollywood of the 1930s and 1940s Specialized in the Classic Musical Genre Some Conventions of the Classical Hollywood Musical Weak plot, which functions to highlight and tie the song and dance numbers together Characters’ emotions are revealed through the song and dance numbers Formalist style, particularly in the dance numbers; beautiful people, costumes, and sets

Sound: Musicals Hollywood of the 1930s and 1940s Specialized in the Classic Musical Genre Some Conventions of the Classical Hollywood Musical (cont.) In the 1930s-1940s, all is light-hearted and escapist, at least in Hollywood musicals Talent is equated with moral values Props serve as part of the dance numbers— carefully chosen and placed Happy endings! The guy always wins the girl of his dreams

Sound: Spoken Language Dialogue and Monologue Dialogue Presents characters speaking aloud to one another Serves to advance plot Entertains the audience Reveals character A good actor can convey a multitude of meaning and subtext through intonation, facial expression, and body language

Sound: Spoken Language Dialogue and Monologue Monologue is One character speaking One of the most useful storytelling tools available in film Voice-over Monologue is Non-synchronous sound Words not spoken aloud that come from the mind of a character or narrator

Sound: Spoken Language Voice-over Narration is a Powerful Tool Voice-over Allows the audience to hear the thoughts of a character, to know things that other characters in the story do not Is called interior monologue when used by an onscreen character Often reveals a contrast between what is being said socially and what is thought privately Is often used by the story’s narrator, who may be either onscreen (a character in the story) or off screen and never seen by the audience

Sound: Spoken Language Different types of Narrators Voice-over Narrators come in Different Forms Reliable Narrator: Viewers trust this narrator to tell the truth, as far as he knows it, from his point-of-view Omniscient Narrator: Knows everything that has happened and is going to happen in a story, but only shares what he or she chooses, generally parsing out information as the audience needs to know it, never revealing too much too soon

Sound: Spoken Language Different types of Narrators (cont.) Unreliable Narrator The audience senses discord between sound and image, between what the narrator says and what is actually seen This discord creates irony The narrator’s veracity becomes questionable, suspect, unreliable

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