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1. Editing Techniques
Continuity editing is when a film scene is edited together in a way that shows natural
consistency to the audience in a believable manner, the technique can also be referred to
as “cutting to continuity” in some cases. This is often a standard technique used
throughout many feature films, which is all in order to appear visually pleasing and
consistent in the eyes of the audience. In contrast to this, approaches to presentation such
as a montage – (where events that allegedly happen over a long period of time are
presented to the audience in a fraction of said time) don’t follow the same rules as the
aforementioned method of continuity editing. A specific example of continuity editing
would be an individual reaching for a door handle, with the following shot showing them
grasping the handle and opening the corresponding door. Some Directors use audience
expectations like this to their advantage, and occasionally shock the audience by revealing
that the door in question is in fact not the door they would assume etc. – this would be
classed as non-continuity editing if the shot had in fact cut to a different door (merely as
an example). I am now going to analyse a set of clips from various video productions to
the best of my ability, in an attempt to evaluate their use of specific editing techniques.
CLIP 1:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ps-v-kZzfec&t
In a very old example of a scene from the film Battleship Potemkin (1925), known as The
Odessa Steps Sequence – there are clear examples of non-continuity editing throughout, as
an early interpretation of a montage of the events taking place is shown to the audience.
This is clearly not a traditional montage as we may know today, as audiences are perhaps
more familiar with the technique being used in the likes of the Rocky franchise of films. In
Battleship Potemkin however, the editing method is used to portray the tragic event of
the Odessa Steps as a long and harrowing experience for the characters involved.
Additionally, an equally melancholy soundtrack is performed over the top of the silent film
–which in modern times counts as an editing technique, however back in 1925 this would
have most likely been performed by a live orchestra alongside any screening of the film.
During this scene specifically, time jumps are clearly made throughout the action; which
showcases the length of the ordeal, whilst also focusing on specific characters, along with
their emotions and reactions to the events taking place around them, before jump cutting
to those events to show them in greater detail. Overall, this scene establishes the
condensing of time in order to better convey the events taking place on screen to the
audience, this also aids in emphasising the desired shock factor in this particular example.
CLIP 2:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ts1x6uADFtM
Within the second clip of silence of the lambs parallel editing is used (cross-cutting) is the
technique of continuously alternating two or more scenes that often happen
simultaneously but in different locations. The reason this form of editing is used is to join
together the two opposite forces within the movie and create tension and suspense.
Because this scene misguides the audience by making them believe the FBI are at Buffalo
Bill’s house and they are about to capture him. This would excite the audience and make
them feel like they are on the edge of their seat because the bad guy id about to be
caught. The pace of the editing also changes from each shot for example when there are
shots with the bad guy in they are a lot more rapid with fast movement however when
there are shots with the FBI in the shots are a lot longer and less rushed about it shows
how they are be extremely careful and organized. However, this shows the bad guy is
mad, angry and stressed because of the rapid edits and the characters fast movements
compared to the FBIs. The parallel editing that is continuously used is extremely effective

2. in misleading the audience for example when the flower man rings the door bell and then
the camera cuts to the bad guys house where an alarm is going off these aren’t occurring
at the same place or maybe not even the same time but because of the editing it misleads
the audience and makes them believe the bad guy is about to be caught. An establishing
shot is used at the beginning of the clip to show the audience where the scene is taking
place/ where they want to you to think it is taking place. Also, at 2:04 there is a OTS (over
the shoulder) shot of the bad guy to show you wat he is seeing and also make the audience
shocked because when he opens the door it’s a different person to who rang the doorbell
and it allows them to realize they are now at a different unknown location.
CLIP 3:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4soF2wigKSM
The training montage from Rocky III is a classic example of a montage that would be
expected in today’s film industry. The scene features no audio from the actual footage,
but instead has the famous tune “Eye of the Tiger” played over the top of it – this is in
order to emphasise the hard work Rocky is putting into his training, whilst also striving
forward and at the close of the montage he claims his desired victory. The positivity of
this scene is not only aimed towards the characters, but it also has an effect on the
audience, who are most likely rooting for the main character of Rocky to win the fight.
