Editing as an Art Form- Style and Story Class Requirements This class requires that students purchase the book Adobe Premiere Pro CC: Classroom In a Book by Adobe Creative Team (Official training workbook from Adobe Systems) prior to the next class. BE SURE YOU HAVE THE BOOK AND HAVE INSTALLED THE VIDEO FILES BEFORE YOU START UNIT 3.  Once you have your book, transfer (download) the video files. If you buy the regular version of the book it will include a DVD containing the video files you will need for the course. If you purchase the Kindle (or other online) version, it will include a link to download the video files.  NOTE: If you are downloading the video asset files rather than transferring them from the DvD included with the paperback version of the book, you will need to register your book online, go to the Registered Products tab, click on Access Bonus Content, and then download all the files.  The current version has a download link for Lesson Files as well as sixteen (16) Assets file links - or possibly more, since they seem to keep adding assets files! You need to download all of these and then organize them on your hard drive as indicated on the Peachpit Downloads Page! (Yes, it's probably a lot simpler if you buy the book and just copy everything from the DvD disc -- the files on the DvD are already organized, so if transferring from the DvD there is no additional file organization step needed.) You should also take this week to buy and install the Adobe Premiere Pro Software if you have not already done so. You may want to go ahead and install and open the program in order to familiarize yourself with the interface. More information can be found on the syllabus. Next week’s class will introduce the editing basics of the software. Take this week to download and install the software and copy (/download) the media files so that your computer is already prepared when you begin Unit 3 next week! Editing Tools The process of editing has changed drastically since the beginning of filmmaking. The example films discussed in Unit 1 were edited using quite a different system than we use today. Before digital filmmaking was possible, all movies were shot on film. The film was literally cut into pieces and taped back together. So at one time it was very important to be sure of an edit before it was made. Each individual edit was a process and therefore a specific choice.  With the advent of digital editing platforms, or Non Linear Editing Systems (NLE), it is now much easier for editors to make an endless amount of changes to a film and always be able to revert back to the original clips. It is very easy to take for granted the incredible ability that non linear editing offers filmmakers today. But it is important to understand the changes that have occurred within the editing industry in order to more accurately analyze films from a variety of time periods. As mentioned above, in this class we will be editing with Adobe Premiere Pro. With th.

1. Editing as an Art Form- Style and Story
Class Requirements
This class requires that students purchase the book Adobe
Premiere Pro CC: Classroom In a Book by Adobe Creative
Team (Official training workbook from Adobe Systems) prior to
the next class. BE SURE YOU HAVE THE BOOK AND HAVE
INSTALLED THE VIDEO FILES BEFORE YOU START UNIT
3.
Once you have your book, transfer (download) the video files.
If you buy the regular version of the book it will include a DVD
containing the video files you will need for the course. If you
purchase the Kindle (or other online) version, it will include a
link to download the video files.
NOTE: If you are downloading the video asset files rather than
transferring them from the DvD included with the paperback
version of the book, you will need to register your book online,
go to the Registered Products tab, click on Access Bonus
Content, and then download all the files. The current version
has a download link for Lesson Files as well as sixteen
(16) Assets file links - or possibly more, since they seem to
keep adding assets files! You need to download all of these and
then organize them on your hard drive as indicated on the
Peachpit Downloads Page! (Yes, it's probably a lot simpler if
you buy the book and just copy everything from the DvD disc --
the files on the DvD are already organized, so if transferring
from the DvD there is no additional file organization step
needed.)
You should also take this week to buy and install the Adobe
Premiere Pro Software if you have not already done so. You
may want to go ahead and install and open the program in order
to familiarize yourself with the interface. More information can
be found on the syllabus.
Next week’s class will introduce the editing basics of the
software. Take this week to download and install the software

