Yes, the use of editing in TV dramas does help construct meaning about relationships between characters. The different editing techniques like shot reverse shot, match on action, and eye line match are used to clearly show who is interacting with whom and emphasize the connections between characters. Editing allows the audience to understand the dynamics and power dynamics between characters by how their interactions are framed and cut together. Through editing, subtext and nuances in relationships can be revealed that might not otherwise come across just through the dialogue and acting alone. So editing plays a key role in how we interpret and understand the relationships that are central to the story.

2.  We are going to watch
the first 15 minutes of
Sex Traffic (2004)
 A powerful two-part
drama about two young
Moldovan sisters
kidnapped and
trafficked through
Europe to the dark side
of London, betrayed by
pimps and police, and
fighting for their lives. Watch now on 4oD

3. Transition Seen in Sex Traffic Why the transition was used in this drama
Cross Cutting This created a mysterious mood and the fact that he
scenes were shown simultaneously suggested they
are linked, making the audience question what the
character walking is going to do to the girls.
Cutting This is a simple transition showing different scenes.
Shot Reverse Shot This transition in the conversation between the
mother and her daughter, showing he mother from
the back. This is used to emphasize who is talking
and to who.
Match on Action This is used when the two women are driving away to
London to show the action from different point of
views, when looking at the man.
Eye Line Match This is used to emphasize what someone is looking at

5.  Cutting – The simple change from one
shot/scene to another
 Cross Cutting - Editing that alternates shots
of two or more lines of action occurring in
different places, usually simultaneously. The
two actions are therefore linked, associating
the characters from both lines of action.

6.  We have studied this before for your
preliminary task.
 This is used in conversation to move from one
character to another and back again.

7.  Again we have studied this before
 This is where the camera shoots one
continuous piece of action and the edit
switches from one perspective to another.

8. A cut obeying the axis of action principle, in which the first shot shows a person off in one
direction and the second shows a nearby space containing what he or she sees. If the
person looks left, the following shot should imply that the looker is offscreen right. See
the example below -
First we see her looking... then we see what she looks at.
As her interest grows, the eyeline match (that is the connection between looker and
looked) is stressed with matching close-ups of her face and Icarus's falling into the ocean
in the painting. Again, this implies that she is looking directly at Icarus's body.

9. First we see her looking...
then we see what she looks
at.
As her interest grows, the
eyeline match (that is the
connection between looker
and looked) is stressed
with matching close-ups of
her face and the section of
the painting she is
interested in

10.  With pace you are looking for how long or
short the time between each edit is.
 If we are watching a car chase we would expect
the time to be short between each edit.
 A emotional drama may have much longer
between each of its cuts
 You can also think about rhythem. Have the
edits been timed to key moments or the beat
of the piece of music behind the scene?

11.  Watch this clip and analyse how the editing
techniques have been used in the clip.
 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gKkBzbdi
qV0
 Record examples for each of the techniques
using the table on the next slide.

12. Example from 24 Function of the editing
Editing Device interrogation scene devise
Cutting /Cross Cutting This is used to move the It shows relation and focuses
scene from the interrogation on the same narrative as the
room to a different room. other scene. It gives the
Shot Reverse-Shot audience more information
on what is going on
regarding the same
Match on Action particular scene.
Shot Reverse-Shot This is used when both This gives clear focus on who
characters engage in a is talking and shows
Eyeline Match conversation. a the
Jack Bauer looks expression of the characters
It is to emphasize the
camera in the corner of the involved in talking.item and
importance of the
Match on Action room. used to show two
This is whatmakes the audience feel
This the character is looking
different perspective in the at.if they are there alongside
as
Pace interrogation, without using the action. The more match
the shot reverse-shot. an actions shots there are
the more fast-paced the
sequence becomes.
Eyeline Match This is used to show what This makes an object the
the main character is looking centre of attention. This way
at when he enters the room. the audience will know it is

13.  Answer the following question:
 Does the use of editing in TV Dramas construct
the meaning about relationships between
characters.
 Post your response on your blog along with
this PowerPoint when it is filled in.