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1. Continuity editing is piecing together a series of related shots in a way that creates the
illusion of one continuous movement, this draws the audience’s attention away from the
editing and instead towards the narrative. In contrast, non-continuity editing is where the
shots are mismatched to disrupt the sense of time and space within the scene. Drawing
the audience’s attention tothe editing deliberately to disturb their immersion within the
scene. In this essay, I am going to analyse a selection of both modern and historical clips
to evaluate their use if various continuity and noncontinuity techniques.
Tsotsi
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=COc6goqmGBY
In Tsotsi we see how numerous editing techniques and styles can be used to create meaning
in a scene without dialogue, for example we see that this opening sequence uses continuity
editing. This is the process in video editing where the editor pieces together related shots
into a logical order to create the illusion of one smooth continuous action. The purpose of
this style in a film is to draw the audience’s attention away from the actual edits or
transitions and get them to focus on the narrative. A key part of the continuity editing in
this clip is the use of match on action, this has a huge impact on the rhythm of the scene.
Match on action ensures that when the characters approach the staircase, the next shot will
be them reaching the top. Or if one character goes to stab the man, it will follow up with a
cut-in of the knife. The audience will begin to focus on the editing again if a shot lingers for
too long or doesn’t match up in the correct way, therefore by using match on action the
editor has created a smoothly flowing opening the audience can watch and take in the
narrative. Which is particularly important considering there is no dialogue used to convey
the story or information.
The next editing feature used in Tsotsi is in relation to the Kuleshov effect, in the next part
of the scene (after adding in a master and establishing shot, which shots the audience both
the key characters in the clip and the location) the editor uses a series of shot reverse shot
style sequence to create meaning and convey the narrative. For example, the editor would
use a shot of one character pulling out a stack of money and the next shot would be a close
up of the other character’s eyes. This is what is known as the Kuleshov effect, in which the
editor uses the previous shot to influence how the audience perceived the shot following it.
So in this clip using the shot of the money beforehand establishes the character’s motives
purely through editing technique alone.
Overall, Tsotsi used continuity editing techniques like match on action as well as the
Kuleshov effect to create a well-paced opening that is easy for the audience to follow and
engage in. The techniques were used accurately and effectively to achieve the purpose of
this film opening, establishing the narrative and creating drama.
"The Silence of the Lambs" (1991)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ts1x6uADFtM
This clip from silence of the lambs is a great example of how parallel editing can be used in
cinema to create meaning. Parallel editing is a technique used to switch between two sets
of action occurring at the same time, the purpose of this technique in a film is to show the
relationship between two sets of actions and create suspense from said switching. There is
also a similar technique called cross cutting in which the clip cuts between events occurring
either at the same time or alternate timelines. What we see in silence of the lambs is a use
of parallel editing to present two points of view occurring at the same time, what is

2. interesting about how this film has used the editing technique is the fact that it purposefully
misleads the audience. In the beginning the editor shows a long establishing shot, the
audience have a preconceived notion of how editing should be and this filmhas taken
advantage of that. They have used the conventions of editing to make the audience believe
that whatever events occur in this scene occur at the same time in that same established
location, withholding information about the narrative to create drama.
Parallel editing in this film also follows a continuity style, which uses matches on action and
seamless edits to create a sequence of shots within the scene that flow smoothly without
drawing the audience out of the immersion of the film. Using both continuity and parallel
editing allows the editor to have best of both worlds, they can create drama and mystery
with the parallel editing while also making a compelling narrative the
audience will be able to follow. If they had instead used continuity editing the audience
would have been too caught up trying to figure out what is actually happening in the
constantly changing strangely flowing scene. Stopping them from immersing themselves
into the narrative, dramatically reducing the suspense and drama created by the parallel
editing and rendering the entire purpose of that technique useless.
Overall, using the parallel editing technique in this film was very successful in establishing a
connection between two different points of view. So well that they were able to take
advantage of the editing conventions and mislead the audience into believing the scene
took place in the same house, matching up things like the siren and the bell ringing made for
an engaging scene with an amazing plot twist at the end. This is a great example of how
parallel editing can make a scene infinitely more impactful than if the editor had played the
points of view separately.
Way Down East
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lI2e3pXat54
In comparison to the silence of the lambs, way down east is a much more historical example
of how parallel editing has been used in cinema to create meaning. In this clip we see that
the editor has used parallel editing to show the two different points of view between the
two characters, in comparison to the previous clip it uses this technique to reveal
information in a cohesive and compelling way instead of withholding information. However,
both are able to create drama using this style in their film.
In the clip, the editor starts the scene with a close up reaction shot of the male character in
distress and then reveals exactly why with a long establishing shot of where the female
character is. Starting the scene with these two shots tells the audience a lot about both the
narrative and the logistics of the scene without dialogue. In reference to the Kuleshov
effect, the editor has used the two in a way that allows the audience to make their own
understanding of the relationship between the two characters. With the two character’s
and the location established, the editor the cuts between the male character on his journey
to reach the woman and her on the ice rushing towards the edge. Furthermore, the editor
also adds in close ups of the waterfall edge. Using parallel editing in this clip creates a sense
of urgency, the audience are constantly reminded of the danger the woman is in as they
follow the male character on his journey. In the end the editor merges the two sets of
action into one, the audience get to see the woman being saved. This evokes an emotional
response; they’ve watched this crisis from both perspectives, so they feel the relief
alongside the characters.

