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Kevin Knudsen
Professor Tommie St. Cyr
Film 1070-004
9 September 2014
Why the Edit

In film a crucial element that wasnt recognized over the years was the
importance of editing. With editing comes cutting, adding, pasting, gluing, shaping,
molding, characterizing, hiding, censoring, and many other items the list goes on and
on. To create a great film all of these aspects must be carefully looked at and with the
job of the editor they take upon themselves the entirety of the movie. Three aspects that
are particularly interesting on the subject of editing are the addition of music, the history
of editing, and the influence of american culture on editing. Each item brings a new
viewpoint on filmmaking that perhaps many viewers havent considered.
In the book America On Film the topic of sound design is discussed with the
following insight, Choosing what type of music to play under a scene will greatly affect
viewer comprehension - that is why the music is there in the first place - by directing the
viewer toward the preferred understanding of the images. (1) (america on film pg. 5).
This brings to the attention of the editor the importance of music in their films.
Depending on the scenario the music can change the tone of the movie drastically.
Having a romantic ballad or loud explosion of rock n roll can bring the desired emotions
of filmmakers to their audience. Along with music travel through time can be created
where actors and costumes can not. Taking a film from the 50s and having music for
example of big band being carefully placed in a scene can take viewers back to the time

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dialogue of the portrayed scene. With this angle of filmmaking, editors have a crucial
influence on the audience and therefore have become more recognized for their diligent
efforts to create moving films. No matter how you look at it, music changes the
outcomes of films and the overall feeling of viewers.
With the advances in technology has come new ideas of how films should be
created. When film was first created producers and editors took the desired shots and
had to work with what they caught live. The earliest editing was done by taking film
strips and cutting them by hand and carefully pasting them in position to line up with the
next desired frame. With the new age of technology editors have been able to challenge
not only themselves but viewers alike. In a film called The Cutting Edge: The Magic of
Movie Editing by Wendy Apple and Mark Jonathan Harris they have interviews with
dozens of producers and editors from hollywood productions. One particular interview
with George Lucas, he describes what it was like starting as an editor and being in the
midst of the technology advances. He states art is technology and the artist is always
bumping against that technology and the advent of whether its a new color of blue,
whether its a proscenium arch whatever it is, it changes the way we work in that
artform (2) (The Cutting Edge) Having this flourishment of new ideas and technologies
has come a new want by the public. Now in the twenty first century the demand of the
public is quick fast paced motion pictures. Therefore with the development of computers
and design people have adapted to the customs and history has forever been changed.
Culture has always been an influence on films. Stated in America On Film
Culture is deeply connected to ideology: one might say it is he real world
manifestation of ideology, since characteristic features, social behaviors, and cultural

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products all convey ideology(3) (America On Film Pg. 13). This definition looks into the
deep connection that exists between culture and ideology. In film especially the themes
and even storylines that exist are heavily influence by their place of origin. American
films for example usually entail the white male having a protruding influence in the world
while the black males struggle to make ends meet. This begins to involve racism and
discrimination in the filming industry. While this may be typical in American Culture
taking a look into latino filmmaking the white americans are generally portrayed as
being rich, lazy and power hungry. All these aspects of film are based off of the ideology
that exists in a set culture in a certain place.
Whether youre watching a movie at home or going out to the theater editing
plays a crucial role in the entertainment received. As an audience we can pay careful
attention to some of the items discussed earlier. Watch how the music played can
influence emotion and bring life to the actors. Look for how editing over the years has
changed when watching a movie you have a VHS versus a movie now owned on Bluray
the editing will be quite drastic. Lastly look for the cultural ties found within the context of
the film being watched. Ask yourself why this particular theme is present. Editing is what
makes or breaks a film. Dont forget while the directors name might be recognized in the
big picture, know the little guy behind the scenes making the cuts is truly the one
creating your enjoyment.

Bibliography for quiz

(1) (3) Benshoff, Harry M., and Sean Griffin. America on Film: Representing Race, Class,
Gender, and Sexuality at the Movies. 2nd ed. Malden, MA, USA: Wiley-Blackwell, 2009. Print

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(2) The cutting edge. Dir. Wendy Apple. n.d. Warner Home Video, 2005. Film.