The scene sends a message to anyone watching that if you put the work in, you can
achieve your goal eventually as Rocky demonstrates –this would not be able to be
portrayed on screen any other way than through the use of a montage. Across the span of
the montage sequence, there is a consistency in that the focus is always on the two
central characters that are of course training. There is also some usage of repetition as
similar shots are shown every so often, in order to clearly show the contrast between
Rocky’s abilities before and throughout his training to the audience. A repeated point of
reference within the montage is the location of the beach; this is where the montage
begins, it then interludes various shots throughout the sequence via jump cuts, before
being shown at the climax of the montage, as the location at which Rocky celebrates his
victory. The montage then slows down in pace to show Rocky’s celebration in detail from
various angles, emphasising his emotions to the audience –this is then drawn to a close as
the shot pauses on a single frame, whilst the music continues on, before the image slowly
fades to black; this symbolises that particular chapter of Rocky’s life and of the film itself
drawing to a close. This also allows the audience to take in the information they have
been given, and most likely prepare for a shift in tone during the scenes that will follow –
you could refer to this as a break.
CLIP: 4
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lI2e3pXat54
Predating the previously analysed film, Way Down East was created in 1920 and Directed
by D. W. Griffith. A particular scene from this film (involving the attempted rescue of a
woman, who is to be swept away on an iceberg towards the edge of a large waterfall)
shows one of the earliest examples of a technique known as “parallel editing”. This is
sometimes referred to as “cross cutting”, and itrefers to a scene wherein two events are
taking place at the same time (therefore are parallel to each other) – however, the piece
is edited together in a way that show s the events as running one after another. This is
done as it would be impossible to show the two events on screen at exactly the same
time, without the use of an unsightly splitting of the screen – this in itself is a technique /

3. trope of films, where characters on the phone to each other in different locations are
shown on screen simultaneously through the use of this method.
The technique generally comes to a close with the two focuses of each parallel coming
together, for whatever reason the plot demands. In the Way Down East scene, this is the
equivalent of the rescuer finally reaching the woman on the iceberg in an attempt to carry
her to safety – which was built up beforehand in the form of the parallel editing
technique. I believe that the cross-cutting method is used effectively here, as it
emphasises the little time the character has to rescue the woman, as well as the struggle
to reach her, whilst also showing her impending doom in detail and clearly to the
audience. Overall, it seems to showcase the scene as intended by the Director,
highlighting the suspense and feeling of dread in particular – which is of course an
effective technique to use upon the audience.
Clip: 5
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fhWiTORp22k
Thisexample of amontage from Team America:World Police is essentiallyadirect parodyof the
previouslyanalysed Rocky III montage,evenmentioningthe character’sname specifically.Some
unique stylisticchoiceshave beenmade inthisscene,asitisprimarilyaspoof movie andaimsto
parodyrecognisable popculture elementsfromvariousfilms;itcanbe notedforone that the shot
shakesdramaticallywhenthe characterisshootingagun or performingothertraining-like tasks.
Thisincludesspontaneouschangesinthe film’saspectratioalso,whichisdone toparodycertain
otherfilms’frequentchange inaspectratiosize dependantonthe actionbeingshownonscreen.
The shot isshownto frequentlysplitintomultiple shotsoccasionallythroughoutthe sequencealso,
as a way of exaggeratingall of the actionthat istakingplace and emphasisinguponittothe
audience.
Some othercomparisonsfromthe Rocky III montage can be drawn also,as the theme of a mentor
beingpresentthroughoutmostof the sequenceisalsotrue here.Aswell asthe factthat attentionis
drawnback to a single location,beingthe shootingrange where the characterimproveshisaim
uponeach attempt.The aforementionedcamerashake isartificial,meaningthatithas been
implementedinthe editingstage of post-production –thishas beenpreviouslyestablishedasa
methodof parody.Jumpcuts are obviouslytakenadvantageof throughoutthe entiresequence also,
whilstgreatemphasisisdrawntothe “fade to black” effectpresentatthe climax of the montage –
whichwasalso featuredinthe Rocky III example. Overall,thisscene createsthe desiredcomedic
atmosphere thatthe audience shouldenjoy,thisisthankstoablendof the implementedoriginal
parodysong,alongwiththe variouseditingtechniquesusedthroughouttogreateffect.