This document provides an overview of camera and editing techniques discussed in a film studies module, including: 1) A brief history of film editing from early experimentation to its establishment as a creative partnership between editors and directors. 2) An introduction to continuity/classical Hollywood style filmmaking and its elements like match-on-action, time continuity, and visual storytelling techniques like cross-cutting and point-of-view shots. 3) Descriptions and examples of techniques like camera framing, movement, positioning, and steadycam, crane, and tracking shots, illustrated through video case studies. 4) A focus on the most important techniques for students to understand, including freeze frame,

1. PGCE Art & Design
Moving Image Arts Module
Day 3 A.M. Session
Camera & Editing
Continuity Film-making
Robert Thompson

2. Who were the first film editors?
Video Study: Editing History
Note: Film history in MIA is about context (students
are tested on creative technique, not history)

3. Editing History
•Early film-makers pessimistic about future
•Edison’s assistant, Edwin Porter, experiments with cutting film
•DW Griffith establishes a grammar of film
•Initially a technical role, Editors now partner creatively with directors

4. The Hollywood Factory System
What is continuity style (classical Hollywood style) film-making?
What was classical hollywood?
Video Study: Classical Hollywood

5. What are the elements of Classical Hollywood or Continuity film-making
•Invisible storytelling: Camera and sound never draw attention to themselves
•Match-on-action
•Time is continuous (except for Flashback)
•OTS (Over-the-shoulder shots)
•Eyeline match
•Visual Storytelling
•Cross-cutting
•POV (point-of-view)

6. Short Video Studies:
Visual Storytelling (Rear Window)
Cross-cutting: 1 (Strangers on a Train)
Cross-cutting: 2 (Silence of the lambs)
POV (Silence of the lambs)

7. Camera
1. Framing
2. Position
3. Movement

8. Camera Framing: Key Terms

9. Shot Type (ELS, LS, MS, MCU, CU, ECU)

10. Establishing Shot

14. Silhouette

15. Camera Movement: Key Terms

16. Tracking (Dolly)

18. Trombone shot (Dolly Zoom)

19. SteadicamHand-held

20. Panning

21. Whip Cut: Uses whip motion as a transition

22. Subjective (Snorricam)

23. Camera Position – Key Terms

24. Low AngleOTS

25. Crane (God) Shot
High Angle

28. POV

31. Dutch Angle

32. Video Study 1: Zooming and Handheld Camera
•Barry Lyndon – Zoom
•Handheld 1 – Blair witch hunt
•Golden Rule – Camera should be on a tripod unless there is a reason
for it not to be
•Editing – Great Expectations

33. Video Study 2: Goodfellas in production
Slomo
Freezeframe
Handheld camera
Some improvisation around script
Epic steadicam tracking shot (Entrance to nightclub)
Slow motion tracking shot (Jimmy Conway decides to murder)
Jump-cutting at wedding
Panning at wedding
Creating drug-induced confusion

34. Video Study 3: The Trombone Shot (dolly zoom)
•Zooming in from a distance will ‘flatten’ the field of view
•Zooming while tracking will keep the foreground subject a uniform size
while the background subject will appear to grow

35. Video Study 4:
Camera Framing
Camera Movement
Tracking
Crane Shot
Camera framing in The Third Man
Camera Movement in The Untouchables (Panning|Crane)
Tracking Shot (Klute)
Crane Shot/God Shot (Citizen Kane|Halloween|Raising Arizona|Highlander|
Origins)

36. Video Study 5: The Steadicam

37. Summary: The most important camera & editing
Techniques
Freezeframe
Timelapse
Reverse shot
Fast/slow motion
Jump-cutting
Ken Burns effect
Video Scratch
Tracking
Jump-cut
Trombone shot
Panning/Tilting
POV
OTS
Steadicam
Crane Shot
Low Angle/High Angle