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1. +
Film and Video Editing
Techniques
YOUR NAME

2. +Provide a simple definition of what film editing is
 Fundamentally film editing is taking a group of different
shots and placing them together in a way they flow and
work to make a nice clip. The actually editing is the way
they are put together technically for example the cutting
the clips and linking them together on the computer.

3. +Can you list some examples of early film editing? Think about
the different ways that film makers could combine shots using
the technology of the time. Include weblinks/images where
necessary
 In 1903 Edwin Porter made ‘The Great Train Robbery’ he was one
of the first people to actually edit the film he made, for example
cutting between different scenes. He also tried other thing for
example more close up shots which were not used very much at all
in the early film making.
 George Melies created ‘A Trip to the Moon’ in 1902, in this he used
quite simple editing for example using dissolves to connect every
shot in the film. He would also change to another scene by stopping
the camera on one scene and turning it back on after changing
what was in front of the camera to create another scene.
 The Lumiere Brothers were very simple with their editing, they
created ‘Arrival Of A Train At A Station’ in 1896. The brothers didn't
believe in editing and cutting from one scene to another as they
thought it would confuse the audience too much and they wouldn't
understand. SO they would record the action of what ever was in
front of a static camera, this means that a lot of their clips would be
quite long and have only a small amount of action.

4. +Describe the concept of ‘montage’ and juxtaposition
[remember Eisenstein and Kuleshov] and give an
example
 Juxtaposition is the technique of combining two or more shots to
suggest an idea.
 http://www.hollywoodlexicon.com/montage.html

5. +List the types of cut/edit you can use and
provide an example of each on in use
 A wipe is when one shot replaces another by coming
in from one side of the screen and wiping across
over the other shot to cover it and fill the screen.
 Dissolves are an editing technique where there is a
gradual transition from one shot to another, this is
similar to a fade out.
 Fade outs are when the shot fades off the screen
gradually but to a black screen, this is what makes it
different to a dissolve. It is commonly used at the
end of a scene.
 A fade in is the opposite of a fade out it goes from a
black screen and gradually shows the shot, this is
used a lot to start of a scene, it happens a lot in
soaps for example.

6. +Below, list the four relationships between shots
 Editing and Graphic Relationships (PICTURE )
 Editing and Rhythmic Relationships ( RHYTHM)
 Editing and Temporal Relationships ( TIME)
 Editing and Spatial Relationships ( SPACE)

7. +For GRAPHIC relationships provide a description and
examples of it’s usage [with a weblink to a sequence on
YouTube and still frames where necessary – you may add
more slides if you need to]
 A Graphic relationship is where on shot will change to
another, but so it isn't obvious to the audience. For
example it could be done of an image slowly turning in
to another image but of a similar shape so it isn't
noticed until it has fully changed. For example this
happens in 2001 Space Odyssey when a bone is
thrown up in to the sky as if falls back down it changes
in the a space ship but of the same shape. Another
example is of a shot to show that time has moved, for
example to same shot but the weather changing the
seasons. A good example of this is in Twilight the
weather is shown to be changing out side of a window
showing the change in time but with the same shot.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g4gEFZ0TJ8o One
last example of this is in the film Grease this is shown
when they are sining to grease lighting and it is
showing the real car they are working on and cutting to

8. +For RYTHMIC relationships provide a description and examples of it’s
usage [with a weblink to a sequence on YouTube and still frames where
necessary – you may add more slides if you need to]
 Rhythmic editing is when the editing and cutting of
the shots in a scene is done in by the beats of the
music of the song being played or the speed of the
narrative being spoken. For example this happens
in lots of fight scenes in movies, a good example
of this is in dead pool during a car fight scene. The
tempo of the music gets louder and fast whilst the
action is occurring and matches the crashes and
hits, for example they seem to hit the beats of the
song sometimes and the more intense the fight
gets so does the tempo of the song. During the
fight scene there are also some points where it is
shown in slow motion as a joke as the film is a
comedy, these slow parts matching with the music
too and the tempo slows down to work with the
film. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YI-
yMivF9X0

