Development- Film

- This refers to a process that is used for recording editing and cutting. The actual film material itself is called celluloid and it is used for a analog recording.
- 24 frames a second go through the film gate.
- These films are edited physically on a editing table by the editor. Know one really edits on editing tables anymore even thought they still use film.
- Celluloid is transparent and flammable type of plastic, it is made from camphor and nitrocellulose.
- The first film reel was 16mm, this changed because it was grainy and hard to enlarge, so they use bigger film reel because it is a better quality and a lot less harder to enlarge.
- 35mm they arrived and added better quality.

Conventions & Techniques - 180 Degree Rule

The rule is that once you have one person you cant cross the 180 degree axis. if they break it then the shot will not be used. It also makes the shot look very weird. Try making the shots symmetrical the more symmetrical you are then the more realistic the shot will look. The second person should be to the right of the frame and the first person should be to the left of the frame to allow lead room and a better two person dialogue.
                                                                                 

Purpose- Storytelling

Storytelling is the conveying of events in sounds and images. Stories have been with human beings since the early cave men era. They used storytelling for:
- Education.
- Entertainment.
- Cultural Preservation.
- Instilling Moral Values.

Crucial elements of stories and storytelling include:
- Plot.
- Character.
- Narrative.
- Point of View.
Storytelling is used to refer to word of mouth storytelling and in a looser term to refer to a narrative in the other medias.

Visual Storytelling
Applies to films and other media. Sometimes it carries with a prescriptive edge. In other words you should tell your story in other ways. It also refers to the way the moving images convey the meaning through images without talking. This is achieved through two techniques:
- The choice of shots.
- The way the shot is made.

Visual storytelling is purely visual, but in film it needs noises and music in order to work better. The director usually creates the visual first and then reinforces it with sound and music to add more affect.

In this image is the visual storyboard I created. In the storyboard I drew a skydiver climbing a mountain. The next shot was a close up of some birds flying around. I choose this to signify how he wants to fly like them. The final shot is him sky diving and achieving his dream. The feedback I received was that he thought the man was dying and the birds signify death. This is effective because not all people are going to think of the same thing and they may disagree on certain aspects as well.  

Conventions & Techniques - Editing Rhythm

Editing rhythm is a type of pace that refers to different types of shot created by the editor and his team. This plays a crucial role to guiding the viewers to a response. There are two types of pacing:

Rapid Pacing- this suggests intensity and excitement.
Slower Pacing- This suggests more relaxed and thoughtful.  

When looking at the pace of a scene and establishing the rhythm, the editor has to look at 4 questions when looking at the sequence. These questions are:

- Where would a particular shot have the most impact?
- Should close shots be used in the sequence?
- Which of the selection of shots have better visuals to use to explain the exposition or characteristics?
- What is the best use of timing the juxtapositions of shots?

The editor must also decide what transition effects the scene the most. These can include:
- Jump Cuts
- Straight cuts
- Dissolve

Example: The Exorcist III

This extract is taken from The Exorcist III and this shows editing rhythm by scaring the viewer unexpectedly. For example the first minute of this scene is quite quiet and boring allowing the viewer to shut off and then out of know where a loud bit of rhythm comes in and the shot zooms to a close-up of the creature that is chasing the unexpected victim. This is effective because it scares the audience and they are not expecting it.

Conventions & Techniques- Jump-Cutting

Usually when people record a film you vary shots and angles to give it a seamless effect. But an jump cut is a shot that keeps the same angle but changes the shot this gives the shot an jumping effect, this shots feels awkward and disjointed to look at.

Film makers use jump cuts when:
- Rebellion: Filmmakers want to break the mold from traditional filmmakers.
- Pace: This increases pace in a dramatic way.
- Psychological: It reflects the crazy way the mind works.

This extract is taken from the movie "Snatch". In this extract we see the cast dressed up as Jewish People and rob a jeweler. Jump cuts were used in this film when they got the guns out. For example, Jump cuts were used when they were around the room and the camera was jumping between characters. This is effective because it adds an feeling of disjointedness as this robbery is a cut from the normality of the shots.

