<FilmEditingMakesorBreaksaFilm>

BrandonThomas

EnglishIIIStandardPd.2/6
Mr.Piatak
February26,2015

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Filmediting,animportantandrevolutionaryjobduetothevasthistoryandworkthat
filmeditorsdodaytoday.Filmeditingevolvedfromphysicallycuttingfilmtocomplicated
computerediting.Filmeditingactsamajorpartofrevolutionizingcinema,actionsports,and
manyothers.Ithasallowedpeopletomakeindepthdramaticmovieswhileallowingtheability
toseeandexperiencethingsthattheywouldn'texperienceotherwise.
Peoplebelievethatfilmeditingshouldlookdifferentways.Somebelievethatyoushouldn't
noticeitwhileothersbelievethatyoushouldonlyifithelpsthesceneappearmoredramaticor
moreintensetotheviewers(Chew5464).Filmeditinghaschangedthewaypeopleexperience
notjustmovies,butanytypeofvideoentertainment.Thishashelpedviewersexperiencehow
eventswouldappeariftheyactuallystandinthemoment.Filmediting,commonlyusedfor
manydifferentthingsincludingsportsentertainment.Forexample,theNFLreliesheavilyon
editingfortheviewersathome.Editorscanmakeaboringcommercialbreakintoadramaticand
intensepreviewofallthehighlightsandbighitsofthegame.Thishelpskeeptheviewersonthe
edgeoftheirseatanticipatingthenextbigplaytohappen.
FilmeditingcontinuestoactasaveryimportantparttoactionsportsincludingBMX,
snowboarding,skateboarding,andmanyothers.Inactionsportscompetitions,videoediting
helpsviewersseeriderstalents.Editorscantakeallthedifferentanglesofridersperforming
tricksandturnitintoaactionpackedthrillingvideo.Thishasmademanyopportunitiesfor
youngartistslookingtoshowtheirtalentmakingartisticfilmsforviewerstoenjoy.Thinkof
films30yearsagoandlookatfilmsnow.Thehugedifferenceinthemisallduetofilmediting
andhowmuchithasgrownandhowmuchthefilmindustryhasgrown.Almosteveryperson

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watchessometypeoffilm.Allfilmsneedfilmeditorstodotohelpproducethefilmanddueto
thisfilmeditingcontinuestogrowandentertain.
In1904TheGreatTrainRobberyhaditsfirstrelease,thisrevolutionizedfilmeditingand
moviesforyearstocome.(Winokur)TheGreatTrainRobberyshowedthatmoviesdidn'tjust
havetoconsistofoneboringshot,butinsteadcouldconsistofasequenceofshotstellingastory
andmoreentertainingfortheviewer.Earlyonthecameramanwouldcuttheshotsonlyusing
thecamera,thefilmerwouldshootonecontinuousshotandoncethedirectortoldthefilmerto
changeangleshewouldstopfilmingandcontinuetheshotatadifferentangle.D.W.Griffith
madeabigimpactonfilmediting,hechangedthewayeditorslookedatfilmediting.
G.D.Griffitharevolutionarycontributortofilmediting,griffinchangedhowpeoplesee
andexperiencefilms.In1916Griffithwatchedthefilmintolerance,Griffithwatcheditoverand
overagain,studyingtheeditingandtheeditingtechniquesusedinthefilm.Griffithsdedication
andpracticeofeditinghelpedmoveitforward,editorssuchasSergiEisensteinandG.D.
Griffith,havechangedhoweditorsandviewerspracticeandvieweditingtoday.Sergididnot
practicefilmeditingasmuch,hemoresofocusedonthemeaningoffilmediting,intheother
handGriffithonlypracticedandworkedonmovingeditingforward.Filmediting,usedsince
1898howeveritnotperfecteduntiltheearly1900's,D.W.Griffin,Sergiandmanyothershelped
perfectthemanytechniquesusedforfilmediting,includingparallelediting,cuteditingand
manyothers(Winokur).Cutediting,themostcommonandmostbasicmethodtoedit,cutediting
happenswhenthefilmedwouldshootsomewhereforacertainamountoftimeafter,thefilmer
wouldshootanothershotsomewhereelsesoitlooksinstantaneouswhentheshotchanges.