9. +For TEMPORAL relationships provide a description and
examples of it’s usage [with a weblink to a sequence on
YouTube and still frames where necessary – you may
add more slides if you need to]
 Temporal editing is when time is suggested to be
extended or contracting. For example time could
be shown to be moving forwards or backwards in
what are called flash forwards and flash backs. A
good example of this is in Hot Fuzz, at the start of
this film there is a sequence of shots in a montage
format showing the actor traveling from London to
a small village and it shows the difference in the
places during this from small clips. This is a good
example of showing time moving forward.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e8dFK5nI1YA
A good example of use of flash backs are in the
film Back to the Future.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=msoYwla66Hs

10. +Define the ‘Hollywood method’ of continuity editing and why it
became so prevalent…

11. + Provide a description of a scene where the 180 degree line
has been used, how does it provide spatial
continuity/discontinuity?
 The 180 degree rule is like a guideline which film makers
will use, it is used for when there is a scene containing
two characters and how they need to maintain the same
position on the scene to each other, for example one on
the right and one of the left. The rule is that when the
shots change from one character to another they stay in
the right place in terms of the view from the camera.
When the camera passes over this ’invisible axis’ it is
crossing the line and the the shot of the characters
becomes a reverse angle shot. This helps to make the
scene understandable for the viewer and make it look
how it would in real life in terms of the side you are
watching it from. When you break this rule and you cross
the line the shot loses its continuity and becomes messy
and confusing for the viewer. This is used a lot in soaps
as there terns to be lots of shots from people have
conversations, this is an example from friends of Rachel
and Monica having an argument. This clips used the rule

12. +POV and identification – explain how we are invited to identify
with a character through POV and shot reverse shot
 The point of view shot is a shot which shows the
audience what the character is seeing or being shown.
The POV shot can also be used for more than one
character, viewing the next shot. This type of shot also
works well when being used with a shot reverse shot. A
shot reverse short works well when being use in a
conversational clip, for example E4 uses this a lot with
programs like friends and scrubs for example. Using
this shot is a good way of showing a conversation
quickly with out having to pan backward or forwards all
the time. This is a good way to help the audience
understand the narrative more and understand the
relationship between the characters more.

13. +Provide a definition of cross-cutting/parallel editing, what is so
effective about this technique? Where might a director use it?
 Parallel editing which can also be known as cross
cutting is an editing technique used mostly to show
when something is happening in two or multiple
locations. The camera will cut from one location to the
other, showing different scene of action, some times
related other times not. This way of editing the clips
together can add to the drama and help to create
tension and suspense. I think this editing technique is
effective as the editor is able to keep the scene
interesting for the audience by cross cutting to a
different scene. A good place for an editor to use it
could be to show flash backs in a film or a couple who
have fallen out in a film in their separate homes upset
or something. For example it is used in ……..
build up tension and create a certain atmosphere to
the scene.

14. +What is Ellipsis? Select an example and explain how it
works…
 An ellipsis is a narrative device and and used a
lot in film editing. This is when a section of a
story is cut out, they do this either because the
audience will be easily be able to fill in what
should have been there themselves, or to create
a mystery or some type of suspense. For
example this is used in the film The Purple Rose
of Cairo, the movie starts with the main character
(Cecilia) looking at a poster, her morning routine
is not in the film at all, for example her getting up
getting washed and eating breakfast. This
happens in a lot of film and tv programs at the
editor doesn't think they are important to be seen
and that the audience will understand that this
will of happen but doesn't need to be shown
every detail.

15. +What is meant by the term ‘intensified continuity’? Why do you
think continuity editing has developed in this way?

16. +
Your Case Study

17. +
Free choice case study
 Your individual case study should describe the development of
editing in film and aim to highlight the different aspects of editing
discussed in the lecture [with examples]
 You should select at least 2 different examples/clips to discuss –
you should include links to these and use still images to support
your arguments
 Use the questions listed on the next slide to start your
investigations

18. +
Questions to ask
 When any two shots are joined, you can ask several questions:
1. How are the shots graphically continuous or discontinuous?
2. What rhythmic relations are created?
3. Are the shots spatially continuous? If not, what creates the
spatial discontinuity? [Cross-cutting? Ambiguous cues?] If the
shots are continuous, how does the 180-degree system create
the continuity?
4. Are the shots temporally continuous? If so, what creates the
continuity? [e.g. matches on action?] If not, what creates the
discontinuity?