This document discusses various elements of editing that can be analyzed when looking at a video clip, including: order of shots, continuity, transitions, shot duration/pace, and special effects. It provides examples and explanations of techniques like continuity editing, montage, different types of transitions (fade, dissolve, wipe), and how shot duration can impact pace. The key point is that analyzing these technical editing elements can provide insight into how meaning is created and what information is being revealed or hidden from the audience.

1. AS Media Studies
Unit G322a

2. What are we looking for when
analysing editing in a clip?
Task 1:
• Write down as many elements, that come
under editing, as you can think of (2 mins)

3. What are we looking for when
analysing editing in a clip?
• Order of shots
• Continuity You need to be
• Transitions able to discuss
how these
• Shot duration technical
elements help
• Pace and rhythm create meaning.
• Special effects

4. Order of shots
• The meaning of a clip can change depending
on the order the shots are cut together
• Hitchcock Loves Bikinis
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hCAE0t6KwJY&feature=PlayList&p=DC6A
8F00C8251D25&index=3
• Putting two shots together can suggest a
connection or emphasise contrast
(juxtaposition).

5. Continuity
Continuity editing
• Cutting shots to tell a story with narrative continuity, helping the viewer
make sense of the action by implying spatial relationships and ensuring
smooth flow from shot to shot.
• Continuity techniques:
• Establishing shot (establishes the space in which action is to happen)
• The 180º rule (ensures that the same space is described in each shot)
• Shot/reverse shot
• Eyeline match (e.g. character looks off-screen, next shot shows us
what they see)
• Match on action (character begins to move in one shot, we see
continuation of the same movement in the next shot)
• Realism - edit is invisible so action appears real rather than constructed.

6. Non-Continuity
• Montage – giving information in compressed
form – can come under…
• Non-continuity editing – Continuity is broken
and construction is more apparent. Meaning
often created through juxtaposition and
metaphor shot inserts.

7. Transitions
• The process of cutting from one shot to another usually
involves a simple straight cut. However there are other
means of transition available to a film editor, e.g.
• Fade to black
• Dissolve/cross fade
• Wipe
• What meaning could be created by the use of the
transitions above?
• As well as simply moving to another shot, transitions can
imply a passage of time or location, or emphasise a
connection, perhaps what a character is thinking or
dreaming about (dissolve/cross fade).

8. Fade – the preceding shot fades into black from which the following
shot emerges.

9. Fade – the preceding shot fades into black from which the following
shot emerges.

10. Fade – the preceding shot fades into black from which the following
shot emerges.

11. Dissolve or cross fade – the preceding shot merges into the following
shot, resulting in the two shots being superimposed. The longer the
dissolve the more noticeable the superimposition becomes.

12. Dissolve or cross fade – the preceding shot merges into the following
shot, resulting in the two shots being superimposed. The longer the
dissolve the more noticeable the superimposition becomes.

13. Dissolve or cross fade – the preceding shot merges into the following shot,
resulting in the two shots being superimposed. The longer the dissolve the
more noticeable the superimposition becomes.

14. Shot duration/pace
• The duration of a shot will usually reflect the
narrative context.
• Generally speaking short shot duration conveys
action and urgency (say in a chase sequence). Click
here for a chase sequence from Die Another Day. See
if you can count the number of shots!
• Whilst long duration conveys intensity and intimacy
within the narrative, it allows us to focus upon facial
expression and other aspects of mise en scene which
would otherwise be missed.

15. Some editing devices
• Parallel editing - crosscutting or intercutting
between different locations can convey the
impression that two or more events are
occurring simultaneously. This is often used
to build tension.
• split screen – where the frame is split into
sections so that we can see different events
occurring at the same time. This technique
was used on the TV series 24.

16. Editing controls what information
we get and when we get it
When analysing a clip consider how editing
techniques are used to control:
• What information is revealed to or hidden from
a) the characters?
b) the audience?
• As well as being used for dramatic effect, this
control of information can tell you whose
perspective is privileged - this is important when
considering representation.