Editing Contextual Study Script

What is editing? Why?

The process of manipulating and rearranging visual and audio media to create a final product and to convey meaning. Nowadays, editors will use digital programmes such as premiere pro, final cut pro or avid to edit their footage.  The reason for editing is to remove unwanted footage to create a narrative or flow. Editing also allows the editor to include graphics, special effects or music and to alter the style, pace or mood of the video according to the directors wishes.

History of editing:

But for us to truly understand editing, we must look at its history. Thomas Edison was amongst the first film makers in history. he created the ‘peepshow’ kinetoscope which was equipped for a single viewer to watch the moving image.

The French lumiere brothers developed on this, creating the cinematograph which was much more inclusive and allowed more than one viewer to see the moving picture.

Their films included one long take, such as this one of the workers leaving their factory. As moving image was such a new phenomena, the audience was enchanted by the factory workers coming and going.

They perceived such movement so realistic that during this clip from arrival of a train from ciotat station many of the audience ran out of the cinema in fear that the train was actually coming towards them, there’s a rumour that this clip actually caused a woman in the audience to go into labour it was such a shock.

George melies used special effects and to play with the audience.

As the cuts were made within the camera, meleis would move objects when the cameraman stopped cranking so that it looked liked magic had occurred within the sequence of shots.

This can be seen in his example, the conjuror, he kept the camera rolling until he had covered his actress in a shall, then he stopped the filming so she could move to a different part of the shot, and then he cranked it up again to give the illusion of magic.

David Wark Griffith was one of the first to portray storytelling and narrative via his fims.

Here we can see one of the first examples of the dissolve transition. he took advantage of cross cutting to impact on the narrative. also, his use of night photography, panoramic long shots, montage and parallel editing has been praised. Griffith and his personal cinematographer G W Bitzer collaborated to create and perfect such cinematic devices as the flash-back, the iris shot, the mask and cross-cutting. He is also credited as being one of the first film-makers to use Continuity Editing.

Finally, the kuleshov effect

Kuleshov cut together a montage of a close-up shot of a man staring at the camera, with different subjects including shot of a bowl of soup, a child in a coffin and a beautiful woman. It was a mental phenomenon by which viewers derived more meaning from the interaction of two sequential shots than from a single shot in isolation.

The audience perceived his expression to change from hunger to grief to lust. By placing a shot after a reaction shot, can completely change the meaning of the characters reaction, and the story as a whole.

Montage

When a number of short shots are cut together to music in order to condense a period of time and display information quickly, it is called montage editing. This technique is extremely popular in modern movies, as it conveys meaning effectively and cuts out significant chunks of time.  We can see this in the example of ‘school of rock’ other iconic montages include the love story from ‘up’ and the training montage in rocky.

Parallel-

Parallel editing (cross cutting) is the technique of alternating two or more scenes that often happen simultaneously but in different locations. It is used to add interest and excitement to an otherwise boring sequence. Parallel editing is often applied to create suspense. It’s used a lot in action movies, as we can here from this scene in inception

Experimiental editing

Was coined by a group of young French directors of the late 1950s early 60s who chose to disregard classical Hollywood style editing and filming in favour of a highly experimental approach.

Experimental film or avant-garde cinema is a mode of filmmaking challenges regular cinematic conventions and explores non-narrative forms.

It includes Unorthodox methods such as freeze frames, discontinuous editing, sctratching of film reel and unusual camera angles

Godard’s Breathless (A Bout du Souffle) contains a classic series of jump cuts in the car scene to suggest time passing and the relationship’s difficulties. A jump cut is never used in convential Hollywood editing.

So what is conventional Hollywood editing?

Otherwise known as invisible or continuity editing, it aims to project a continuous flow of action in a film, and to make the cut invisible to the audience. It is a standard of editing that has become so familiar that we no longer consciously notice it.

 A key to continuity editing is keeping within the 180 degree rule, as we can see in this diagram.

It sticks to this fundamental rule so not to confuse the audience, for example if the first character is on the left and the second character is on the right, As We can see this here in this scene from brookylyn 99

 you should keep the camera positioned so that the characters stay facing the same direction.