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In1948commercialbroadcastfortelevisionbeganintheU.S.Stationshadtobroadcast
showslivebecauseduringthattimeeditorscouldn'trecordshowsandedititseparately.Editors
hadtousemultiplecamerasandswitchthecameraangleswhenneeded,thiscausedshowsto
havelittledramaandsuspense.kinescope,thefirstrecordingdeviceusedfortelevision
broadcast,anothercamerathatwouldrecordascreenwhichtheshowplayedon,thishelped
spreadtelevisionworldwidebutthequalityofthefilmdecreased.Editorscouldmakewelltimed
cuts,andeditoutanymistakespreviouslymade.Whichenabledthetelevisionstationstomake
theshowsmorepleasingtoviewers.In1951magnetictapescameout,thetapesunfortunately
didnothavegoodresolution,butfilmmakersknewthetapeshadabigfutureaheadofthem.In
1956tapesbecameabigpartinbroadcastedtelevisionandmadeitsotvshowscouldbegin
editingmoreprofessionallyandprovidebetterentertainmentfortheviewers.(Constantinou).
Thiscausedanincreaseinproductionjobsbutalsoineditingjobsfurtherprogressingfilm
editing.
Inthe1970sand1980sdifferentvideoeditingsoftwarestartedemergingintomain
streammedia,theTBCmadevideoeditorsabletoaddmoreeffectandmoreenhancedscenesfor
films.Thissoftwarestoodforoneofthebestforitstimeandrevolutionizedfilmandcinema,in
1990sanewinventionemergedandchangedthewaypeopleeditingInthepast.(
Constantinou)
.
Thishelpedspringcinemaandvideointohowpeopleseeittoday,companystartedusing
nonlineareditingforallfilmsthistypeofeditingusescomputersandgaveeditingsomore
possibilities,thisgaveeditorsthepowertomakeanyvideointoawelleditedandintensefilm.
Somecompaniestriedtostickwiththeoriginalwayofvideoeditingbutwhendigitalvideo
captureemergedtheycouldnotresistandsooneverycompanyturnedtodigitalfilmediting

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(Southern49).Althoughcuteditingremainedprominentfor70years,themoreefficient
nonlineareditingfordigitalvideocapturedominatesfilmeditingtodayandleftoldmethodsof
editinginthedust.
TheNFLhaseditorsthatworkmagicbehindthescenesmakingthegamemoredramatic
thanitalreadyappears,capturingplayersreactionstotrytogetafeelingofwhatgoingonin
thereheadsduringthegame.IfquarterbackCamNewtonsitsoutforagamewithainjuryand
thebackupquarterbackplays,theeditorswillwaitforthebackuptomakebigplaybutinsteadof
focusingtheattentionontheplayerthatactuallymadetheplaytheeditorswouldfocusonCam
Newtonsfaceandallowthefanstoseehisreactionandtrytodecideifheseemshappyorsad
thathedidn'tmakethebigplayorproudthathisteamswinning.(Amsden,6267)Editorsuse
thismethodtoensuretopdramaticeffectforviewers.
Filmediting,usedforactionsportsincludingBMX,whenteamsgoontoursmanythings
happen,suchasfalls,crazytricks,etc.Filmeditorstakealltheclipsfromthetourandputthem
intooneexcitingfilmforactionsportschannelssuchasfueltv(Rye5052).Thesevideosof
companyridersonroadtripshavemadeabigimpactonfilmeditingthroughouttheyears,
makingsmallshopsintobignamecompaniesandenablingthecompaniestosendriderstomore
excoticandexcitingplacesresultinginmoreactionpactandinterestingvideos.OnMay24tha
highschoolstudentnamedMatthewbacaandhisfilmteamenteredafilmcompetition,thefilm
Matthewsteammadeafilmthattheyfilmedandeditedonlyonemonthbeforethecompetition.
Matthewsfilmteammanagedtowinthecompetitionatonly18years(
Astain)
.Thomasandhis
teamstartedtostandoutfromotherfilmmakersandstartedgettingattentionfrombigcollages
interestedingivingscholarshipstoyoungandtalentedfilmmakers.

