Editing Process

Editing

Definition:

The activity of selecting the scenes to be shown and putting them together to create a film

Extra Information:

Editing refers to how shots are put together into sequences to make up a media text. 

 

Three Main Areas:

When editing there are three areas to help improve the quality of the movie being made 

·         Transitions - How one shot moves to the other. 

·         Continuity - How one shot merges into another.

·         Shot Duration - How long a shot is.

Transitions

Different transitions can easily give dissimilar meanings for audiences.

Types of transitions:

·         The Cut – This transition is where two shots come together.

·         Dissolve – The blending of two shots to communicate a passage of time and/ or location. 

·         Wipes - When the shot changes across the screen.

·         Cross Zooms - When the next shot starts small and gets bigger.

·         Flash Frames

·         Jump Shot/ Cut - Shot stays the same, an object moves.

·         Fade in - Gradual appearance of the image.

·         Fade out - Gradual diminution of sound level.

·         Fade to black - Gradual disappearance of image into black screen.

Shot Duration

Definition - The duration of a shot will usually reflect the narrative content.

·         Short Shot Duration: conveys urgency.

·         Large Shot Duration: conveys detail and intimacy with narrative. 

Continuity

·         The 180 Degree Rule: A rule which maintains that the line of action should not be crossed, in the interest if fluid continuity. You can't cross the line unless you show you are crossing the line.

·         Cross Cutting (Parallel Editing): Alternation between two or more different scenes which are usually developed simultaneously.

·         Cutaway: A brief shot that momentarily interrupts a continuous action by briefly inserting another related shot.

·         Eye-line Match: A common convention to maintain continuity; a character looks at something and in the next shot we see what they are looking at.

 

 Cinematic Time

Definition - The time a given sequence takes to play on the screen in comparison to 'real time action.' In the film industry this time can be compressed or extended.
When we see match on action [is the same as] Cinematic time - is the same as real time.

What defines Editing?

Shrink Time

·        Shrinking time is a chain of fast paced cuts where we as viewer can see things that would usually take a long time be shortened into minutes or even seconds. For example if we were to watch a character get in a car and drive for half an hour we will see them get in and out of the car, giving the audience the impression that the car journey has taken place.

 

Expand Time

·        Expanding time is when the editor incorporates additional frames in the first sequence. For example if someone was running away from another being, in real time this may last a few seconds. But the editor is not responsible for building tension; they may choose to do this by including shots of the person’s feet, the person’s eyes and the chaser. Resulting in the scene to have a longer duration. This would also be an obvious example of 'film' time and not real time action.

Find Rhythm

·         Editing/The editor is responsible for the rhythm or pace of a scene. The music can be used behind the scenes to create mood in films but also interrupt the pace of a film.