G322 editing lesson 1

1. G322 – Section A
EDITING

2. Key Terms
• Continuity
• Continuity Editing (aka invisible editing)
– 180 degree rule
– Match on action (match cuts)
– Shot reverse shot
– Eye-line match
– Cross cutting (aka parallel action)
• Insert shot
• Reaction shot
• Cutaway
• Pace
• Time (temporal ellipsis and temporal extension)
• Transitions (cut, dissolve, fade and wipe)
• Montage Editing

3. EDITING - DEFINITION
EDITING IS A KEY PART OF THE POST PRODUCTION PROCESS
The stage in the story-telling process in which sound and images are
organised to construct an overall narrative.
Remember that an audience is a non-active participant who must understand
a narrative through the editing, they can only see what you show them.
Imagine a film or even a scene from a film without any editing, it would be
very interesting!

4. Transitions – The cut
• Straight cut – one frame directly after the other. Used
99% of the time.
• Jump cut – an error in continuity editing
– Ex. One frame = man sitting on chair
– Next frame = man suddenly standing up
– *sometimes this is used on purpose to create jumpy/scary
effect (ex – the ring – coming out of TV - choppy)
– BE CAREFUL – THIS ONE OF THE MOST MISUSED WORDS
IN THE EXAM.

5. Transitions – The dissolve
• Sometimes gets called a mix because the 2
frames appear to mix or dissolve into one
another.
• Usually used to signify a passing of time (and
sometimes location).
• Often confused with a fade.

6. Transitions – The fade
• The image on screen fades out (usually to a
black to screen).
• Usually used to signify a passing of time – for
example, the end of a day
• Often confused with a dissolve.

7. Transitions – The wipe
• The image on screen is wiped away by the
image that replaces it.
• Like the dissolve and the fade, can b used to
signify a passing of time.
• Not used all that often as it can be quite
noticeable and therefore can compromise
realism and continuity.

8. Continuity
• The key word in continuity is CONTINUE
• It is to make sure things are continuous
• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ggFKLxAQBbc
• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9f8liieRepk&feature=related

9. Clips
• Did you notice the editing?
• NO!
• Because good editing is INVISIBLE!

10. Continuity Errors
Many things can cause continuity errors
-shots/angles
-costume/props
-lighting etc
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rSnCu43QzeY
What is wrong with the continuity in this clip?

11. Continuity EDITING
• Continuity Editing
The most common type of editing which aims to create a sense of reality and time moving forward.
Also known as invisible editing referring to how the technique does not draw attention to the editing process
but allows the audience to concentrate on the narrative.
Various filming rules and techniques are applied to ensure this smooth continuity.
Basically, continuity editing is so that scenes look continuous. (the flow)
Techniques/rules of continuity editing:
-180 degree rule
-match on action (match cuts)
-shot reverse shot
-eye-line match
-crosscutting or parallel editing

12. Continuity editing: 180 degree rule
• Purpose: Is to orientate the viewer, to establish the
placement of characters.
• Breaking the rule makes it appear that the characters
have changed positions.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HdyyuqmCW14

13. 180 degree rule cont.

14. Continuity editing: match on action
1 ACTION = MULTIPLE SHOTS
• Is multiple cuts to show one continuous action.
• Match on action is part of invisible editing which creates flow when watching a scene.
• The cuts MATCH together so that the audience know it is one action.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DMx-Az5Da4M Think of how many match cuts there are!
• .

15. Continuity editing: shot reverse shot
• Shot reverse shot is when a shot goes from shot A, shot B, shot A, shot B etc.
• It goes continuously back and forth between the 2 shots to show there is a
connection between them
• It is often used in conversations so you see what both characters are saying
• Imagine if a conversation was just 1 shot of character A and you didn’t see
character B’s face at all?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1JauH_EKpaY

16. Continuity editing: eye-line match
Shot A: character is looking off screen
Shot B: what character is looking at
Is a following shot that follows what character is looking at, makes cuts smoother the audience expects
the cut to happen and is eager to see what happens next/what character sees.
Example,
a) A person’s phone rings, she turns and looks in direction of phone
b) Close up shot of phone ringing
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2KtVKu9CfDA&feature=relmfu
• This is eye-line match because of the cards she is looking at.
Her looking at cards her looking at cards

17. Continuity editing: cross cutting
• Technique of continuously alternating 2 or more scenes that often happen
simultaneously (at same time) but in different locations.
• As they cross, pace gradually gets faster and fast and tension builds
• Often the parallel scenes will intersect to create a climax.
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ts1x6uADFtM2
• -2 scenes: a) FBI director (outside house) b) criminal (inside house)
• What is unique/different about this scene? How has cross cutting been used different? (What is it’s intention upon
the audience?)