Purposes- Creating Pace

An editor can create pace in a scene by:
- Longer takes to shorter cuts
- Cuts in a scene of a film
An editor can increase the pace in the scene to create:
- Rising Action
- Diminishing Time
- Mounting Tension
- Heightening of Stakes

Example: Mission Impossible: Rogue Nation

This sequence starts with longer takes which are used to signify the start of the action and when Ethan Hunt is chasing down the bikers. The takes then begin to get shorter in length every time Ethan Hunt was one on one with a biker. The editor done this to show how quickly the character needs to react. This is effective because it has great feel and you feel like you are actually part of a chase.

Conventions & Techniques - Shot- Reverse- Shot

This is a sequence that shows the dialogue and it allows for the action to flow. It often takes in emotions. This is an effective technique because it shows continuity and it allows for the viewer to feel like their actually engaged with the shot that is going on and feel they are part of the dialogue.

Example: Spider-man

This extract is taken from Spider-man and in this extract the editor uses shot-reverse-shot with the Green Goblin. This is effective because it keeps the action flowing and even though it is the same character that is having the same conversation it feels like it is two different people, this is achieved by the constant changing of shots and how they change between each other.

Development- Manipulation of Diegetic Time and Space

- This refers to the many types of techniques used in film-making. With this time can be made longer or shorter.
- Time can be shorter and stretched.
- Space can be smaller and expanded.
- Suspension of Disbelief, this is when you get lost in the films narrative and therefore you do not notice realistic things.
- Wide angles can be used to constrain spaces with out actually doing any work to the actual location. - Deep Focus can be used with wide angles to show depth and detail in small places.
- Cutting from one location to another location can make them appear that they are actually the same. - Editorial techniques like ellipsis an expansion of time can manipulate the audience.
- Flashbacks present previous memories and can be used to understand the plot.
- Flash-forwards can show what the character is planning and see their destiny.

Flash-forward Example: Horrible Bosses 2

This was Taken from Horrible Bosses 2 and this is the scene in which they were planning how to get the money and in this scene we see the four people play out the plan in their head. This is effective for the audience because it allows us to understand how they think the heist is going to happen without actually showing the real thing.

Flashback Example: There's Something About Mary

This extract is taken from There's Something About Mary where we see a flashback of how our main antagonist met the love of his life. In this scene we see how he asked her to prom and he met their parents and the embarrassing moment when he has trouble in the bathroom. This scene is effective because not only does it introduce the two main characters but it also shows us how they met and how they act without having to explain anything. 

Conventions & Techniques- Montage

This word comes from the french vocabulary with the word meaning to assemble we know it as to assembly. Montage has three senses in film:
- In France it literally means editing.
- In soviet 1920s it was a method of juxtaposing shots to create a meaning.
- In Hollywood it is a sequence of film which information is presented in fashion.

Hollywood Montage
This is a type of style that became conventional around the classic genre but is still used today. They are a bunch of short of short shots that are condensed together to advance the narrative rather than create a meaning. In most examples music will be playing during the montage to add affect and reinforce the meaning.

Example- Hot Fuzz (2006)

The example I chose is from the 2006 Comedy Hot Fuzz. This is a montage because it allowed time to be shortened and condensed as it showed his whole police training shortened down into two minutes. For example, in the montage we saw the character break records for running an cycling in about 30 seconds but this would of taken months in real time. This is effective because it allows the audience to get a clear back story of the character in a couple of seconds.

Soviet Montage 

This is the technique that allows the edit to have symbolic meaning. For example Kuleshov believes that is editing is to be built brick by brick, he believed that montages can create conclusions for the audience. Kuleshov edited short films which allowed the audience to link together like a blank face of a character and a plate of soup. The theory of the Kuleshov experiment is that he was everything he was looking at. The soup referred to hunger, the girl in the coffin referred to grief and the woman on the divan referred to desire. the truth was that the same footage of the idol three times. This worked because the viewers could draw conclusions. 

