Approaches to Cinema 1: Film Form and Language

Week 4: Continuity Editing

What is continuity editing?

‘invisible’, seamless editing

enables viewer to ‘read’ the story efficiently

developed in Hollywoodbetween 1908 – 1920

corresponds to human perception

establishing shot(s)

180 degree rule

The line/axis of vision is established through the establishing shot

what happens if this rule is broken?

shot/reverse shot

eye-line match

match on action

establishmentbreakdown reestablishmen

t

new line of visionestablished

line of visionestablished

types of shot transitions

dissolve

fade in/fade out

screen wipe

crosscutting (or parallel editing)

two sequences of action taking place simultaneously

sequence A sequence B

shot length

classical Hollywood average amount of cuts: 300–500

contemporary Hollywoodaverage amount of cuts:2000

‘take’ denotes length of the shot: ie long take, short take

The Kuleshov experiment

The Kuleshov effect

The meaning of the shotis determined by its association with thepreceding and succeeding shots

alternatives to continuity editing (1): jump cut

alternatives to continuity editing (2): Soviet Montage

‘montage is conflict’ (Sergei Eisenstein)

editing used to contrast images and convey political messages