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.
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.
- 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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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
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.
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)
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.
- 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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
- 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.
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.
