Research: Editing Ms Begum

Editing

Editing is where it involves the selection and combining of shots into sequences, and ultimately creating a finished motion picture. This I always portrayed if it is fast paced as a quick cut or ‘montage’. The length of each shot determines the pace of the film and helps determine the mood

There are many examples of different types of cuts that can be used in many ways and portray different things.

·         Straight cut

A straight cut is when one shot moves into another shot in an edit. It is putting together two pieces of film to maintain continuity of action, to change scenes, or to insert other relevant material into the film narrative. This way it doesn’t confuse the audience and they are able to follow the plot.

 

 

·         Fade to black

 

Fade to black editing is when one shot goes/moves into another and there is a black filter in between. This type of editing is usually used to signal a beginning or end of a film or a scene. For example in the silent house trailer they use fade to black in key sections to keep the audience guessing.

 

 

·         Wipe cut

A wipe cut is a transition from one shot to another, where a moving line or pattern reveals the new shot. This example isnt from a thriller film but it does show a good example of a wipe cut.

 

 

·         Dissolve cut

 

Dissolve is a term used to describe a transition effect in which one video is gradually fads out while another image simultaneously replaces the original one in other words when one shot disintegrates into another.

 

 

·         Reaction shot

 

A reaction shot is a portrayal of a person’s response to an event or to a statement of a previous shot made by another. Reaction shots also let the audience react to the scene as before a reaction shot there is usually a build-up in tension.

 

·         Montage

A montage is the speed of editing, where shots are quickly juxtaposed together to create excitement  The process or technique of selecting, editing, and piecing together separate sections of film to form a continuous scene showing the character’s movement or action.

·         Slow paced editing

Slow pace editing is when clips are put together at a slower pace and this is to create suspense. Slow pace editing is used so the audience can follow the plot of the thriller but it is also used to signal that something is going to happen

·         Fast paced editing

Fast pace editing is when clips are put together at a fast pace and this is to create tension and thrill. Fast pace editing usually comes after a scene of slow pace editing to emphasize the fact that something bad has happened and the character is in trouble. a perfect example of the slow and fast paced editing is the shower scene from Psycho. The slow pace is the build up to the murder and the fast pace is the incident happening. 

 

 

·         180 rule

The 180° rule is a basic guideline in film making that states that the camera has started filming two characters in the same scene either on the right or left it should stay on the side for the whole conversation unless you actually show in the edit the camera moving from the right to the left side and vice versa. This example shows a great example of the 180 rule and that you have to show the camera moving from left to right.

·         Shot reverse

A shot reverse is mostly used in films where a conversation is taking place and it is when one shot quickly follows another. This technique are usually used in conversations, interregation and interviews. This example is an interregation between Batman and the Joker shows a great example of shot reverse and the 180 rule and that you have to show the camera moving from left to right.

 

 

·         Jump cut

A jump cut is a drastic camera movement that is noticeable to the eye to the point that you could say the frame almost ‘jumps’ from one position to another. This example shows a sequence where a man is getting a gun but they show this as 3 different frames.

Conclusion

The lesson in editing has opened my eyes in what edits and cut are best to use in a thriller opener for example a wipe cut would not be the best cut to use whereas a fade to black cut would be.