Conventions & Techniques - Coverage

This means two things the amount of footage shot and the variety of angles in shots.

The master shot is the shot that captures the whole scene in one shot. the Master shots will save any problems in the actual scene. Once this is secured you then move in for closer shots and more interesting shots. You will do the scene over and over. Mediums are good for dynamic shot. The close shot shows the intimacy. Insert shots show key objects or people.

Conventions & Techniques- POV

This is a camera shot that shows the persons perspective this is  known as Subjective Camera. The camera switches back and fourth, This is called a reverse shot. This is an effective shot used by editors because it gives you the perspective of the antagonist or protagonist.

Example Hardcore Henry

 This extract is taken from Hardcore Henry and the whole film is shot in POV. This is effective because it allows you to be the hero of the film therefore this is why the film was so successful.

Conventions & Techniques - Providing & Withholding Information

This is a strategy used by editors to help keep the viewer engaged, it is usually used in genres such as Horror and Thriller. It is effective in these genres because the viewer does or does not know what is happening because he is withholding information. Information can be shown with cut-a-ways or cut-ins.

An editor of a horror film may select to use a POV shot as it restricts the viewer from seeing what is happening in the rest of a scene, and in the right setting this can generate tension as they are seeing it from the perspective of the victim of the horror scene.

Example: The Conjuring

The extract I have chosen is from The Conjuring and in this tense scene the director James Wan has withheld information from the audience by using a POV shot of the character looking down the stairs. This is withholding information because we do not know as the viewer what is going to happen next. This is a really effective way of withholding information as it restricts the viewer from seeing what is happening in the rest of the scene, and therefore is a good method for creating a jump-scare.

Conventions & Techniques- Motivated

In mainstream cinema motivation in editing supports continuity. A motivated edit refers to cuts spurned on by what is happening in the scene. For example a motion in shot A might spur on Shot B, this is known as shot motivation. Motivation can be used for a variety of reasons:
- Flashbacks
- Exposition
- To see the characters POV
- To show who is talking in a conversation.

It is used by editors because the story calls the shots as in the main focus is still the main focus. Seamless editing also helps because it holds up the audiences disbelief. Motivated also aids continuity editing as the story is the main front.

Conventions & Techniques - Cutting To a Soundtrack.

This is the technique which shows the shot cutting in sync with the beat cutting. A asynchronous sound is when the sound does not suit the action. This is also referred to cutting to a beat. Then the editor arranges the cuts to synchronize with the beat. This will allow the cut to unique and it will dictate where the cut happens. if the music has a fast tempo the it will add a fast editorial pace. The editor might use it to build tension. Sometimes the editor might go against the beat, this will make the shot look asynchronous. This also achieves dramatic irony. This allows for the audience to be confused

Purposes- Combining Shots into Sequences

The editors primary responsibility is to cut shots so that the story is told in an effective way. This is achieved in all genres of film. Shots are combined in two ways:
- Continuity Editing: This is used to make it feel like the movie is seamless and continues in a right flow.
- Montage Editing: This is used to make the film more abstract and for the audience to work out what is going on.

The choice of shots by the editor can create meaning in a certain scene.

Conventions &Techniques- Cutting and splicing

This is the traditional of cutting film by hand and rearranging them this is the alternative to conventional editing Types of splicing include:

- Cement Splicers. 

- Tape splicers. 

- Tape Splicers. 

- Ultrasonic Splicers. 

- Thermal Splicers.

- Film Splicing. 

A cut is a an abrupt but usually a simple transition. digital splicing takes it from the original splicing. 

Development- In-camera editing

- It is editing that happens inside the camera. This is used instead of waiting until post-production.

- The film is finished by the end of Production. 

- These shots must be planned carefully. 

- Time is saved because you do not have to edit after the shot is finished.  

- The last scene that is recorded is the end of the film. 

- It can be played straight from the camera. 