Also, Hollywood editing follows the structure of shot-reverse-shot, typically in conversation scenes or reaction shots

Another key to Hollywood editing is the eye line match-

This means that the gaze of the character in one shot has to line up with the person or thing they’re looking at in the next shot on order to make sense for the viewer

match on action is another technique in continuity editing in which one shot cuts to another shot portraying the action of the subject in the first shot, here we can see the action of the grim reaper in the shots following his action of touching the character’s face

Here we can see the presence of the grim reaper, leading up to his action of touching the characters face.

Time to look at the different types of editing transitions, which link different shots together.

A dissolve transition connects an outgoing and an incoming sequence, welding the two disparate sections into one. The second image does not displace the first instantly, as in a straight cut, but over a period of time. often used in montages, dramas or historical dramas, the dissolve has sad, slow, gradual connotations

Cut

The most common way of joining two shots together. A straight cut is when shot A suddenly ends and shot B suddenly begins. It is a universal transition and as it is so simple, it can be used to convey any kind of mood or feeling within a scene. For example, here in fast and furious they have used a series of fast straight cuts to convey a mood of urgency and action.

Fade in/ Fade out:

A fade out always usually used at the end of a sequence or a section of film, the screen image grows progressively darker or lighter over a number of frames, until the screen is a dead black or pure white. A fade in is the same, only the process in reversed and is usuoally used at the start of films.. A fade to (or from) black usually creates darker connotations, perhaps leaving the film on a sad note. However, a white fade has connotations with sunlight and lighter, happier feelings. A cross fade can also be used in the middle of a film to display the passing of time.

Wipe:

A wipe involves one shot replacing another, travelling from one side of the frame to the next. They are considered to be cheesy, and used mostly in 90’s sitcoms or lighthearted comedies, such as my ad

Jump Cuts:

A jump cut is an edit in which two sequential shots of the same subject are taken from camera positions that vary only slightly if at all. This type of edit gives the effect of jumping forwards in time. Jump cuts can add a sense of speed to the sequence of events. In spuds interview in trainspotting, jump cuts are used to make the scene seem erratic, jumpy and hectic.

Why Edit?

The purpose of editing is to generate meaning from what would otherwise be a collection of disjointed footage. If not for the development of editing, films would still be at the stages of solely showing moving images on a screen. Editing creates a narrative and structure to films, and can bring a certain mood or message.  It means the audience can generate a meaning and narrative from a series of cut together footage.

Opening sequel of city of god

-       Sweeping scene shots.

-       Camera is used as the main point of telling the story rather than the dialogue

-       Breaks conventional narrative structure where the story typically begins with a state of normality or balance. Non-linear narrative

-       Fast cut editing- representative of the chaotic life in the favelas

-       Hand held camera to make audience feel they are there with the action

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-       Begins with fast montage with knife being sharpened, along with fast guitar and tambourine music. The montage gets faster and more repetitive, giving a sense of suspense and tension for the audience. We also see a match on action shot of the chicken, allowing the audience to draw the conclusion that this chicken will be slaughtered.  We see close ups of what appeared to be a market with lots of action, peeling, chopping, dancing. The fast paced editing reflects the chaotic life in the favelas and sets a particular tone for the rest of the movie. By cutting back to the same chicken suggests that the shots we can see of chickens being de feathered and boiled are foreshadowing the destiny of this reoccurring chicken. This may have connotations too with the destiny of the protagonist of the movie. It could also be suggested that these are eye-line shots of the chicken, suggesting he is watching the knives and the cooking and decides to make a get away.

-       We see a close up shot of him untying the rope from his feet, symbolizing freedom

-       The tension continues to be built up buy the fast cut montage and repetition of the instrument playing a fast song, until suddenly the music is cut and we see a shaky camera focusing on a plate of blood, this shot is longer than any others we’ve seen so far in the opening sequence. The constant use of fast paced, disjointed and non-continuous editing makes the viewer feel uncomfortable and a little confused

The chicken is given a brief moment of freedom, until we see a cut to a close up of someone yelling ‘go after the chicken!’. He then points and we see a smooth transition to the next camera angle by cutting to black and a hatch door opening from above. We can hear the chaotic shouts of the children and locals getting involved in this chicken run with drum beats sounding like footsteps. We see a close up of the man laughing, a slightly extended shot and then to reflect the total discontinuity of this edit, we cut to a birds eye shot of children running. Next, a match on action shot of the chicken running. The layers of noise and the speed of the editing leaves the audience on the edge of their seat to see the result of the chicken run.  We hear a bang, and once again the audio cuts out to mark the end of that scene. The audience is left captured as we did not see whether the chicken was killed or not.