2. and copy (/download) the media files so that your computer is
already prepared when you begin Unit 3 next week!
Editing Tools
The process of editing has changed drastically since the
beginning of filmmaking. The example films discussed in Unit 1
were edited using quite a different system than we use today.
Before digital filmmaking was possible, all movies were shot on
film. The film was literally cut into pieces and taped back
together. So at one time it was very important to be sure of an
edit before it was made. Each individual edit was a process and
therefore a specific choice.
With the advent of digital editing platforms, or Non Linear
Editing Systems (NLE), it is now much easier for editors to
make an endless amount of changes to a film and always be able
to revert back to the original clips. It is very easy to take for
granted the incredible ability that non linear editing offers
filmmakers today. But it is important to understand the changes
that have occurred within the editing industry in order to more
accurately analyze films from a variety of time periods.
As mentioned above, in this class we will be editing with Adobe
Premiere Pro. With this program, as with many other non linear
editing systems, you have the ability to not only edit a film, but
to also achieve a certain level of audio editing and mixing,
titling, color correction and even some minor visual effects.
Styles of Editing
Just as there are different styles of lighting for a film or styles
of music put into a film, there are many different styles of
editing. Filmmakers may decide on certain editing styles
throughout a certain film or even just within a scene in order to
elicit an emotion from an audience. Editing is an extremely
powerful tool. Given the exact same clips, two different editors
could cut together two opposing scenes. Depending on timing,
pacing, and even the choices of takes used in an edit, a scene
can be cut to have a completely different outcome than the
original intention.
In this unit we will define some editing terms and then explore

3. some of the different editing styles in order to understand how
these styles can directly affect story.
Editing Terms:
JUXTAPOSITION: We discussed the theories used in the
experimentation of juxtaposition in Unit 1. In watching those
examples, you probably began to realize that juxtaposition
seems like an obvious necessity when watching films today.
And yet it was something that filmmakers had to essentially
discover by experimenting with filming different types of shots
and cutting them together in certain ways.
A very clear and simple example of the way in which modern
audiences openly accept the story suggested by juxtaposed
images is in this clip from Hitchcock’s film North by
Northwest:
You will notice that the man and the crop duster are only seen
in the same frame together a few times. And yet at the
beginning of the scene by simply juxtaposing shots of the man
with shots of the crop duster coming toward the camera, the
audience assumes that the crop duster is chasing after the man.
CONTINUITY: Continuity editing is a style of editing in which
the editor cuts on continuous movement from one shot to the
next. This is the idea of “cutting on action.” This style creates a
logical movement between shots.
Here is an example of continuity editing from The
Matrix directed by The Wachowskis.
In this example, both characters continue their movement from
shot A to shot B with no repetition of movement between shots.
The movement continues smoothly from one shot to the next
because one shot cuts to the subsequent shot on a character's
action. Where the first shot stops, the next shot begins and so
on. The effect of this type of cutting is that it continues so

4. seamlessly that it goes almost unnoticed by the audience. A
general rule of continuity editing is also that an editor will cut
from one shot of a certain angle and shot size to a different shot
filmed from a different angle and size. Though you may not
have defined this type of editing before, you have undoubtedly
watched scenes edited in this style many times.
While this type of editing is common in action scenes such as
the one above, continuity editing is also used in simple dialogue
scenes. This is the classical Hollywood style of editing.
JUMP CUTS: Jump cutting can be seen as the opposite of
continuity editing. While continuity editing is still the preferred
method in most films, jump cutting has grown in popularity,
especially in many television programs over the past decade.
Jump cuts do not adhere to the idea of having continuous
movements from cut to cut. Sometimes one clip will cut to
another clip where the character has a completely different
physical stance. This is somewhat jarring for an audience
member, but this can be an intentional choice by a director and
editor to give the audience an uneasy feeling. Jump cutting
normally takes place within a scene to indicate that time has
jumped forward. Typically actors will be seen in different
positions on either side of the jump cut.
One of the early examples of jump cutting used in a film is from
Godard's film Breathless. Here is a clip:
This film was considered a landmark in terms of the way in
which it was shot and edited. It introduced alternative editing
styles to a large audience, and as a result this is a style that it
seen often in modern films.
Here is a scene from an episode of the television
series Homicide: Life on the Streets. Jump cuts were used often
throughout this series. See if you can identify the jump cuts in
this clip.
Link to view clip from Homicide:Life on the Streets (Links to

5. an external site.)
Here is one more example of jump cuts. This clip is from Lars
Von Trier's film Dancer in the Dark. This scene is not
continuous at all and features many jump cuts. Pay attention to
how the story plays out amidst the jump cut. Notice how the
cuts make you feel about the story.
Play media comment.
Most of the jump cuts in that clip are on the main character,
Selma. The style of the cuts and the fact that the shots linger on
Selma gives a very specific style to the scene. Think about how
differently this scene would be if cut in a more continuous
style.
180° Rule
The 180° Rule is an important concept to understand as an
editor. The rule refers to the positioning of the actors and the
camera with regard to the actor’s eyelines. The rule is that the
camera should not cross the 180° line between actors when
filming.
Look at the following drawing:
This is a bird’s eye view (also referred to as a 'top-view') of a
scene between two actors facing one another. If you pretend
there is a straight line between the two actors, then the rule is
that the camera should not cross that line.
Here is another drawing that illustrates where the camera can
move in order to stay on one side of the line.
The reason for this rule mostly has to do with the comfort level
of an audience and the way in which audiences have become
accustomed to filmic spatial relation.
If two characters are talking to one another, then one of them
generally is framed on the left side with eyes looking right. The