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Filmediting,oneofthemost,ifnotthemostimportantjobinafilm,editorschosen
beforeanyoneincludingactors,scriptwritersext,editorscanmakeapoorlyfilmedboringmovie
intoaawardwinningfilm.Thisiswhywellqualified,experienced,andhardworkingeditorsstay
crucialtoallfilms,directorsusuallychoosefilmeditorsinwhichtheycantrustandcanfeel
comfortableeditingtheirfilm(Astain).Editorsmusthaveawelleditedfilmthatwillstandout
fromtheotherswhentheysubmitfortheeditingjob,directorslookforqualityoftheeditors
previousfilm,styleofhowsomeoneeditsandifthehecantrusttheeditortoworkonthefilm.
Editorshavetoadaptandworkwithanysoftwaretheygettheirhandson,sciencetechnology
constantlyevolvesandchanges,editorsmustadaptandhandleneweditingsoftware.
filmeditorsmustgothroughaprocess,onemustgothroughtoreachthegoalofwell
establishededitor,firstyoumuststartfrombecominganinternandtakingmanydifferentclasses
inthebusinessandtechnologyaspectofthefilmindustry.Everymoviestartswithhoursofraw
anduncutfootagewhicheditorsmustartisticallyplace,anddecideoutsofhundredsofshots
whichonebestfitswiththeflowandthemeofthefilm.
Filmeditorsbelievethatoneshouldunderstandnotjusttheirjobbuteveryjobthatgoes
intothefilmmakingprocess,thefilmeditorsroletoothroughhoursoffootageandunderstand
whatthedirectorwantsoutofhisfilm.Editorssuggestthatbeneficialcollegecoursestotake
onesthatonehadnotwantedtotakebeforeincluding,businessoffilmandproductioncourses
andnotjustthecoursesyouhadpreviouslywantedtotake,andtonotonlytakewhatyoufeel
comfortablewith(Littleton).Alsothateditorsshouldknowallsidesofeditingandfilmmakingto
becomeabetterwellroundededitor.

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Aeditorsdaytodayroutinechangesdrasticallydependingonwhichprojecttheeditor
currentlyworksonatthatpointintime.Editorssaythebestwaytoprepareforthebusinessand
professionofafilmeditor,playandtinkeraroundwiththeeditingsoftwarealsotomakeshort
filmsandcontinueeditingtheshortfilmsevenifthefilmsturnoutterrible,keeptryingand
continuelearningandunderstandingtheeditingsoftware.Editingrequiresalargeamountof
dedicationandloveforthejob,ifnot,thefilmandeditingbusinesswillmakeonegocrazy,but
ifaeditorhasaloveforthejobtheneditingbecomeapassionandthejobbecomeeasier
(Littleton).Artisthavepassionfortheirworkhowever,videoeditingrequiresadevotedamount
ofpassionandeffort.
Thefilmeditingindustrycontinuestogrowduetotheconstantgrowthofdigital
necessitiesforbusinesses,thismeansthejobsforfilmeditorscontinuestogrowanditwillonly
continuetogrowmakingmorejobsforfilmeditors.Absolutely!Thedigitalagehasbroughtso
muchtothisindustry,includingnewjobs.Everycompanyisdigitalnow.(Littleton).
Challengesinthefilmindustryvary,forthemostpartdeadlinemaketheforthebiggest
challengeforfilmeditors,companiesneededitorstoproducecontentfastandcontentthatlooks
veryprofessionalandwelledited.Hoursthateditorsworkweektoweekvarydependingonthe
project,mostfilmeditorsonlyworkabout100daysoutoftheyearbutdoenoughworkthatfor
anentireyear.myworkdaysaresovariedsinceeditingisnttheonlyareaofproductionthatI
workin.But,onaneditingday,itgenerallyconsistsofagenerousamountofcoffee,myediting
station,manyhourswiththesoftware,(Littleton).Intheeditingbusiness,editorsmusthavea
goodrelationshipwitheveryoneworkingontheproject.Editingconsistofmanydifferentthings,
notjustpurelyvideoediting,editorsworkwithawidegroupofpeoplesothepeopleworkingon