Purposes- Engaging The Viewer

Audiences want production value shots
These are shoots that are filmed in order to maximize the experience for the audience. These can be achieved by:
- Wide shots which present a panorama of a setting
- Aerial shots which follow the action and take in the location as well
- Crane shots which scale buildings.
- Bullet time camera-setups which feels like the action has frozen in time.

Variation of shot distance and camera angle
Most audiences enjoy variation between shots and angles. They expect things such as:
- The setting being established in order to get a sense of space.
- They also expect to be close to the action. For example, a close-up of the protagonists face.
- They would also like personal overview shots (POV Shots) depending on the genre of the film the audience watching.

Varying Editorial Pace
The audience like to feel changes in the action and the editing. These techniques include:
- Changing Pace
- Long Takes (Real Time Passing)

Purposes- Development of Drama

Conflict and External Conflict.
Examples of conflict in films include:
- Encounters between a protagonist and the antagonist.
- Editorial techniques such as shot-reverse-shot is used.
- Close-ups to immerse the viewer into the action and make them anticipate for more action.

Withholding Information
They also enjoy suspense and not knowing what is going to happen. This can be achieved by:
- Withholding Information
- Cutting away from a scene ( for example, cross cutting to another scene)

Internal Conflict
When the hero is in a battle we will feel conflict rising. Examples of conflict in film include:
- Close Coverage
- Focusing on certain body parts. For example, zooming in on the corner of the mouth if the character is lying.

External Conflict
- These are encounters between protagonists and the antagonist.

Conventions & Techniques- Cut-A-Ways

Development- Video

- This an thing used for analog recording, copying and playback. they are all used on a magnetic tape so therefore it is not digital. you do get digital videos but they are smaller and run on 1 and 0.
- Digital video is a type of recording that also is used for recording, copying and playback but it uses a digital signal rather than an analog signal.
- The main difference between analog and digital waves is that analog waves are a lot smoother and contentiousness and flow where as digital waves square and discrete and they are on or off.
- Digital cinematography is the process of filming digitally where as classic films are celluloid film.
- Digital Capture may occur on video tape, hard disks, flash media, e.t.c.

Purposes- Creating Motivation

This is when shots motivate upcoming shots. Action in one shot can imply action in another shot.

Shot Economy/ Shot Efficiency
The point of all shots should be motivated but many film makers commit further with every shot motivating the next shot. This allows the viewer to be more engaged.

The two people I asked both agreed that the first frame was of someone sleeping. In the second frame one of the them thought that there was a loud noise. However, the other person I said that the wadrobe starting moving.

Development- Analogue and Digital

Conventions & Techniques- Cross Cutting & Parallel Editing

Cross Cutting- Cross cutting refers to the technique when you edit cuts between different sets or a different part of the action. This technique is often used to build suspense.

Parallel Editing- This is when it allows two or more simultaneous sets of action to unfold withing a film sequence. This is used to create
- Tension
- Multiple points of view

Both types of techniques are used to show a relationship between two or more action sequences.
The difference is that with cross cutting you can show different time periods. Where as, with parallel editing two separate events happen simultaneously

Cross-Cutting

This extract is taken from Quantum of Solace and in this scene we see the protagonist James Bond about to interrogate a villain But while this is happening we see that the editor has added a cross cut of James Bonds Aston Martin chasing the villain down. This is effective because it allows for the story to be explained while not having to add to the film run-time. 

Purposes- Relationship to genre

These are how sequences of shots are assembled depending of genre. For, example:
- In drama an editor may begin with a wide shot and zoom in on certain characters.
- When the scene begins to heat up the editor will often start wide and develop into a medium shot to add tension and build it up.
- Eventually the editor will be able to highlight emotion the closer he is to the character.

These shots can be assembled. For example:
- In an action adventure film, the editor will vary from wide shots to action shots.
- In a chase scene they will often use close ups to show how the situation is happening/ changing.

Conventions &Techniques- Transitions

This is used is post-production process and it combines scenes together. The basic type of transition is a cut. The next type of transition is a fade in/out. The next type of transition is a dissolve. The next transition is a wipe. The next transition is a iris.

