The document discusses the principles of film editing, including its history and various techniques. It notes that editing has evolved from simply recording events in sequence to intentionally selecting and combining shots. Key techniques mentioned include cuts, dissolves, match cuts, wipes, montages, and parallel editing. The document also provides examples of how editing is used in the film "The Challenge" to make certain scenes more engaging or conceal actions. It highlights Richard Halsey as a favorite editor, particularly for his work on the film "Beaches."

1. Principles of Editing
Daisy Jones

2. What is Editing?
Film editing is part of the creative post-production
process of filmmaking. The term film editing is
derived from the traditional process of working with
film, but now it increasingly involves the use of
digital technology.
The film editor works with the raw footage,
selecting shots and combining them into sequences
to create a finished motion picture.

3. History of Editing
Editing in early history was non-existent, was just simply
recordings of an event/location shot in the specific running
order. Louis and Auguste Lumiere, French brothers were the
birth of film and editing in the 1890’s. They invented a camera
machine for filming and projection called a ‘cinematographe’.
They were credited with the world’s first public screening on
December 1895.

4. History of Editing
This argued with Max and Emil Skladonowsky of Berlin who
argues that they were the birth of filming and editing
projected with their apparatus ‘Bioscop’ there first filming
was in November 1895. The argument between both brothers
are that the Lumiere brothers charged to screen their first
film unlike the Skladonowsky brothers.

5. History of Editing
Video tape was edited like film, a razor blade was used to slice
the tape into pieces, the individual strips of video tape were
then spliced together therefore creating noise on the film.
D.W Griffith created the grammar of film he was the first to
use close-ups and introduce flash-backs, at first he was
criticised for not showing the whole actor but as more and
more people watched the film they became familiar with the
editing style.

6. History of Editing
As filming progressed throughout the years so did
editing, Edwin Porter came across editing accidentally he
began to inter-cut shots and storylines to create impact.
Coming up with an effect called ‘Parallel Action’ which is two
stories happening side by side which meet for a dramatic
effect. ‘The Great Train Robbery’ in 1903 shows his type of
editing.

7. Editing Techniques
Transition
A transition is a technique where the author shows between
two shots, the joining of the clips is the transition from one
clip to the other.

8. Editing Techniques
Cut
A Cut is an instant switch from one clip to the other, this is
one of the most common editing techniques and is smooth
when moving the story along.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VihlsPKMh4U
This is a perfect example of various cuts to join the shots
together.

9. Editing Techniques
Dissolve
A dissolve is the transition between 2 clips, as the first image
gradually disappears the second shot appears, used to
compress time or smooth abrupt cuts. This transition may
also be referred to as a mix or cross-dissolve,
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NLkTKkNXDp4
The dissolves between these clips are used to express the
emotion within the trailer.

10. Editing Techniques
Match Cut
Match cut is a transition when a director cuts from one scene
to a totally different one, but has objects in the two scenes
"matched," so that they occupy the same place in the shot's
frame.

11. Editing Techniques
Jump Cut
A Jump Cut is a transition between two shots which appears
to "jump" due to the way the shots are framed in relation to
each other.

12. Editing Techniques
Wipe
A wipe is a transition between shots, a line passes across the
screen, eliminating the first shot as it is replaced by the
second. 1970/1980 loved this transition.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jz5Ubqhru7g
In this movie trailer at 0:14 there is a wipe transition which
wipes the title across the screen and onto the actors.

13. Editing Techniques
Match on Action
A cut which spliced two views of the same action together at
the same moment in the movement, making it seem to
continue interrupted.

14. Editing Techniques
Continuity
A continuity shot is a system of cutting the maintain
continuous and clear narrative action.

15. Editing Techniques
Parallel Editing
Otherwise known as crosscutting, this style of editing is the
technique of alternating two or more scenes that often
happen simultaneously but in different locations. If the scenes
are simultaneous, they occasionally culminate in a single
place, where the relevant parties confront each other.

16. Editing Techniques
Montage
Sergei Eisenstein (1898-1948), is considered one of the first
truly important narrative filmmakers, and is also credited
with inventing the film montage, or sequencing of specifically
timed edits for emotional impact
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oiS8YokFzeY
This clip of the film ‘Beaches’ shows a montage, this is used to
portray the emotion within the film.

17. Editing Techniques
Linear
A technique of the film/programme is order that occurrences
take place. This happens in most soaps, Coronation Street,
Hollyoaks, Big Brother etc..

18. Editing Techniques
Non-Linear
The opposite of Linear editing, the film/programme is not in
order that occurrences take place.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EqWLpTKBFcU
This music video is edited in a non-linear style.

19. Editing Techniques
Superimposition
The blending of two shots together to create an effect or
meaning.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nYNtbulDkcE
The clip shows a small style of super imposition when the
girls are doing their famous handshake on the pier.

20. ‘The Challenge’
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KtymQ2gax1Q
Whilst watching this film staring Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen
I noticed when the titles appear on the screen they appear in
a wipe transition.

21. ‘The Challenge’
At 5:05 there is a dissolve transition from one location to the
other. This is done so that it is not a rough cut between the
two locations and its an obvious change to the audience of the
location.

22. ‘The Challenge’
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OOoak_6fGMU&feature=
episodic&NR=1
At 4:36 there is a montage, the editor has done this as we
don’t need to see the groups answer all the questions as it
would become increasingly boring, so to attract the audience
they have played an upbeat song whilst speeding up the
action so we still see what happens.

23. ‘The Challenge’
Again at 9:00 there is a wipe transition stating from one
location to the other. This is done to show a different side of
the story.

24. ‘The Challenge’
There is an obvious scene where a lot of cut editing is
used, this is where they are challenged to eat raw food
(Eggs, Snake meat etc..) They cut from when the actor puts
the food into the mouth to the expression on the others faces.
The editor has done this so that the actor doesn’t actually eat
the food present they simply hold it near there mouth pretend
to chew and swallow. This allows the audience to think that
the actor is infact eating the food present.

25. ‘The Challenge’
Again at 08:25 there is a montage of the two groups running
around trying to get various animals into there secure pens. A
well known song is played to attract the audience.

26. ‘The Challenge’
Again at 5:58 there is another montage of the two girls on
quad bikes driving through the dessert with the two boys. The
editor has edited this into a montage otherwise the audience
would lose concentration and boredom would arise.

27. ‘The Challenge’
In this scene there is a match cut where the sun appears to be
one of the characters mum’s as they are in sun they begin to
hallucinate and the match cut fits perfect.

28. The Purpose of Editing
What is the purpose of editing?
Editing determines to meaning of the film, you can edit to suit
romance, comedy, horror etc.. It allows you to clearly see the
plot and the narrative of the story due to the editing.

29. My Favourite Editor
Richard Halsey was born to be a film editor. While in junior high school at Bancroft
Jr High, they needed someone to run the projectors for different classes so he
volunteered in order to get out of class, so started his first experience with film.
Richard then became an editor on Peyton Place at the age of 28 and moved into
feature editing, winning the Oscar for Rocky at the age of 36. He edited films such
as:
• Sister Act
• Mannequin
• Dream Killer
• Edward Scissor Hands
• Elvis Is Alive
• Dumb Luck
• Big Stan
• Getting Even With Dad
• Spy School
• And many more.

30. My Favourite Editor
Richard Halsey also edited one of my favourite films ‘Beaches’
I personally like how they combine two life’s/stories into one
combining a singer with the background music. I think
without the specific editing techniques the film wouldn’t be as
successful and reach out to the audience. Beaches storyline is
already powerful, emotional film but without the editing
techniques of Halsey the film wouldn’t merge together.