Film Chapter 6 Editing

eyeline match

A cut obeying the axis of action principle, in which the first shot shows a person looking off in one direction and the second shot shows a nearby space containing what he or she sees. If the person looks left, the following shot should imply that the looker is off screen right.

continuity editing

A system of cutting to maintain continuous and clear narrative action; relies on matching screen, direction, position, and temporal relations form shot to shot. For specific techniques of continuity editing

wipe

A transition between shots in which a line passes across the screen, eliminating one shot as it goes and replacing it with the next one.

Dissolve

A transition between two shots during which the the first image gradually disappears while the second image gradually disappears; for a moment the two images blend in superimposition-one scene being superimposed over the other (superimpose=. to set or place on or over something else) "Scene dissolves slowly into view"; Ex: Pool scene- one image is still on the screen as as another dissolves into view.

join

AKA Cut; An individual strip of film consisting of a single shot; the separation of two pieces of action as a "transition" (used when one says "cut from the shot of the boy to the shot of the girl"); a verb meaning to join shots together in the editing process; or an order to end a take ("cut!").

cut (Joining)

An instantaneous change form one framing to another"; Can take place during scenes and not just in between(At any time); the physical cutting and joining together technique was once popular; Film is now converted to digital that they can be edited digitally;

Spatial Relations

Editing usually serves not only to control graphics and rhythm but also to construct film in space (ex: long shot-establishing shot for viewer, lets viewer know where they are in relation to each other and location, then zooms back in)

empty frame

Frames with no characters visible

axis of action (180 degree system)

In continuity editing system, the imaginary line that passes form side to side through the main actors, defining in the spatial relations of all the elements of the scene as being to the right or left. The camera is not supposed to cross the axis at a cut and thus reverse those spatial relations; AKA 180 degree line; this line can be crossed when cameras are placed in different places to get a 360 view (Ex: Early Summer scene with Asian wife and her two unmarried friends)

Graphic, Rhythmic,Spatial ,Temporal (Grapes Ripen in Summer Time)

List the 4 basic choices of editing (Relations)

Kuleshov Effect

Named after Soviet filmmaker who experimented with editing in the 1920's; any series of shots that take place in the absence of an establishing shot, prompts the spectator to infer a spatial whole on the basis of seeing only a portion of the space; (Ex: We thought that the police were in the same house but were in a different one when the woman opens the door); Juxtaposition (the act or an instance of placing two or more things side by side; also : the state of being so placed)

cutaway

Technique used to compress time in a film or to provide a visual break for the audience; cuts away form the main action for a short time (Ex: During a chase scene in an action/adventure movie, for example, the director may set up the action by showing two cars in hot pursuit of each other. After a few minutes have elapsed, the scene may suddenly cut to a shot of children preparing to cross a busy street. The scene then returns to the car chase, but the audience now knows a potential disaster now exists. The purpose of the brief change in shot was to establish a sense of suspense as the two cars race towards that same busy intersection. Because the director chose to do this from the main action, the audience gets a heightened sense of anticipation.)

Montage sequence

Temporal Ellipse device in which a large-scale process or lengthy period of time such as a city waking up int he morning, a war, a child growing up, or the rise of a singing star is shown in a film. A segment that summarizes a topic or compresses a passage of time into a brief symbolic or typical images; frequently dissolves, fades, super-impositions, or wipes are used to like the images in a montage sequence. (Ex: Citizen Kane Breakfast scene-Changes gradually)

30 degree rule

The 30-degree rule is a basic film editing guideline that states the camera should move at least 30 degrees between shots of the same subject occurring in succession. If this rule isn't followed a jump cut occurs and there is a risk that the audience starts focusing on the filming technique instead of the story that is being narrated.[1] The 30 degree change of perspective makes the shots different enough to avoid a jump cut. Too much movement around the subject may violate the 180-degree rule. ros Following this rule may soften the effect of changing shot distance, such as changing from a medium shot to a close-up or extreme close-up.

180 degree

The _____ system ensures that RELATIVE POSITIONS in the frame remain consistent, CONSISTENT EYE LINES are maintained, and a consistent SCREEN DIRECTION is maintained.

180 degree system

The continuity approach to editing than dictates that the camera should stay on one side of the action o ensure consistent left-right spatial relations between elements form shot to shot; AKA: Axis of Action

final cut

The final product that the the editor and the director work towards from the rough cuts

Continuity

The purpose of the ______ system is to create a smooth flow from shot to shot.

rough cut

The shots loosely strung in sequence without sound effects or music; tends to be long; e.g. Apocalypse rough cut was 7 and half hours long

Over-the-Shoulder shot

This shot is framed from behind a person who is looking at the subject. The person facing the subject should usually occupy about 1/3 of the frame.This shot helps to establish the position of each person, and get the feel of looking at one person from the others point of view.It's common to cut between these shots during a conversation, alternating the view between the different speakers. **** Example: Citizen Kane, especially of the focalizing gaze of the nameless reporter; indeed, we are often given over-the-shoulder shots that include his glasses, thus self-reflexively underlining the fact of the focalization (eg. bi-focals).

True

True or False: The following are patterns that are considered to be purely graphic configurations: light and dark line and shape movement and stasis

Rhythmic Relations

When the filmmaker adjusts the length of shots in relation to one another, she or he is controlling the rhythmic potential of editing. (Ex: Like with conversation rhythm vs frantic rhythm in fast paced action scene)

Match on action

a continuity cut that splices two different views of the same action together at the same moment in the movement, making it seem to continue uninterrupted.

fade in

a dark screen that gradually brightens as a shot appears

nondiegetic insert

a shot or series of shots cut into a sequence showing objects that are represented as being outside of the world of the narrative

fade out

a shot that gradually disappears as the screen darkens; occasionally these brighten to pure white or to a color.

establishing shot

a shot, usually involving a distant framing, that shows the spatial relations among the the important figures, objects, and setting in a scene; (The silence of lambs example)

jump cut

an elliptical cut that appears to be an interruption of a single shot. Either the figures seem to change instantly against a constant background, or the background changes instantly while the figures remain constant; AKA: Ellipsis

overlapping editing

cuts that repeat part or all of an action, thus expanding its viewing time and plot duration; can be comedic (ex: Angela's arm moving 3 times (same shot repeated 3 times)

crosscutting

editing that alternate shots of two or more lines of actions occurring in different places, usually simultaneously; sense of suspense added to the movie

Graphic Relations

links shots by graphic similarities, shapes, colors, overall composition or movement in shot A may be picked up in the composition of shot B; (Ex: Zooming in to one scene beginning with same image while zooming out of different scene in a different location and surprising location)

editing

post-production process; The coordination of one shot with the next by eliminating unwanted footage, usually discarding all but the best take; and superfluous (unnecessary takes); unbiased aspect of filming process compared to director; sometimes hard to know what not to cut (24 decisions/ second); Blinking compared to "cut" as we look at something different (ex: exit sign demonstration in class); Example: Apocalypse Now was cut down form 230 hrs to 2 hrs

elliptical editing

short transitions that omit parts of an event, causing a jump in plot duration; cut where time has passed taking out time; (Ex: scene 1: go to bed; scene 2 next morning); Presents action in a way that consumes less time on screen than does in story; (Ex: in police woman clip we don't see her driving the whole time or eating the whole burger, only part of it); very common in film

fade

the joining of one shot with the next

shot/ reverse shot

tow or more shots edited together that alternate characters (conversation). Characters in one framing usually look left while character in other framing looks to the right; Over-the-shoulder framing very common. *** Before the 60s not a lot of editing; today: 2000-3000 shots per movie