6. other character, in response, is framed on the right side with
eyes looking left. Audiences have become familiar with this
type of framing, and therefore if the line is broken, their
understanding of the space in the scene can become confused.
To illustrate, let's imagine we have a scene in which two
characters are facing one another directly. For setups, the plan
is to get one shot of the two characters in the same frame, a
close up shot of Actor 1, and a close up shot of Actor 2. An
overhead view of this scene would look something like this:
Notice that in the drawing, all three of the shots are taken from
only one side of the 180° line. This is correct. To follow the
rule, no shots should be filmed from the opposite side of the
line.
Now let's discuss how these shots would translate inside of the
frame. The next three images correlate with the camera setups
in the above drawing.
Shot 1A would look something like this:
Note that Actor 1 is on the left side of the frame looking right
and Actor 2 is on the right side of the frame looking left.
Shot 1B would look like this:
Note that just as in the two shot, in this shot Actor 2 is still on
the right side of the frame looking left.
Shot 1C would look like this:
Again note that just as in the two shot, Actor 1 is still on the
left side of the frame looking right.
Though an average audience may not considered screen

7. direction when watching a screen, audiences are subconsciously
accustomed to seeing characters face one another. If two
characters are conversing, they will usually be facing opposite
directions in the frame.
If you were to cross the 180° line while filming one of the close
up shots, then both Actor 1 and Actor 2 would be facing the
same direction in the frame. That may cause the audience to be
confused about the spatial relationship of the characters in the
space.
In the majority of film and television, the 180° Rule is
followed. There are times, however, when a filmmaker may
choose to break the rule on purpose, in order to create a sense
of uneasiness in the viewer.
Let's watch a scene that adheres to the 180° Rule and one that
intentionally breaks the line.
In this first scene from Boyz in the Hood (1991), the 180° Rule
is followed.
Notice that each character stays on one side of the frame and
looks to the other side of the frame. The line is never crossed in
this scene.
In the second clip from Ang Lee's Hulk (2003), the line is
broken. See if you can spot where the filmmaker chooses to
cross the line and then cross back to the original side of the
line.
This scene contains a charged conversation between two
characters. The line is intentionally broken by the filmmaker.
Notice whether or not the cuts are jarring to you as you watch
the clip. What effect do you think this is intended to have on an
audience?
As an editor it is important to understand this spatial

8. relationship between the camera position and the actor’s
eyeline. You may edit a project where the director crossed the
line accidentally. In that case, you may be the person who
points this mistake out to the director. You also may be
involved in a film where the director intended to cross the line,
so she or he tells you to insert the line cross at a certain point in
the scene. Either way it is important that you learn to recognize
instances when the rule is observed and when it is broken.
What are Transitions?
A transition is the process of change or a transformation from
one state to another state.
In terms of film, transitions refer to visual or audio techniques
an editor may use to connect from one scene to the next scene.
There are many video effects within Premiere or any editing
program that can be applied to the clips to create transitions.
There are also clever visual transitions that can be planned in
advance, scripted, and filmed. There are also many ways
filmmakers can create transitions using audio.
In most cases transitions are used to represent a change in time
or location. Transitions are quite useful when cutting between
scenes. They are often used when cutting from reality to a
flashback or a daydream. Sometimes a transition may be needed
at the beginning or end of a film as well.
Although transitions can be effective, be sure to avoid the
overuse of transitions. It is not always necessary to use a video
transition. Sometimes a regular cut can work well. As a general
rule, do not add a transition in the middle of a scene unless
there is a specific reason to do so.
It is easier for the editor when the director and cinematographer
have taken transitioning between scenes into consideration
when shooting. If you an editor who is invited into the
filmmaking process early before the film has been shot,
transitions are an element you can mention to the filmmaking
team to be sure that these are being visualized in advance.