3. Overall, the use of parallel editing in this historical piece contrasts greatly to how it has been
used in modern films. This is most likely because this technique was cutting edge during the
production of this film. Whereas this technique has had time to develop before the silence
of the lambs, it can now help create a divide between the character and the audience
instead of bringing them closer. In the modern example of parallel editing, it innovatively
uses the technique to create a false meaning and create a knowledge gap between the
viewer and the antagonist. Whereas historically It has been used to convey the narrative in
a suspenseful way that immerses the audience, they follow the character throughout the
journey instead of watching it play out. In conclusion, this historical example has done an
amazing job at achieving the intended purpose of the parallel editing technique with the
appropriate impact on the audience.
Battleship Potemkin: The Complete Odessa Steps Sequence
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=laJ_1P-Py2k
In the battleship Potemkin clip, we see a historical use of the montage technique. This is
used in editing to string together a collection of clips, often with the purpose of
manipulating the time or the rhythm of the scene. In this particular use of the technique, we
see it used to emphasise the chaotic tone of the scene and evoke a strong emotional
response from the audience (engaging them by creating a fast-paced scene with suspense).
This montage starts off by adding in a number of different longshots establishing the
location of the scene, this is important because the audience are now able to understand
that this scene takes place on the steps with the people fleeing downwards away from the
soldiers. What’s important about using establishing the location Is that it allows the editor
not to use the match on action technique in this montage without completely confusing the
audience. They can cut between various long shots, close ups and mid-shots of different
characters in a fast pace to create a sense of chaos but because the audience have been
given those few establishing shots they can still follow the narrative ad engage with the
scene.
Not using the match on action technique in this montage means that the editor is able to
constantly cut between these various unrelated shots in a non-seamless style, the audience
aren’t able to completely immerse themselves into the scene. Drawing their attention to the
edits as the editor quickly cuts between shots means that they’re constantly trying to take in
the information of this new characters, creating a feeling of constant movement without
settling. This leaves the audience disorientated and trying to work out the logistics of what
each character onscreen is trying to do. Therefore, not using a seamless montage of a few
characters builds up suspense within the audience so that they eventually feel confused
enough to empathise with the audience.
After building up this continuous feeling of faced paced movement, the editor brings the
scene to a momentary standstill. Featuring a shot-reverse-shot to create meaning, from the
Kuleshov effect we know that by showing a mid-shot of an injured child before a reaction
shot of a woman immediately makes the audience project their own expectations onto the
scene and assume they’re mother and son. Amongst all of the chaos of this montage, using
this technique evokes a new level of sympathy from the audience.
Overall, battleship Potemkin was able to use the montaging technique to fulfill the purpose
of manipulating the rhythm of a scene in attempt to draw a response from the audience.

4. The use of this technique was extremely effective, when watching this sequence the
audience feel increasingly more suspenseful as the scene plays out.
Rocky III Training montage
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4soF2wigKSM
Compared to the battleship Potemkin sequence, the rocky training clip is a more modern
example of how the montaging technique has been used in cinema to create meaning. In
the battleship Potemkin clip, we see montaging being used to manipulate the audience’s
emotional response to the narrative, impacting the tone and rhythm create meaning with
this technique. In the rocky training montage, we see this technique being used to instead
manipulate the sense of time for the audience when watching this scene, condensing the
character’s long training period down into a few minutes.
In this montage clip, the editor cuts between multiple timelines. Cutting up a few shots of
the two characters on a jog and uses them to connect numerous different training clips to
create a sense of passing time. In the beginning of the jogging clips the sun is just rising, so
the audience understand that it is morning. However, by the end of the montage the sun
has fully risen, and the sky is now bright. The jogging clips have been dispersed like this to
represent the flow of time throughout the training montage, with a darker hopeless tone at
the beginning of his training to the bright sun and celebrations at the end of his training
period. This is a great way to show how non-continuity techniques like montaging can be
used to create meaning, this editor has used montaging to make the audience feel like
they’ve went on this journey alongside the character. They feel the happiness at the end of
the montage when the character finally completes his training.
Overall, this use of the montaging technique was extremely effective in augmenting the
scenes sense of time into an appropriate but engaging sequence that the audience can
follow and engage in.
Even though the technique has been used to serve a different purpose in the more modern
rocky training clip, both examples show just how effective montaging can be in drawing
emotional responses from the audience to engage them and to also further the narrative. In
my opinion, I don’t believe that either can be defined as the most effective use of the
technique. I do think that the modern example presents a much more developed montage,
the Potemkin represents a time in cinema where these technologies and techniques were
brand new. Therefore, the older version isn’t as polished or technically advanced as the
rocky montage, the technique has grown since that point. Despite all of this, both examples
were effective in having an impact on their viewer that was appropriate for what the genre
and narrative required.