Development- Shot variation

- This is the technique used in film to achieve the most effective coverage of the action. These can be achieved by multiple types of shots.

Types of shot

Aerial Shot. Example: Avengers

Close-Up. Example: Silence of the Lambs

Medium Shot. Example:Pulp Fiction

Long Shot. Example: Guardians of the Galaxy

Dolly Zoom. Example: Jaws 

Wide Shot. Example: Rocky

Wide Shot

- Sets the tone. 

- Introduces us to the location.

- Doesn't always have to be the first shot.

- It helps the audience understand what is going on in the scene. 

Long Shots

- It is used to show a new location.

Medium Shots

- They are used to show the feelings of two or three people

Closer Coverage is used for 

- Intensity 

- Intimacy 

- Detail 

Shot Variation

- This is used a lot in actions films when a fast paced scene is going on. These include a high number of shots and dynamism in the shots to make the audience engage more with the action. 

Example of Shot Variation

Purposes- Development of Drama

Dramatic Context
Editors need to make sure that the scene relates to what happened or is going to happen to make sense to the audience watching. They also ensure the amount of tension used in scene. Dramatically effective scenes achieve a sense of drama.

Subtext
An editor can sometimes create subtext through shots and how they are made. For example,
- A character might be saying one thing but the way it is shot can display a different meaning.
- The audience loves knowing something a character of the plot doesn't this is known as dramatic irony.
- This adds a connection between the audience because they understand the same thing.

Key Dramatic Beats
The editor can show this by cutting from wide coverage to a closer coverage. For example:
- The most obvious example of this is classic 2 person dialogue.
- The editor starts with a medium shot and when the dialogue picks up it turns into a close-up and goes between the two characters.

Conventions & Techniques- Seamless

This is a classic Hollywood technique that aims to make editing invisible to the audience. This links to continuity editing as this type does not draw the audiences attention away from action that is happening on the screen. To be seamless, the cuts must aim to be invisible. To achieve seamless continuity the action must feel right and the position of objects must be good. The script continuity supervisor is the person in the crew who is responsible for types of continuity.

Any Mise-en-scene moments which involves the object moving stops continuity. Any form of action that does not match will also break the action. This links to the 180 degree rule as when you break this rule it results in continuity broken.

Development- Multiple Points of View

-The editor will switch the angles of the cameras to add effect and to improve continuity which will help the action flow.
- This also adds shape and texture which will help the movie to get character and it shows emotions.
- This is a technique that employs a number of different angles when making a single film.
- The difference between following the action and multiple points of view is that MPOV is that it focuses on a single bit of action.

This technique can:
- Help the audience see the bigger picture and help them understand what is happening.
- make the scene more engaging with the action.
- Spread time to make it feel longer than it actually is.
- Reveal key information.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yo1fNO6bx48

The film I have chosen is Valkyrie

Development- Following the Action

- This is a directing technique which captures movements from set to set.
- There will normally be more than one camera but for me there will only be one.
- As the editor this supply's them with a vast range of footage to work with. The less you give them then the more likely they cant work with it.
- The editor will switch between camera angles depending what is happening in the shot.
- The effect of changes angles allows for more diversity.
- The editor uses this to help with continuity and engages the audience with the action.

How many shots are used:
40
Close up
Medium Shot
Low angle
Close up
High angle
POV
They use fast pace editing this gives it high octane, dynamic and high energy.

Minority Report

Shots Used
Low Angle
High Angle
Medium Shot
Over the shoulder
Long shot
Close up
Personal Overview

Conventions & Techniques- Continuity

This is a dominant style of editing in most of the world. It aims to smooth over any problems in filming. Any form of cutting is a distraction away from the real time flow. Removing and adding frames adds to this theory. Cutting also adds a noticeable break between shots. This is used so that the audience are not taken from the story.

Continuity editing is the process that tries to make the action flow and keep the audience staying with the story. Editors cut by coherence. If the story is good enough then the more likely they are to miss continuity