9. Let’s discuss some different types of transitions. Types of
Transitions
Match Cut - A match cut is a transition that is created by
juxtaposing two shots that have something in common such as a
similar shape or perhaps a person or object framed in a similar
way. Often the two images may be quite different, but the match
cut causes the audience to relate the two, exposing a thematic
point.
One of the most famous match cuts is from Kubrick’s film
2001: A Space Odyssey (1968).
The first section of the film is called “The Dawn of Man.” It
follows the evolution of ape-like creatures from a time when
they are vulnerable to a time when they have learned to defend
themselves through violence. They begin to use bones as tools
and then as weapons. Kubrick follows a shot of one creature
throwing a bone up in the air after successfully killing another
creature. As the bone flies in the air, there is a match cut to a
spaceship flying in space.
This match cut serves to connect millions of years in a matter of
seconds. It connects the very beginning discoveries of mankind
with the vast technologies that humans have achieved. Take a
look at the match cut from 2001: A Space Odyssey. The match
cut occurs at :46.
Play media comment.
That is known as a visual match cut or a graphic match cut. It is
created based on similarities between the visuals in two separate
shots.
You can also create match cuts based on a theme. Instead of
cutting between two similar shapes, this type of match cut can
transition from one shot to another shot that relate thematically
in color or subject.
A great example of this is a scene from Lawrence of
Arabia (Lean, 1962). When the film transitions from one scene
to the next, the character of Lawrence blows out a burning
match. When he blows out the match, the film cuts to a sunset

10. in the desert. The fire from the match thematically brings the
audience to the heat of the desert. The match cut occurs at 1:18
in the clip below.
The two examples you have watched did not require any video
transitions to be added in the edit. They simply required the
editor to place the two clips back to back. However there are
some transitions that can be generated by the editing software.
Let’s look at some examples of these types of edits.
Dissolves - A dissolve is an effect put between two clips that
slightly overlaps the clips as they transition from one to the
next. The dissolve can be relatively quick or very slow
depending on the editor’s preference.
A dissolve, often called a crossfade, can be easily added in
Premiere. Later in the class this will be discussed.
Here are a couple of examples of dissolves used in film.
In Raiders of the Lost Ark (Spielberg, 1981), the Paramount
logo in the beginning cleverly dissolves into the first shot of the
film, which is a shot of a mountain peak.
Please Click on link below to view opening credits from Raiders
of the Lost Ark
Play media comment.
Watch this short excerpt from Citizen Kane (Welles, 1941).
There is a slow dissolve transitioning the film from one scene to
the next.
A more self aware play on the dissolve can be found in Wayne’s
World (Spheeris, 1992). Sometimes before a scene change in the
film, the characters of Wayne and Garth suggest a transition by
looking at the camera, motioning and making sound effects
before the dissolve happens. Of course in this case the dissolve
is combined with a wavy distortion effect which adds to the
comedy. Take a look:

11. A Wipe is another type of video transition that you can create in
Premiere. A wipe is a type of transition where one shot
replaces another by traveling (wiping) from one side of the
frame to the other, or using a special moving shape. These are
not used all the time, but you will see them used occasionally.
Normally they are used to indicate a change in time or location.
Here are two examples of a simple wipes used in His Girl
Friday (Hawks, 1940). Note how the second wipe is a very
close match to the movement of the taxi, making it go by almost
un-noticed.
Play media comment.
Star Wars (Lucas, 1977) is filled with wipes and many other fun
transitions. Here is a compilation cut of some of those:
You may see wipes used in films today in a way that often goes
unnoticed if you don’t know to look for them. These are
referred to as invisible wipes.
Here is an example of invisible wipes used in Citizen
Kane (1941). This plays as though it is one long shot. However,
it is three shots put together using wipes. If you pay very close
attention you may notice some slight discrepancies between the
pacing of the shots. Some are slightly faster. You can assume
that the wipes occur when the horizontal bars come into frame.
See if you can identify the wipes used in the clip
below.Advanced Scene Editing - Pacing
Understanding Pacing
Now that you are getting more acquainted with Premiere and the
process of editing video and audio, it is time to introduce some
more advanced tools. In this unit we will discuss the ideas of
pacing and rhythm in dialogue scenes. Then we will apply this
creative knowledge practically by discussing some advanced
editing methods in Premiere.

