Unit 21 discusses different types of editing techniques in cinema. There are two main types: continuity editing, which stitches shots together logically and seamlessly to direct viewer attention along a linear storyline, and non-continuity editing, which intentionally disrupts time/space continuity to draw attention to the editing process. Examples are given of how different techniques like cross-cutting build suspense. Specific movie scenes like from The Hangover, X-Men: First Class, Interstellar, and Inglorious Basterds are analyzed in detail to illustrate perfect continuity editing, training montages, cross-cutting, and a bomb-planting montage respectively.

1. Unit 21: Editing Techniques
In cinema industry the editing part is crucial in most of the times. There are two types of
editing and those are continuity or non-continuity kind of edit. The Continuity editing is
where in the creative process, of combining the related shots or components, get stitched
together into a logical sequence that follow a certain linear timeline so as to direct the
viewer’s attention to a story across both time and physical location. Which creates the
illusion of smooth continuous action, and the viewer will not notice the transition between
shots and their focus will be driven on the narrative.
While the non-continuity editing is when shots are mismatched to disrupt the impression of
time and space. This draws the audiences’ attention to the process of cutting and disturbs
the illusion of “reality” like with montage, flashback or jump cut.
The purposes of editing for film and cinema are:
Manipulating time, including speed up, slow down, compress time, stretch time
Perception of space, which creates a logical and believable space between characters or
objects not sharing the same shot, and helps the audience to orientate themselves
Controlling rhythm, controlling rhythm and space to control the flow of the production (e.g.
High tempo action, slow tempo tension)
To create a narrative, by creating motivation to further the narrative, to develop a drama or
to provide and withhold information.
In continuity editing the editors should create continuity between shots, follow the action,
change the location and change the timeframe, engage the viewer and create an audio
reaction, create suspense or pace. Which should juxtapose elements within editing, create
empathy with a character, creating bias in fiction or documentary editing.
Some of the editing techniques need to match the eyelines, match cuts, seamless editing,
montage, juxtaposition, and this cases some of the transition used are split screen, wipes,
dissolves or fades.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zdlq4VQDnwI
In the wake up scene of the movie The Hangover there are so many cuts, and different kind
of camera movements, from hand held camera techniques to dolly sequences and point of
view shots.
But every cut stitches perfectly through the scenes as every action and reaction made by
every actor matches perfectly from cut ins to cut outs, this helps the viewer to understand
the situation in which every character is in.
The scene starts with a few establishing shots to make the viewer understand where they
are and to see the mess they made, then we have a low angle shot on one of the
protagonists that is laying on the floor so we see in which situation he is, and then we have
a sequence of medium shots and close-ups on the Stuart’s character, and in every cut his
movements perfectly match, for example we have 3 cuts for him to put his glasses on and
from shot to shot his arms and head level are consistent every time.
Then the focus moves on another protagonist, Alan, that is framed in long shots for a while
until he doesn’t switch room, as soon as he goes to the toilet we see him from close god’s
eye shot or close up shots because his facial reaction is important for the story to continue

2. and the rhythm of the cuts is slower because we need more time to understand exactly
what’s about to happen, when Alan finds a tiger in the bathroom the cuts begin to be way
quicker because Alan’s actions are quicker, when Alan steps on the third protagonist, Phill
the rhythm changes again as the cuts are slower when Alan is talking as his status is more
tranquil while are quicker when Alan is talking as he’s character is more agitated.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9trAcVThIq4
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=11NJBm3JU_c
An example of non-continuity editing is the training montage from X-Men First Class which
starts with a simple shot revers shot with Charles and Erik talking about their powers, and
they have the most screen time in the whole scene because they are the protagonists then
the whole scene starts to follow an irregular timeline, as there are some various cuts from
scenes set in the future, scenes set in the past and scenes set in the present stitched
together in a non-chronological order, and it’s used to show how many activities are done
with the use of quick cuts and scenes to make the audience understand how and why these
mutants are training. Every scene starts with a split screen establishing shot to show where
the training of each mutant is going to take place and how they’re going to use their power,
then there are a variety of medium shots and medium close-us, this helps the audience to
stay engaged within the montage and see how this mutants get helped by an older, wiser
and more powerful man to get better at what they do. The montage is very effective
because it shows the audience how much work they are doing as we see the mutants both
fail and succeed at what they do.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GFSGwbbezYw
In Interstellar we have an example of cross-cutting which is the technique f continuously
alternating two or more scenes that often happen simultaneously but in different locations,
like in this case. This form of editing is usually used to join the two opposite forces within
the movie to create tension and suspense. The scene starts with Cooper losing his oxygen
while Murphy is driving her truck, as Dr. Brand decides to save Cooper, Murphy decides to
change her driving line. The cuts are very slow at the beginning because both Cooper and
Murphy have time to think about what they have done. Just when Cooper is the space and
his thinking about his family, at the same time on earth his family is arguing, and his son and
daughter do not get along anymore.
The cuts get way faster when both Cooper and Murphy don’t have anytime to do anything,
and this kind of editing should build suspense, in the mean while Cooper has a flashback
about his time with Murphy, so we have 3 levels going at the same time, until they both get
saved from something. All of this is framed with a few establishing shot, medium shots and
medium close-up because we should be more attracted on what is going on around the
characters.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gS1IG8hw73A
In Inglorious Basterds we have a different kind of montage, that is still part of a non-
continuity kind of editing but is different from the X-men one.

3. This because in the training montage various scene weren’t following a real regular timeline,
while this does, the cuts are even faster, this because the character of Shoshanna is waiting
for the moment she and we have been waiting for.
The montage is combining fewer establishing shots, but more close-up, this because we
want to know how Shoshanna is doing,
We know that she’s finishing her plan, and we also know that the movie is about to finish,
so the montage shows us, how determined she is to put an end on whatever she is going
through, by planting 4 bombs in the same building she is going to be in, because her plan
was to I kill for generals and make sure they would’ve died.