Editing PDF

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Editing...

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2.- Editing In the beginning, when cinema was invented, there was no editing. They were basically only one shot. The action was staged as in the theatre and all the film language that we nowadays study did not exist. In the second decade of the 20th century, editing was consolidated. The continuity system was established. Editing itself is the joining of shots together to create meaning. Editing creates temporal and spatial relationships (other meanings as well). To prove the importance of editing we are going to refer to the Kuleshov experiment. The juxtaposition of two independent shots prompts the viewer to look for relationships between them. We are shown an expressionless face, but according to what we are shown next, we have different sensations.

1.- Continuity editing • • •

Makes the cuts as invisible as possible. Makes the actions look continuous. What we see on screen is as continuous as the story The whole point is to preserve narrative logic, orients viewers spatially and temporally.

The basic principles of continuity editing are: — To establish the scene through a master shot. The master shot is a recording of an entire scene, from start to finish, from an angle that keeps all the players in view. It is usually a long shot, but not always. Always functions as an establishing shot. Then, we have the analytical breakdown. The master shot is cut to pieces and then edited to transform it into an analytical breakdown. — To maintain screen direction through the 180-degree system. Basically, when a scene is being shot, like a conversation, for instance, there is an invisible line where the camera can occupy any position, so the audience is always oriented. There is a coherence of space and time. Editing techniques to preserve continuity — Shot/reverse shot: from both ends of the axis of action. The camera switches the shots between the characters, commonly used in conversations. — Match on action: an editing device that joins two different shots of the same action. This has to do with movement. — Eye-line match: an editing device that joins the shot of a character looking offscreen with the shot of the object that the character is looking at. — Point of view shot: it is a kind of eye-line match, but it makes the spectator see something in exactly the same way as the character does. It is, we share the same point of view. — Aural bridge: similar to the eye-line match, but this one has to do with sound. An editing device that edits together an offscreen sound and the source of that sound.

Other devices used to join shots — Cut: the most invisible editing device to bring together two shots. — Fade in: the shot lightens from black. The screen is black and then we have the scene. — Fade out: shot darkens to black. The screen goes black. — Dissolve: superposition of one shot and another that disappears. — Wipe: the second shots wipe across the screen like a vertical bar, but it can also happen horizontally or diagonally. — Iris: the actual shape depends on the iris of what the viewer is expected to see. — Jump cut: it presents an instantaneous advance in action caused by putting shots together. It can be used for narrative purposes. It also makes actions shorter, it saves time. Intensified continuity Around the 60s movies had an average of 300-800 shots, but nowadays movies have a 1200-3000 minimum shots. The main characteristics are: − Rapid cutting. − Reliance on close-up shots. − Bipolar extremes of lens length are exploded much more because of technological improvements. − Wide-ranging camera movements. There are more camera movements nowadays.

2.- Alternatives to continuity editing •

The long take

The long take is the absence of editing for a sustained period of time where the shot that lasts longer than usual. The long take builds dramatic tension, emphasises the continuity of time and space, and allow directors to focus on the movement of actors in the space of the mise-en-scène. We may consider a long take if it lasts longer than 30 seconds, but today a long take would be considered if it endured less than 30 seconds. The long take is considered as a feature of independent cinema. And also considered as a feature of “slow cinema”, which became more important this last decade. This kind of movies are mostly contemplative, and filmmakers tend to use the long take

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Montage

Creation of a sense or meaning not proper to the images themselves but derived exclusively from their juxtaposition. Thematic montage: there are shots that might be connected by a thematic connection. The point is to create an idea in the mind of the viewer that is inferred. The arrangement of shots is based on the intellectual knowledge of the spectators. Spatial fragmentation: there might be a sense of spatial fragmentation. Often montage forgot the use of clear master shots and we have shots of some parts of the space and it is us making sense of that space in our minds. Temporal ellipsis: the montage compresses time creating an ellipsis. This is what editing usually does by avoiding the unnecessary parts of the film.

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Crosscutting // Parallel editing

Crosscutting is a way of suggesting a simultaneous or parallel action; a way of interrelating multiples lines of action. This type of editing creates a sense of suspense or tension. As well see, crosscutting manipulates time by compressing it or expanding it, but it is not similar to the montage. It allows filmmakers to construct a variety of spaces, so there are different points of view. As a consequence of all this, crosscutting also creates a sense of dramatic irony.

Commenting editing Shakespeare in Love: Shot/reverse shot because of the conversation. Match on action because of the movement of the characters. The first scene is an establishing shot that even gives us the direction to where the character is going. Shot/reverse shot again, but the axis of action has changed. There is an aural bridge because we hear something because we don’t know from where it is coming, and also an eye-line match when the characters look offscreen and then we have a shot of what they are watching. And again, as the character leaves we have match on action. Secret beyond the door: Match on action is the main editing device because there is a lot of movement, this reinforces the idea of someone chasing her. The rhythm and the pace of editing is very fast, and each shot endures exactly 3 seconds. There is an important disruption in direction, when she starts to running it happens twice that the camera is focused in the opposite direction. This shot also gives us the idea that she is lost in the house, disoriented. Eye-line match, that matches when the protagonist looks to the stairs; she is looking for evidence of the threat she is experiencing. Again, we have a point of view shot of the stairs, expecting someone to appear, but no one happens. The points of view shots are empty, when she stares at something there is nothing to stare at, emphasising the idea of her paranoia. When she is going downstairs we have a long take of her when she discovers the scarp and that she may be the next victim of the killer. There is a disruption of the axis of the action and she seems truly lost. The forest that we are shown is not a realistic forest, it is like a nightmare one. There is a lot of match on action again as she moves a lot. She is looking all the time for someone and we are expecting for eye-line matches but we never get them. At the ending we have a fade out, the screen goes black. The departed: 1.- Shop: fight —> Fast pace (axis). Billy the cop starts a fight in the shop. He is aggressive, impulsive, violent, lonely. The point of view shot is the most relevant editing technique; this make us think that Billy is going to do something and start the action. This happens when he enters the scene. The editing tempo is a little bit slower than when the fight starts, when the editing is quicker and we have a sense of confusion. The idea of Billy being violent and aggressive is conveyed by the match on action. There is a change in the axis of action when Billy picks up the hanger. 2.- Dinner: date —> shot/reverse shot, crosscutting. Matt Damon’s character is composed, cocky, charismatic and charming. We have the typical shot/reverse shot through the entire conversation. This part is a contrast with the previous part, this one is more calmed and quiet. The camera is mostly on her to emphasise her reactions to what he is saying. Suddenly we have the scene of Billy in the hospital, which reinforces the idea of contrast.

When Billy is at the hospital there is an absence in dialogue; he is about the tell the nurse something but then he thinks about it twice. 3.- Bar: meeting Costello —> Long take. The transition with the previous scene is important because we have an aural bridge. There is no master shot, we just have a close-up on the glass of whisky. Costello seems powerful, serious, frightening. This is a very climatic scene and there is tension in the room. The first part of the scene is a long take, and it is only interrupted by one shot. The pace slows down but ironically this creates more tension....