12. When thinking about editing style, it is important to consider
pacing. Pacing refers to the clip length the editor chooses for
each shot, and how these shots, when strung together, guide an
audience to experience the story in a certain way. Pacing may
seem a subtle and almost intangible concept at first, but once
you have a solid understanding of pacing, it is something that
can serve to create a very specific emotional moment in your
film. A quick pace can create an urgency for the audience. A
slow pace can can create suspense. Sometimes even adding a
few frames to or subtracting a few frames from a clip can make
a big difference in terms of the timing of a scene.
Let’s watch a few scenes that utilize different styles of pacing.
Then we will analyze how the pacing affects the scenes.
Here is a clip from Mulholland Drive (Lynch, 2001). Notice
how the scene is paced.
This scene plays out at a very slow pace. The editor allows a
clip to linger once the actor has finished speaking and cuts to
the next character before he begins speaking. This leaves a lot
of silent space in the scene. It is loose. This serves to leave the
audience wondering what the characters will say next. It serves
to create suspense for the audience.
Of course the tone of the film created by the director with
actors and the cinematography serve to affect this clip as well.
However, the editing could easily serve to speed up the scene
and make it quick and flashy. Instead the edit leaves time for
the audience to fill in the silent moments. As a result the scene
feels tense, and the audience possibly feels uncomfortable with
the silent moments.
Let’s take a look at another scene. This one is from American
Beauty (1999) directed by Sam Mendes.
The dialogue in this scene is very specific. The editing creates a
very quick pace for the scene even overlapping the characters’
voices at times. The pace of the edit, quickly cutting between
the three characters at the table, adds to the chaos of the family

13. crisis. It seems that a character is constantly speaking during
this scene. The quick pace escalates and causes the main
character to do anything (including throwing a bowl at the wall)
to gain control of the situation and eat in silence.
Here is one more scene to discuss. This is from Clueless (1995),
directed by Amy Heckerling.
This is a more comedic scene than the other two examples, but
the same idea of pacing is present. This is a hectic scene
because the character is driving on the freeway accidentally. By
cutting between each character, the edit gives the experience of
all the characters in the car and how each feels about the
situation. The edit also cuts away to to other cars passing by.
These quick cuts back and forth from the characters to the
surrounding traffic serves to escalate the frantic feeling of the
car ride for the audience.
With this understanding of pacing, now we will proceed to the
technical tools that will help you achieve a smooth pace when
editing.
Video Effects - Titles, Keyframing, and Compositing
This unit will focus on practical applications of some of the
features of Premiere Pro. You will learn how to create titles for
your project, how to create movement in a clip by using
keyframes, and how to composite green screen footage.
Titles
Titles are an important and often necessary addition to video
projects. In films, titles usually appear at the beginning and
end. Generally you will see the title of a film at the beginning
and rolling credits at the end. Titles are used in documentaries
and news stories to introduce new people. There are many
instances that necessitate the use of titles when editing.
Many titles that you see are created in superior graphic
programs other than Premiere. However, you do have the ability
to create somewhat basic titles within the program. When you
see, for instance, an animated title sequence, that may be one

14. that has been created outside of an editing software. But titling
with basic movement can be created successfully in Premiere.
When thinking about the look of a title, you should take into
account the tone of the piece you are editing. A specific font
and color can greatly affect the way that a project is introduced.
You want to be mindful when creating titles that the title design
complements the look and feel of your film.
Let’s view a few examples of creative titling in existing films.
Notice how these titles add to the tone of the project.
Watch the opening credits from Alfred
Hitchcock’s Vertigo (1958). It can be assumed that the opening
sequence was filmed with this title design in mind. These titles
are set on top of the picture. The words move around the screen.
This type of movement with text can be achieved in a program
like Premiere Pro CC. Notice how the movement of the text
along with the close ups of the face and the music set up an
expectation of tone for the film.
The following are titles from Wes Anderson’s film Moonrise
Kingdom (2012). These are very simple titles, but the font and
the color choices flow seamlessly with the visual esthetic set up
during this sequence.
Below is an example of rolling credits. These are the opening
credits for Stanley Kubrick’s The Shining (1980). In most
contemporary films, the beginning titles are still or crawling
(moving left or right). However, in this film there are rolling
credits during the opening shots. Directly after the opening
title sequence ends you see an entirely different style of title -
simple, static text, displayed in white over an all-black
background. Note how this title card - stating "The Interview" -
not only works to inform the audience, but combined with a
music fade-out simultaneously acts as punctuation to 're-center'

15. the audience and bring us into the story line.
Play media comment.
As mentioned above, documentaries and interviews often use
titles to identify a person speaking. This is sometimes referred
to as a “lower 3rd” because these types of titles are usually
shown on the lower 1/3 of the frame.
Here is an example of lower third titles used in an interview
with Talib Kweli on PBS’s Independent Lens.