18. Cross cutting example
Busted! Climax
(2 scene collide)
A (3pm)
B (3pm)
A (315pm)
B (315pm)
A (330pm)B (330pm)A (3:33pm)B (3:33pm)

19. Continuity editing: insert shot
• In film, an insert is a shot of part of a scene as filmed from a different angle and/or focal length
from the master shot (original/establishing shot). Inserts cover action already covered in the master shot,
but emphasize a different aspect of that action due to the different framing.
• An insert differs from a cutaway as cutaways cover action not covered in the master shot.
Example
– CLOSE-UP of the gunfighter,
– INSERT of his hand quivering above the holster,
– TWO SHOT of his friends watching anxiously,
– INSERT of the clock ticking.
• Inserts and cutaways can both be tricky for directors, as care must be taken to
preserve continuity by keeping the objects in the same relative position as in the main take, and
having the lighting the same.
Insert Insert

20. Pace
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6hxOoM0-NJI
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pZZ60jrw6cg
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t1JsC1ur2X8
TYPE OF PACE Effects
SLOW -to make slow/calm/still
-little number of shots/cuts which are long
-to make audience calm or bored (perhaps to pay attention to detail or to emphasize emotion)
MEDIUM -to make normal and comfortable
-average number shots/cuts which are medium time which could show realism
FAST -to make intense, exciting and thrilling
-lots of shots/cuts which are short
-to make audience tense/excited
Which pace for each clip?
How is this pace created?
Why is this pace created?

21. Manipulating time through editing
• Editing can control the time it takes to tell the
story or to show a part of the story.
• Temporal ellipsis – shrinking of time. E.g. Shot 1 –
man gets out of bed in the morning. Shot 2- man
has breakfast. Shot 3 – man boards train. Shot 4 –
man arrives at work.
• Temporal extension – extending time. Usually
used to dramatise a significant event. Slow
motion or a montage of shots showing the same
event again and again.

22. Manipulating time through editing
• Flash backs – used to show the audience
significant events from the past which can
help to explain a character’s views or
motivations.
• Flash forwards – foreshadow later events in
the story.

23. Time allocation
• Remember the audience will not see everything,
things are edited in order they get to see what is
important.
– Who/what has most time on screen? Why?
– Who/what has little time on screen and why?
– *link to representation/stereotype
– *link to placement (shots/angles) where are characters placed in the
scene? Are they in the middle of the screen or hidden in a corner or
behind other people?
– Think of the fast and furious chase scene = who has the most/little time? Why?

24. Special Effects
• B&w –often used to show memory or time period
• Contrast – to altar the lighting (or contrast = very light lights and dark darks sometimes with
memories
• Colour - to add a colour filter to show a specific mood
Example ‘The ring’ – many scenes are very blue-ish, which show sterile/coldness etc.
• Animation – titles of shows or cartoons
• CGI – computer generated images (example = avatar, planet of apes, polar express)
• Fast forward/slow motion – speeding up or slowing down footage http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZIK4Uf9NhJA (fast)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4QrlPmK4B94 (slow)
• Ghost trail – see multiple actions (overlapped) to show someone drunk or on drugs
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z5xkFN-pOJc (ghost trail) ….. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XI3bnkWD0Fg (hallucination when stung by bee at 2:06)
• Blur – to show un-clarity, or fuzzy memory/flashback (bee sting scene – some is blurry when Peeta coming)

25. Montage editing
• Montage editing is a series of shots that are not in sequential order,
continuous or relate to each other.
• It is just like pieces of the puzzle, often used in trailers, TV openings (the show
credits/opening)
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rBNnHlqO4cs
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DhQHlCaSR_w

26. Other good videos
• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d1japIhKU9I filming techniques
• Any technique/rule = search in youtube, you can learn about so many!

27. Key Terms
• Continuity
• Continuity Editing
– 180 degree rule
– Match on action
– Shot reverse shot
– Eyeline match
– Cross cutting
• Insert shot
• Cutaway
• Pace
• Time
• Transitions
– Straight cutting
– Dissolve
– Wipe
– Fade in/fade out
• Special Effects
– CGI
– B&W
– Blur
– Fast forward/slow motion
• Montage Editing
• *jump cut
GREEN
Terms I am
confident with
AMBER
Terms I am ok
with
RED
Terms I am
confused about

28. REVISION Homework
• Set: Tues Oct 22
• Due: Thur Oct 25
• 1. Revise the terms ONCE TWICE THREE TIMES (20-30 mins)
• Revise by:
• A) reading over the powerpoint
• B) writing out the key terms and meanings in blue exam book
• C) finding evidence/videos and putting on blog (explain how it is that
clip)