This document provides guidance on how to effectively shoot and edit a film. It recommends including a variety of shot types like long shots, mid shots, and closeups. It also discusses camera movements, shot duration, continuity editing techniques like the 180 degree rule and 30 degree rule, and matching eyelines in shot/reverse shot sequences. Transitions like dissolves are described as ways to link shots and indicate the passage of time. Overall the document offers tips for planning shots, smooth camerawork, and clear storytelling through editing.

1. Making your film make sense
When you’re making a film you should use the camera and editing to help your audience
know what’s happening and what your characters are doing, thinking and feeling.
You need to make sure that you have a variety of shots, usually including
• long shots
• mid shots
• closeups
Things you can use to help you plan are
• a script
• a storyboard
• a shot list
Camera movements
Camera movements should be used for a purpose, not just to avoid editing! If you do need
movements, make sure the movement is smooth and goes in only one direction. Tracking
shots where the camera itself moves usually look much better than zooms. For smooth
tracking, mount the camera on a wheelchair, skateboard or trolley.
Shot duration
When you’re filming, each shot should last longer than you want it to appear in the finished
film: editing longer shots down is much easier then refilming missing footage if the shots are
too short to use. When you’re editing dialogue, you may think all you need to use is each
character’s line, but significant pauses can add hugely to the tension and dramatic impact of a
scene.
Continuity editing
In continuity editing everything is filmed so that the viewer thinks they are seeing continuous
action. As well as following the rules below, you will need to ensure that characters’
appearance, the set and the lighting (colour and direction) remain consistent from shot to
shot.
Shot/reverse/shot
If you’re shooting two characters talking to each other, here’s how to do it.
• Film it once with a ‘master shot’, which shows both characters
• Film it again with the camera in closeup on one character
• Film it again with the camera in closeup on the second character.

2. • Film individual shots of each character in ‘big closeup’ when you need to show strong
emotion.
You can also include other shots, such as mid shots, if you need them.You can film an
interview in the same way with just one camera:
• Film the interviewee, while your ‘production assistant’ make notes of the questions
• Then film the interviewer asking the questions and nodding occasionally
Rules for continuity editing
180 degree rule
It’s important not to cross the ‘line of vision’ between two characters, unless the viewer
actually sees the viewpoint move across the line. Otherwise the viewer may not be able to
make sense of the scene. The same rule applies to a moving subject: keep to one side of the
direction of motion.
30 degree rule
If the camera angle changes by less than 30 degrees (with the same framing) viewers may
notice a visible jump cut.
Matching eyeline

3. You need to ensure that the direction of characters’ gazes stays the same so if one character
is taller than the other, the smaller character should be looking up and the taller looking down.
Editing
You can edit a shot reverse shot scene or single-camera interview by splitting a clip into
subclips (eg by using iMovie’s ‘Split clip at playhead’ command) to divide up the clip into the
lines you want, then putting the clips in order so they alternate between characters, then
trimming the clips. It’s easier if you rename the clips so that you know which clip has which
line of dialogue.
If you don’t mind fiddling with the ‘Extract audio’ command (in iMovie), you can even include
‘split edits’ and where the picture and sound change at different points. If you're using a
professional programme such as Final Cut Pro or Premiere you will need to unlink the sound
and video tracks of your clip to do this.
You should edit movement (eg a character running) ‘on the action’ and make sure that the
character has clearly moved forward between shots, rather than having the action appearing
as if it’s repeated.
Transitions
Fades and dissolves (or ‘cross-fades’) can add to the meaning of a sequence.
• Dissolves can be used to provide a slow, relaxed way of linking shots eg in a ‘montage’ of
different shots within an opening sequence.
• They can also be used in continuity editing to show that we have moved forward in time
and/or space.
• Fades to black and back are usually used to show that a more significant period of time has
elapsed between two sequences.
• Wipes and other unusual transitions are best avoided!
Thinking in shots
To start thinking in terms of individual shots, try planning and filming an action sequence while
following the rules below:
• MORE CLOSE-UPS: Don’t go more than three shots without a close up.
• NO ZOOMS: Don’t touch the zoom button when the camera is running just use it to set the
framing for the shot.
• NO CAMERA MOVEMENTS: Frame separate shots rather than scanning the scene.
Montage
Not all editing is continuity editing. Title sequences often use ‘montage’, where the
combination of contrasting images builds up meaning.