The editing style now changes from its previous fast paced montage to a simple long camera shot following two boys chatting. However, they are caught in the middle of the chicken run and the fast drum beat music makes a return along with shouting, and a disjointed sequence of cuts between close ups, low angle shots and medium shots. There is no continuity. We see another cu of the mans face, this time with a gun, and after seeing the 2 boys before the audience can gather they will make another appearance shortly, leaving them filled with suspense and tension. Once again, after following the chicken, with a build up of fast cuts, layers of sound and disjointed editing, the drum playing is dramatically cut out and we hear a truck beep and nearly hit the chicken. It then cuts to the 2 boys chatting again, and this is when they collide with the chicken run. The chicken chasers appear on screen in slow motion, adding a dramatic effect for the audience and the camera pans round the boys face in slow motion too to highlight the importance of this moment. We hear and see the clicking of guns, and the boy looking at the the gang infront of him and the police behind him, and that is when the chicken run is over. The audience is left forgetting about the chicken and focusing on the destiny of this boy, trapped between guns either side of him. The audience had gathered up many emotions relating to tension and suspense throughout the opening sequence, and the sudden change of pace to slow motion made it seem like this was an important moment.

Trainspotting:

There are tons of editing techniques to comment on from this scene from trainspotting, 1996. You could call it experimental or avant guarde cinema as it is a mode of filmmaking challenges regular cinematic conventions. That transition from a birds eye shot to a mid shot was due to camera work but appears similar to a wipe editing transition. We see a focus shot on Begbie, and then a quick cut of him scoring a pot in pool. the sheer speed of this shot suggests it will be re-occuring. Along with his thick Scottish accent which is hard to understand, it leaves the audience a little confused. Although this scene is set up as if it could follow the 180 degree rule, it does not have continuity editing. Instead, the camera jumps from one reaction shot to another.

Here we see a quick eye line match, and a slightly longer take on Renton, who is the main character. He seems inquisive or perhaps concerned puffing on his cigarette. We now cut to begby again for a shot which lasts over 10 seconds. There is no build up to the event which is about to happen. Instead the audience is shocked by the slow motion and freeze frame shots along with a ‘voice of god’ narrative. In a conventional Hollywood movie, we would see a reaction shot of the glass hitting someone. Instead, we experience a severe contrast cut which adds to the effect and make that moment seem extremely important to the audience, also keeping them captured to see how the rest of the scene turns out.

We are now experiencing parallel editing, or cross cutting. The conversation between tommy and renton is not conventional, with no eyeline match or match cutting. The long takes keep the audience interested in the story, along with another flashback of the pool game. Now the audience has a clearer understanding of the story, understanding now that tommy was at the game with begby. There is another layer of cross cutting going on here too.. not just between tommys house and the bar, and these two locations with the pool table location, but at tommys house too. The audience feels in on rentons secret, tommy doesn’t know he is looking for a certain video and also the structure of the house makes it seem like cross cutting is occurring here too. I have identified 4 layers of effective cross cutting which has been achieved through editing, and these built up are extremely effective in engaging for the audience.

We now see a series of fast cuts as begby has lost his temper, to show the action. The narration of tommy explaining the situation allows the audience to know that this scene was in the past. We encounter a short conversation between renton and tommy, securing rentons loan of the dvd and then another contrast cut back to the frozen image of begby throwing the glass. It is a really unique way of storytelling and the audience, knowing bigby is an irrational character, is fascinated by whats going to happen. By not adhering to the conventional shot-reaction-shot structure and hearing the screaming before any visual picture with the camera just showing the reaction of the lads, further encaptures the audience to anticipating the effect of his action.

Now we finally encounter the delayed match on action shot. The fight scene does not have fast paced editing, allowing the audience to feel the realness of the situation, and for it to be more relatable. The story is more focused on the main characters reaction. Overall, I believe that although that sequence used a lot of experimental editing, it worked really well to portray a unique realness to the film.