162: developing a narrative Lecture 2 Editing technique: Art & Craft Reminder CW1 Hand-in

ET Reception - Monday 6th Feb 8:30-4:00pm

A hard copy of your script with the covering page giving your name, title of your script and Blog address that shows your reflections on the process you have been through during the writing process.

A hard copy of your Script Report (Produce a script report on a different script to your own using the provided template as a guide)

Blog Task? “Film editing is now something almost everyone can do at a simple level and enjoy it, but to take it to a higher level requires the same dedication and persistence that any art form does... The editor works on the subconscious of the viewer, and controls the story, the music, the rhythm, the pace, shapes the actors’ performances, ‘re-directing’ and often re- writing the film during the editing process, honing the infinite possibilities of the juxtaposition of small snippets of film into a creative, coherent, cohesive whole.” Walter Murch CITY OF GOD (2002) - HTTP://WWW.IMDB.COM/TITLE/TT0317248/ CITY OF GOD (2002) - HTTP://WWW.IMDB.COM/TITLE/TT0317248/ fast cuts match cuts (cam flash/knife-carrot/drum-feet/match flame/ Match on action - falling feathers integrated motion titles jump cuts Montage (knife-instrument / knife - chicken / kebabs-drums) sound for effect - levels - rhythm - vibrancy - urgency pathos (for the chicken) mostly cut from the chickens perspective Pace - is fast and gets faster a story within a story - tells us about the rest of the film

Pace slows after escape cuts more for continuity shot reverse shot match cut/ fade flashback sound effects to convey feelings of character pathos passes from the chicken to rocket - they are both in the same predicament Cuts & Construction of meaning

Cutting for continuity…

“An editor is successful when the audience enjoys the story and forgets the juxtaposition of the shots. If the audience is aware of the editing, the editor has failed.” (Dancyger, the technique of film & video editing (2011) true... but not always true - you can still break the rules A cut is the simplest kind of edit. The shot ends where you choose, with no editing effect added, it allows to construct edited sequences

fade-in and fade-out simply mean, respectively, going from solid black to an image, and vice versa

A cross dissolve is an edit in which, while one picture fades out, another fades in to replace it

These 3 very simple techniques account for 90% of the edits you will make in any film - the rest is down to shot selection, shot construction & the positioning and pace of your edit Shot selection Establishing shot gives the audience a spatial anchor from which to understand the placement of the upcoming edited sequence. The audience remains oriented in the space despite the cuts because of the establishing shot which can be returned to in order to re-confirm the orientation of the space

Match on Action A match on action edit occurs when an action that begins in one shot is continued or completed in the next. Continuity is maintained by matching the action in each shot

Eyeline Match used to spatially connect two shots together by the use of the actors eyeline direction, for example when two characters are in conversation - they should maintain a general eyeline match in order to maintain continuity.

Shot Reverse Shot Continuity editing convention used to spatially show usually two characters talking in the same space - used in almost every hollywood movie ever made http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F-bsf2x-aeE

Oner http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UFCb-iYTSg0 Reaction shot in which we see an action, and then cut to the reaction http://www.youtube.com/watch? v=2I91DJZKRxs

Cutaway/Detail shot a close up shot of an object or detail that is important to the narrative - or - contextual cutaway of background elements. Can be used to cover up a necessary edit

Match cut Creates both a visual & metaphorical match by combining two images close in visual appearance (closer to montage style) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dvsquRVIwuc

180 degree rule http://vimeo.com/videoschool/lesson/52/180-degree-rule-explained Cross cutting or Parallel Edit the editor cuts back and forth between two temporally simultaneous events happening in different spaces, maintaining the audience understanding that the two are separate and parallel events. Parallel editing can also include flashbacks and flash forwards http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sokkp7NA8NA - The Godfather http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ts1x6uADFtM - Silence of Lambs http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=evHWaBI97Gs - Goodfellas (not parallel but I like it) Ellipsis

Ellipsis is the technique in film narrative whereby movement and action unnecessary to the telling of a story is removed by editing. For example, there might be no need to show a character standing up from a chair and walking the whole length of a room to open a door. Instead, the character may be shown standing up from the chair and then in the next cut - normally viewed from a different angle, or perhaps with a cutaway shot in between in order to smooth over the gap - they would have already crossed the room and be by the door.

Transitions & Fades might also perform the effect of an ellipsis in film narrative

2001 A Space Odyssey PACE At the simplest level, editing determines the pace, and so the mood, of a film in three different ways: 1. The editor determines the duration of a shot. Generally, the longer the shot duration, the slower the pace. 2. Frames matter, the exact positioning of the edit changes the feel of the whole sequence 3. use of transitions (fades/dissolves/wipes) can slow the pace of the edit and therefore narrative as they imply a longer period of time passing

Also - sound design & soundtrack will have an effect on how fast or slow your edit feels (city of god)

L Cut An L cut, also known as a split edit, is an edit transition from one shot to another where the picture and sound are synchronized but the transitions in each are not coincidental. This is done to enhance the aesthetics, pace or flow of the narrative. Without L cuts, a shot reverse shot conversation sequence between two people can feel like a tennis match. Grading http://vimeo.com/videoschool/lesson/47/an-introduction-to-color-correction http://vimeo.com/25431821

Transition Effects Wipes http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_2Ecwm7Alrc Star Wipes Blog task: WITH THE CONTENT FROM THIS WEEKS LECTURE - REFLECT ON WHAT CUTS YOU WILL/ARE Using IN YOUR EDITS AND WHY - WHAT EFFECT DO THEY have on THE FILM AND NARRATIVE and watch more short films... ABOUT A GIRL - HTTP://WWW.SILVERFILMS.CO.UK/MOVIES/SHORT-FILMS/ABOUT-A-GIRL THE BLACK HOLE - HTTP://WWW.YOUTUBE.COM/WATCH?V=P5_MSRDG3HK TUNE FOR TWO - HTTP://WWW.YOUTUBE.COM/WATCH?V=MYW8HJN21BK DESSERTS - HTTP://WWW.YOUTUBE.COM/WATCH?V=BBOAFZ4Z8V4

next week; alternative editing

[email protected] GROUP 1 (12:30-1:30) GROUP 2 (3:00-4:00) GROUP 3 (4:00-5:00)

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