Principles of Editing

Creating meaning through collage, tempo and timing

Joining Images
By editing pictures whether they are moving or still it forms a collage to create a meaning The master of collage is Hitchcock
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xWHYmNrAFlI Above is a clip of Hitchcock's film Psycho

Tempo
Shot Length Most editors use different shot lengths to create definition. Long shots make the pace of the film slower and more dramatic, while short shots make the pace of the film more intense and exiting. Long shots are manly used for romantic scenes, and quick shots are used for dramatic effect or action.

 Studies have shown that current film releases have more camera pace to the original golden age Hollywood films. The average shot length in the golden age was around 5.15 seconds however it is now 4.75 seconds showing that the pace of films have risen. The change of length can be seen when you compare the original Arthur to the 2011 remake. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zH3tG5t9cN0 Original http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vPquKf5EPHI Remake Films used to be edited physically however are now electronically cut.

Problems
On average it takes an editor 3 seconds to change a shot type. Brandt has argued
..if the audience takes 3 seconds to adjust to a new scene, what happens when the average shot length is so short that the audience is never given a chance to catch up

In more modern movies the pace of films are fast, young people find older films less interesting usually due to the fact that they are slow paced.

Shot transitions
Editors can change the tempo by using different shot transitions in their work. The most common shot transitions are: A to B cut. Fade in/fade out Dissolve aka overlapping

 Shot transitions put across the feeling that time is passing as well as changing the pace of a scene. When using cut it makes the pace seem heavier and it connotes an instant change within the film. When the scene is long, using a cut will make the audience see the change in mood or the dynamic between characters.

Fades
Usually when using fades it makes a pause in the film, changing the pace. Fades within film do not usually occur, unless introducing fantasy or memory.

Timing of a shot
Another editing technique is timing of shots This is used to cut away to emphasis the emotion, reaction or response of a character. By cutting from a two shot to a close up it emphases' the reaction or by cutting from a close up to a long shot is used for a landscape effect.

suckerpunch
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c-bCGOthQ5k

Attribute to editing Collage

Techniques used in
Medium shot (violence or aggression) vs. long shot(running or action ) The cut changes the pace of the film; as the fight continues and the character starts to fight back , several shots are taken to make the action more realistic. In this scene we see the sword in the hand of the monster move and then within a split second see it smack down on the floor.

Tempo

Timing

Story- centered Editing and the construction of meaning

Editing and timing

Narrative sequencing Telling the story as it happens in Linear editing This is the most common Medias res is the term used when narrative is jumbled up (Fight Club for example)

Condensing / expanding time

Collages make up time. Expanding single shots overlapping to expand the video.

Arranging the order of events

Interrupting present events to show pictures from the past. Flashbacks In some occasions flash forwards are used. flash forwards can sometimes be confusing as they can only be understood once the event has taken place in the scene.
Easy Rider When Captain America is talking in the scene he gets interrupted by a shot of burning items on the road. Only later will the audience realize that the items are from CA motorcycle crash that happens towards the end of the film.

Time and Space

Editing draws the viewers attention Close up- below is a example of the first close up used in film. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q2X_BZpnWFc Establishing Example: Shaw shank http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wyDifF2_Csk Editing pans across the building from the establishing shot into a close up of people running. This drawers the viewers attention to a number of things; whether its an emotional conversation, a characters gaze, detail in the mise en scene and the dynamics within a scene.

Shot reverse shot

This is a conversation between two people, with the camera moving between the characters. One character speaks whereas the other listens The actors never speak directly to the camera as if they were talking to the audience as this destroys the illusion that unfolds the story.

Eye line match

The match cut makes the characters line of sight This is a storytelling devise as it draws the viewers into the characters process and emotional state. Cutaways A cut away is not character centered, the appearance of an object that takes place in the scene does not depend on the character having to have seen it in the previous shot.

Creating meaning outside the story

Continuity-a motion-picture scenario giving the complete action, scenes, etc., in detail and in the order in which they are to be shown on the screen. (http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/continuity ) 180 degree rule- The rule states simply that when filming (or videotaping) two elements (people, cars, armies, sports), the camera should stay within a 180 degree field and not "cross the line". (http://www.videomaker.com/article/14564/ ) Soviet Montage (political meaning)- Soviet montage theory is an approach to understanding and creating cinema that relies heavily upon editing (montage is French for "build, organize"). (http://www.enotes.com/topic/Soviet_montage_theory )