The document discusses parallel editing, also known as cross cutting, which involves cutting between two or more separate scenes that are happening simultaneously to advance multiple storylines. It provides examples from films like The Godfather and Silence of the Lambs. Parallel editing builds suspense, pace, and provides exposition. Early pioneers like Edwin Porter and D.W. Griffith used the technique. It has now become a common film editing convention used in modern cinema.

1. Parallel Editing or Cross cutting

2. Parallel Editing
What do we mean by the term Parallel?

3. Parallel Editing
What do we mean by the term Parallel?
“Extending in the same direction, equidistant at
all points, and never converging or
diverging…”

4. Parallel editing
Parallel editing (also known as cross cutting) is similar to
this definition.
Parallel editing involves cutting between two or more
separate scenes (remember, a scene is shot in a single
location) that are happening at the same time in the
story.
This means that the different storylines unfold in parallel
(at the same time but in different locations).
For example:
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-6568586375986045340#
[The Godfather]

5. Parallel editing
So the storylines never come together?
Mostly, but they can.
Why would we want storylines to converge?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_e
mbedded&v=Ts1x6uADFtM#!
[J Demme – silence of the lambs]

6. Parallel editing
Why do editors use cross cutting?
- To add suspense
- To add pace
- To add exposition (to the narrative, the back
story, to themes, to character)
What did cross cutting between the two scenes in
the Godfather add to the film?

7. The history of parallel editing
Edwin S Porter first used cross cutting in 1903’s
The Great Train Robbery

8. The Great Train Robbery
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=69grwvuVEe
c
Start @ 5 mins.

9. The history of parallel editing
D W Griffith used cross cutting in his film
“History Of A Nation” to build tension and
relationships.
Note: this is a historically
important film when looking
at film editing but it is
extremely racist.

10. Modern cinema
Parallel editing is now a common convention in
editing.
What famous film scenes can you think of?

11. TASK 1
Research & critically assess the development &
principles of parallel editing.
Look at famous film-makers that pioneered it,
what it’s effect is (or can be) and find good
examples that back up your findings.
YOU HAVE 30 MINUTES TO COMPLETE THIS &
PUBLISH IT TO YOUR BLOG.

12. Montage

13. What do we mean by “Montage”?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JU9Uwhjlog
8

14. What do we mean by “Montage”?
Montage is French for ‘assembly’.
The term is used in cinema to describe 2 different things:
1) A classic montage sequence
A sequence of shots which show a length of time (in the story) but condensed
into a small amount of screen-time.
(Team America: World Police)
2) Soviet Montage
Soviet montage is a theory of editing that developed in Soviet Russia, that
states that the way in which a sequence is edited will influence the audiences
understanding of what they are seeing. Montage uses juxtaposition between
different shots to create conflict and create new meaning.

15. A classic montage sequence
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DP3MFBzM
H2o
[Rocky]

16. Rocky Montage
This sequence from Rocky is a good example of
montage (a sequence of shots which shows an
amount of time compressed).
Why would we use this editing technique to
show the sequence of events in the story?

17. Soviet Montage
Soviet montage believes that editing is at the
heart of film-making.
It is in the process of editing that film-makers
create meaning and “truth” for the audience.
How?

18. The birth of Montage
Sergei Eisenstein (Battleship Potemkin) was the
father of montage.
Eisenstein thought that by placing seemingly
unrelated shots side by side ( juxtaposition )
film-makers could create new meanings,
create visual metaphors and manipulate their
audiences emotions & understanding.

19. Intellectual montage
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cw2chy64m
34&feature=results_video&playnext=1&list=PL4
ED9641B63D242E1
[S Eisenstein – October]

20. Intellectual montage
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cw2chy64m34
&feature=results_video&playnext=1&list=PL4ED96
41B63D242E1
[S Eisenstein – October]
Eisenstein used different images of different gods to
create a visual metaphor: How can all these Gods
be real & true? Can any be real? Are they just the
tools of the powerful to retain their power?

21. Methods of Montage
Eisenstein didn’t think that montage was just used to create
visual metaphors…..
In 1929 he stated that there were 5 different types of editing
techniques that could be used to influence audience. He
dubbed these the Methods of Montage:
1) Metric
2) Tonal
3) Rhythmic
4) Over-Tonal
5) Intellectual

22. Metric
The word ‘metric’ relates to a unit of length or measurement.
In metric montage the length of a shot is used to create
meaning or understanding in the audience whilst the
overall pre-determined length of the piece stays the same.
One example of the use of metric montage is to create
tension, by cutting short clips together.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JOr_CPpx9os&feature=pla
yer_embedded#!
[S Eisenstein – October]

23. Rhythmic
In rhythmic montage the rhythm of movement within
the shot comes into conflict with rhythm of the editing.
Eisenstein used this in a famous scene in his film
‘Battleship Potemkin” where the slow pace of the soldiers
marching comes into conflict with the faster cutting.
When the pram begins to fall the pace of the cutting
comes into sync with the movement on screen.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DLEE2UL_N7Q
[S Eisenstein – Battleship Potemkin] Start @ 4.36

24. Tonal
The emotional tone of a sequence will be the
primary factor which decides how the
sequence is edited together.
Exciting happy scenes could have quicker cuts, a
sad or mellow scene could have longer shots
and will be cut to a slower rhythm.

25. Over-Tonal
A combination of metric, tonal and rhythmic
montage, this style of editing aim’s to draw the
audience into the sequence and to create an
emotional response in the audience as well as
an understanding of the narrative.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XwN5ndR65
QM&feature=player_embedded
[V Pudovkin – Mother]

26. Intellectual
A combination of shots which create a visual
metaphor.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cw2chy64m
34&feature=results_video&playnext=1&list=PL4
ED9641B63D242E1
[S Eisenstein – The General Line]

27. Soviet Montage
Many elements of Eisenstein’s methods of
montage form the basis of modern continuity
editing.
Eisensteins influence on film-making is
undoubted.

28. TASK 1
Define Eisensteins Methods of Montage, and
find examples of the different methods on
YouTube.
Write your findings up in a blog post.
YOU ONLY HAVE 30 MINUTES TO GET STARTED
ON THIS, you’ll have to finish it at home.

29. TASK 2
Split yourselves into 3 groups.
You need to storyboard 2 simple scenes which unfold at the same time
but at different locations.
You will need to include some elements of Soviet Montage (for
example intellectual montage, or metric montage) into your final edit,
so think about this when planning your idea.
You will then need to film them and cut them together.
You have - 30 minutes to storyboard your idea
- 30 minutes to film your idea
- 30 minutes to capture and edit your film

30. Your film should contain:
- Parallel editing
- Elements of Soviet montage or a classic
montage sequence
- Have eye-line matching
- Conform to the 180 degree rule