Film Editing

Welles: For my vision of the cinema, editing is not one aspect. It is the only aspect.

3 key three aspects of editing: technique (cutting and splicing) craft (considering the shot in itself and in relation to other shots) art (how to arrange everything to create an impression)

What is editing? To EDIT is to select, arrange, add, and delete things from a document.

Film editing is a 2-phase process: Selecting and arranging the available film into the final visual form Selecting and arranging the available film into the final visual form Mixing of the soundtracks into the master soundtrack and then matching the soundtrack with the visual images. Mixing of the soundtracks into the master soundtrack and then matching the soundtrack with the visual images.

What the editor does Works for the director shaping many hours of raw film into a few hours of finished movie.

The editor must create: Spatial relationships between shots Spatial relationships between shots Temporal relationships between shots: flashback, flash-forward, ellipsis Temporal relationships between shots: flashback, flash-forward, ellipsis Montage (Fr. editing) is a condensed series of images that shows us a series of events Montage (Fr. editing) is a condensed series of images that shows us a series of events Duration and rhythm - the length of time you look at a shot; the tempo of the film (leisurely or fast?). The tempo of edits can be increased/decreased to speed up or slow down a viewers perception of time. Duration and rhythm - the length of time you look at a shot; the tempo of the film (leisurely or fast?). The tempo of edits can be increased/decreased to speed up or slow down a viewers perception of time.

Major Approaches to Editing: Continuity and Discontinuity

An editors arrangement of a series of shots can create or disrupt continuity

Continuity in editing makes the shot appear naturalistic, its elements connected (continuous), the graphic, spatial, and temporal relationships maintained from shot to shot. It IS verisimilar.

Discontinuity in editing, in contrast, seems jumpy and disconnected (discontinuity, which calls attention to itself). It is NOT verisimilar.

Continuity-creating shots Master shot - orients the viewer, sets the scene; may be shot from different angles; establishes the scene Master shot - orients the viewer, sets the scene; may be shot from different angles; establishes the scene Screen direction/180 rule/axis of action- the direction in which a figure moves on the screen. The 180-degree rule or axis of action - a hypothetical line that keeps the action on a single side of the camera. Screen direction/180 rule/axis of action- the direction in which a figure moves on the screen. The 180-degree rule or axis of action - a hypothetical line that keeps the action on a single side of the camera. Shot/reverse shot - Reverse-angle shots are permitted as long as everything is kept continuous. Shot/reverse shot - Reverse-angle shots are permitted as long as everything is kept continuous.

Continuity shots: match cuts Match cuts - shots intended to make us equate or continue ideas. Shots with matching action, subject, graphic content, or eye contact between characters Match cuts - shots intended to make us equate or continue ideas. Shots with matching action, subject, graphic content, or eye contact between characters Match on action cut - the continuation of a characters movement through space without actually showing us everything that happens Match on action cut - the continuation of a characters movement through space without actually showing us everything that happens Graphic match cut - the shape, form, or texture of an object is repeated in two different cuts Graphic match cut - the shape, form, or texture of an object is repeated in two different cuts Eyeline Match Cut - joining shot A, a POV shot of a person looking off-camera, to shot B, a reverse shot of the person who is the object of the gaze. Eyeline Match Cut - joining shot A, a POV shot of a person looking off-camera, to shot B, a reverse shot of the person who is the object of the gaze.

Discontinuous Shots I Point of view editing - camera moves from characters POV to the object of the POV. Jump Cut - creates an instantaneous advance in the action, creating ellipsis

Discontinuous Shots II Fade-in, fade-out - from blank/black screen to or from image Dissolve - long-acting double-exposure in which one image slowly dissolves into another. Wipe Iris Shot Freeze Frame Split Screen

Discontinuous Shots III Parallel cutting - intercalating two lines of action that occur at different times in different places. Cross-cutting - intercalating two lines of action that occur simultaneously in different places. Intercutting - intercalating multiple actions so that they look like a single scene.