Style of Editing

Style of Editing

 

Style of editing is how shots are linked together through the movement from one shot to the other (called a transition).

 

A Straight Cut is the most common and 'invisible' form of transition.One shot moves instantaviously to the next without the acknowledementof the audience. It helps retain reality and doesn't break the viewers' suspencion of belief.

 

Dissolves are a fading of one shot while another fades in simultaneously. This method is used to show a connection between the two shots.

 

 

Fades are a gradual darkening or lightening of an image until it turns black or white. It is used to indicate the ending of a particular section of time in that seuence or the eventual passing of time.

 

A wipe is when one image is pushed off the screen by another. This is more commonly used in Fantasy or Sci-Fi genres and is used to signal a shift in locations. (This editing style is a signature transition to the Movie 'Star Wars').
 

 

A Jump Cut is when the audience's attention is suddenly brought into focus on something. This is also known as discontinuity.
 

 

A Graphic Match is when two consecutive shots are matched in terms of the way they look.
 

Speed of Editing

             Speed of Editing   

The speed of editing determines the mood of what is taking place in the scene. How the scene is edited or cut establishes this.

For example, if the desired emotion for the audience is anxiety or suspence, the editing will be quick and the shots will change quickly and frequently:



However, a film doesn't need to have any editing. The film Russian Ark was filmed in one take using steadicam technology and precisional organisation.

Usually, the beginning of a film would have long scenes for the audience to understand what's going on and who the characters are. But as the film progresses, and the plot begins to thicken (especially for action packed films) the shots may become shorter - depending on the desired mood of the audience.

Continuity Editing

Continuity Editing

Continuity editing retains a sense of realistic chronology and generates the feeling that time is moving forward. For example, the film may use of flashbacks but the narritive will still be seen to be progressing forward in a realistic way.

Eye-Line Match: We see a character looking at something off screen and then we cut to a shot of what they are looking at.

Match on Action: We see a character start an action in one shot then see them continue it in another.

Graphic Match: When two shots are linked with a similar shape or composition of an image.

The 180 Degree Rule: A boundry for two characters (or objects) in the same scene should always have the same left/right relationship. If the camera passes over this 'boundry', the image will appear inverted.

Mise-en-Scene

Mise-en-Scene

French term meaning 'in the scene or frame'.

Linked into this: 

• Lights and Colour
• Settings
• Props
• Costume, Hair and Make-up
• Performance (facial expressions and body language)
• Position of characters and objects in frame

Extracts:

• Voyage a Travers L'Impossible (by Georges Melies 1904) - Hand coloured film - long, painstaking process.
• Wizard of Oz - colour holds significance - transfer from reality to Oz - colours exaggerated - dream like scape.

Colour: Detonation and Connotation

Detonation: literal description of an idea, concept or object.
Connotation: what we associate with a particular idea, concept or object.

We Need to Talk About Kevin:

• Vivid 'warm' colours (primarily reds)
• Visceral images
• Colours of blood and pain
• Woman garbbed in grey (miserable, depressed)

Setting:

Psycho (Norman's office) - Stuffed birds of prey (in position of attack), nude paintings - suggests reference to a sexual predator - foreshadows events (Marion is murdered while naked).

Norman's performance - nervous, rambling, stutters - suspicious

How does the Setting and Performance Tell Us About Norman in Psycho?

In the parlour scene, within the film 'Psycho', the setting gives us an in-depth analysis into Norman's persona. The office is speckled with stuffed birds of prey and nude paintings which presents to us the sinister aura of a sexual predator. it also foreshadows Marion's untimely death of being murdered while naked. However, Norman's attitude is completely contrast to this setting analysis. He fidgets, stutters and rambles when in close proximity with Marion suggesting he is anxious around her.

Casino Royal:

Within the first sequence -

• James Bond - two different scenes, two different sides - first kill; vicious, dirty (linked with toilet setting), second kill; quick and clean (clean office building), progressed in efficiency
• Light - the toilet setting is very bright - revealing dark nature, dark office - hidden and covert, poker face
• Colour switch - two different points of time - two different Bonds

Positioning:

• Where characters/objects are positioned is important - symbolisis
• Can emphasise the relative importance of the object or character. 
• Split focus - Where two or more scenes are taking place at the same time

• Deep focus - Everything on screen is in focus

• Shallow focus - In shallow focus, one plane of the image is in focus while the rest is out of focus. It is typically used to emphasize one part of the image over the other.  

• Feathering - makes the image appear softer.

Lighting Exercise

Lighting

Lighting

 

• Key Light - the brightest and most influential
• Back Light - helps counteract the key light / creates an outline or silhouette
• Filler Light - softens the harsh shadows that the Key and Back lights create
• Under Lighting - when the source comes from below
• Top Lighting - when the source comes from above (used to create a glamorous look)
• Back Lighting - creates silhouettes
• Low Key Lighting - using only the Key and Back lighting - produces sharp shadows (chiaroscuro)
• High Key Lighting - more filler lights are used - lighting appears realistic

Film Noir:

 

These films (characterised by their dark themes that reveal the darker side of human nature) are filmed using Low-Key Lighting to produce harsh shadows to give the films a hard, sharp look with strong areas of contrast between light and dark.

 

Examples of Film Noir: Farewell My Lovely, The Big Combo & Sin City