editing techniques

1. Editing Techniques (AC1: Informing ideas)
Continuity Editing:
Continuity editing is the process in a film or video creation of combining related shots or
different components from a single shot into a sequence to direct the audience’s attention
to a pre-existing story across both time and physical location. This style of editing helps
ground the audience in the reality of the filmwhile establishing a clear narrative in the
scene.
Eyeline:
The eyeline match is one of the most important tools in continuity editing, its main goal is to
fulfil the expectation of an audience so they can see what a character is seeing if they are
fully off screen. When dialogue is being performed by multiple people, one of the characters
will often look left of the screen while the others look right to maintain a consistent act of
the characters are looking at each other. This is crucial when shooting an over the shoulder/
shot reverse shot scenes. Eye line match occurs when sequential shot may not be in the
order, they were meant to be in. By maintaining the eye line match gives the illusion that
they both present in the same room time in the same. If there are a group of people are in a
scene together it is important that the eye line is precise such as matching the height of
another character or object vertically.
180- degree rule
The 180- degree rule is meant to orient the audience and help them understand where the
characters are in relation to each other and their environment, filmmakers do this to create
imaginary line between characters in a scene. They will then keep every camera set up on
the same side of this line within the same 180 degrees. The 180-degree rule is important
when cutting between characters in the same area/space.
30-Degree rule
The 30-degree rule is when filmmakers cut from one shot of a character to a different shot
of the same character to change the different shot angle or cut to different shot sizes. To
avoid jarring editing or a jump cut the two different shots must be taken from an at least 30-
degrees apart. The 30-degree rule is very important when shooting with multiple cameras it
is important rule that allows filmmakers to change the viewing/perspective of the camera
while maintaining the logic of the scene. Some filmmakers will purposely break the 30-
degree rule and use a jump cut in editing.
Matching action
Matching action or cutting to action is an editing technique used in continuity editing when
the camera cuts to another shot, but the same action is taking place in the same shot as the
first cut. The continuous editing style shows the sense of having the same action rather than
having to match two different shots and have them feel like they are in the same shot.

2. Ellipses
Ellipses is common procedure in the filming industry, this is where unnecessary action and
movement is removed from the final cut to help tell the story better. Film makers will
carefully decide what scenes to film and what is needed in the final cut to make the scene
better. However, filmmakers will shoot all the characters movement and then in the final
editing stage cut out the unnecessary clips. If filmmakers didn’t use ellipses the whole film
would have to be filmed in one large clip to prevent it from being edited together and
removing large portions of the filmwould disrupt the natural flow of the film.
Diegetic sound:
Diegetic sound is the sound which the characters that are on the screen can hear and can
involve sound effects, these sounds are made by the movement, background noise and
spoken dialogue within a scene.
Temporal Discontinuity
The temporal discontinuity can be shown using ellipses. By using the dissolve and fading
techniques, you can show the nature of the specific ellipses. This editing technique can also
show a reverse in time or even a complete stop in the period.
Non- Continuity Editing
Non-continuity editing is when different shots are mismatched to disrupt the impression of
space and the concept of time. This style of editing draws the audience's attention to the
scene and the cutting process of the scene and destroys the sense of reality. An example of
non-continuity editing is a flashback, filmmakers will use a variety of shots that will seem
out of place from the previous shot to confuse the audience, this is very different compared
to the previous continuity editing style.
Split Screen
A split screen is where there are two or more camera shots or pieces of film within the
frame at one time.
Breaking the 180- degree rule
Breaking the 180-degree rule is when shots have been filmed from all sides of the actor, but
allows the camera to take an uninterrupted shot, this allows the filmmaker to cross the 180-
degree line without disorienting the audience. By using the 180-degree rule it is better for
communication and getting across the specific message, this editing technique can also be
known as the reverse cut.
Jump Cut

3. A jump cut is a cut in the editing in which a single continuous shot is broken up into two
parts, this will create a jump effect in the cuts by the way that the shots are framed in
relation to each other. This may cause objects to appear to move into different places
where the audience may not expect them to be.