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theprojectmustcommunicatewitheachotherandsaywhattochangeorexpressopinionson
certainpartsofthefilmthatshouldchangeorstaythesame.
Editorsthatbeganinthe2000shavemostlikelyonlyuseddigitalagededitingsoftware
buteditorsthatbeganinthemid1990sdidnothavethisluxury,editorsusedanalogsthismade
itmoredifficulttoachievetheprofessionaleditinglookthatdirectorswanted.Ascomputers
startedtoemergeintothefilmeditingindustry,editorsconstantlyhadtokeeplearningand
adaptingtothenewsoftwaretokeepupwiththecompetition.Mosteditorschosetousethesame
editingsoftwarethroughouttheircareer,editorslearntheinsandoutsofthesoftwaretoperfect
howtousethesoftwaremakingeditorsmoreeffectiveandabletomeetharsherdeadlines.Film
editingdoesnotjustconsistofcuttingshotsandsequencingthemtogether,filmeditorshave
manyjobsincludingsoundplacement,editorschoosesoundsthathelpsuitthemoviealsothat
helptellthestory.Manytimesaeditorwillworkonaprojectfordays,ifthedirectorwatchesthe
filmanddoesn'tapproveofitorifitsnotwhatthedirectorhadinmindthentheeditormustgo
backandchangethefilmforhowthedirectorwantsit.Insomecasesdirectorswilldisapproveof
theentireprojectandmaketheeditorredoituntilitmeetsthedirectorsexpectations.Editors
workvigorousworkdaystofinishaproject,directorsgiveharshdeadlinesandtheentireediting
crewmustcometogethertocompleteaproject.
Filmeditingwilldonothingbutgrowmakingendlessamountofjobsforyoungupand
comingartist,alsocollagesstartedtakingalargeinterestinfilmeditorsandfilmmakers,causing
collagestoscoutfortalentedyoungfilmmakersandeditorsandofferinglargescholarships
Viewershaveacertainexpectationofhowfilmsshouldlook,thiscausesfilmeditorsto
constantlygetbetterandcontinuelearningtheartoffilmediting.Editinghasevolvedfrom

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cuttingfilmwithscissorstocomplicatedcomputerediting.Filmeditingcommandeersalarge
amountofthecommercialbroadcasting,actionsport,andmanyothersproductionjobs.Editors
jobsconsistofmakingpeoplefeeldifferentemotionsdependingonthethemeofthefilm,editors
workandtrytomakethedirectorsvisioncometolife.Filmeditingwillonlycontinuetogrow
withthedigitalage.

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WorkCited

Cineaste.Chew,RichardSpring2009,Vol.34Issue2,p5464.
http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspxdirect=true&AuthType=ip,custuid&custid=s84558
61&db=mat&AN=36829099&site=srclive

Southern,Nile.Cineaste.Fall2012,Vol.37Issue4,p49.6p.
http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&AuthType=ip,custuid&custid=ds8455861&
db=mat&AN=79302553&site=srclive

Amsden,David."MORESHOWTHANGAME."Web.23Mar.2015.6p
http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspxdirect=true&AuthType=ip,custuid&custid=s84558
61&db=mat&AN=79974687&site=srclive

Rye,Chris.TransWorldRideBMX.Aug2008,Vol.17Issue147,p5052.2p.1Color
Photographhttp://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspxdirect=true&AuthType=ip,custuid&custid=s84
55861&db=mat&AN=34495448&site=srclive

Winokur,Mark"MoviesandFilm."Web.05Jan.2015.

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http://www.infoplease.com/cig/moviesflicksfilm/fadebriefhistoryediting.html

Littleton,Parker.Electronicinterview.23February2015."MoviesandFilm."Infoplease.
Infoplease,n.d.Web.05Jan.2015.
<http://www.infoplease.com/cig/moviesflicksfilm/fadebriefhistoryediting.html>.

Astain,Carolina,GoliadstudentswinfirstplaceatfilmfestivalVictoriaAdvocate(TX).
05/24/2014.
http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&AuthType=ip,custuid&c
ustid=s8455861&db=n5h&AN=2W62360993677&site=srclive
Constantinou,Stephan."Oct23,2012.",23Oct.2012.Web.
http://www.slideshare.net/stefanconstantinou/historyanddevelopmentofediting14850912