Session 10 the art of film editing: Film Appreciation Course

The Art of

Film EditingThe Art of

Film Editing

Bong S. EliabHum 3: Film Appreciation

Mass Communication Department

Bong S. EliabHum 3: Film Appreciation

Mass Communication Department

Brief HistoryBrief History

French George Melies and American Edwin S. Porter - recorded things as they happened in front of the camera

Edwin S. Porter - inserted a footage within a continuous shot

David W. Griffith - only part of action must be shown

French George Melies and American Edwin S. Porter - recorded things as they happened in front of the camera

Edwin S. Porter - inserted a footage within a continuous shot

David W. Griffith - only part of action must be shown

Edwin S. PorterEdwin S. Porter Born in Connellsville, PA. Worked as a film projectionist

in the 1890s before becoming a director and cameraman for the Edison Manufacturing Company in Orange, New Jersey.

Made groundbreaking use of cross cutting in The Great Train Robbery (1903)

helped lay the groundwork for modern cinematography.

Born in Connellsville, PA. Worked as a film projectionist

in the 1890s before becoming a director and cameraman for the Edison Manufacturing Company in Orange, New Jersey.

Made groundbreaking use of cross cutting in The Great Train Robbery (1903)

helped lay the groundwork for modern cinematography.

George MeliesGeorge Melies

Méliès' films from 1905 through 1912 were well behind the curve of the groundbreaking work of filmmakers like Edwin S. Porter and David W. Griffith.

Méliès' films from 1905 through 1912 were well behind the curve of the groundbreaking work of filmmakers like Edwin S. Porter and David W. Griffith.

Brief HistoryBrief History

Sergei Eisenstein - discovered that if two unrelated images are placed next to each other in a film, a third meaning emerges.

Eisentein and Pudovkin developed the principle of montage.

Sergei Eisenstein - discovered that if two unrelated images are placed next to each other in a film, a third meaning emerges.

Eisentein and Pudovkin developed the principle of montage.

Sergei Eisenstein

Vsevolod Pudovkin

MontageMontage

Process of creative editing whereby images derive their meaning from juxtaposition with other images.

Functions of montage: To compress time To expand time

Process of creative editing whereby images derive their meaning from juxtaposition with other images.

Functions of montage: To compress time To expand time

Expansion of TimeExpansion of Time

“Odessa Steps” in Battleship Potemkim (1925)

The running time of film is longer than normal/ actual time -- heightening the drama

Principle: devote more film time to more dramatically important events and less to the insignificant

“Odessa Steps” in Battleship Potemkim (1925)

The running time of film is longer than normal/ actual time -- heightening the drama

Principle: devote more film time to more dramatically important events and less to the insignificant

What is Film EditingWhat is Film Editing

The process of selecting, arranging, and juxtaposing of materials in order to bring forth or reveal a subject or event in the most dramatic manner or effective way.

Major Concern of Film Editor: Time element Rhythm and pace Visual and aural relationships

The process of selecting, arranging, and juxtaposing of materials in order to bring forth or reveal a subject or event in the most dramatic manner or effective way.

Major Concern of Film Editor: Time element Rhythm and pace Visual and aural relationships

General Stylistic ApproachesGeneral Stylistic Approaches

Continuity Editing: portrays action of a story or sequence in a realistic manner -- the emphasis is on the creation of smooth continuous flow of events.

Dynamic Editing (Parallel): disregards realistic spatial relationships in order to have more focus on the drama of the action.

Continuity Editing: portrays action of a story or sequence in a realistic manner -- the emphasis is on the creation of smooth continuous flow of events.

Dynamic Editing (Parallel): disregards realistic spatial relationships in order to have more focus on the drama of the action.

Time ElementTime Element

A two-hour film may cover either a lifetime, or only ten minutes, or its time coincides with real time.

The editor can accelerate or retard time according to the desired end. He has the total control of time: The use of inter-cuts and detail shots The use of optical effects, like transitional devices to

link scenes and sequences

A two-hour film may cover either a lifetime, or only ten minutes, or its time coincides with real time.

The editor can accelerate or retard time according to the desired end. He has the total control of time: The use of inter-cuts and detail shots The use of optical effects, like transitional devices to

link scenes and sequences


Transitional Devices Fade in/fade out Lap dissolve/melt Superimposition Flips and Wipes

Transitional Devices Fade in/fade out Lap dissolve/melt Superimposition Flips and Wipes


Dramatic Time: is structured by the demands of plot, characterization, theme and other features of story development.

Physical Time: attempts to show all the phases of an action or event.

Affective Time: events are arranged so as to have certain effects upon the audience’s affective sense of time.

Dramatic Time: is structured by the demands of plot, characterization, theme and other features of story development.

Physical Time: attempts to show all the phases of an action or event.

Affective Time: events are arranged so as to have certain effects upon the audience’s affective sense of time.

Rhythm and PaceRhythm and Pace

Internal Rhythm: the inherent quality of movement that depends on the motion within the shot, the rhythm of the cutting of shots, and rhythm of the sequence itself.

External Rhythm: depends largely on the length of time a shot or scene remains on the screen.

Internal Rhythm: the inherent quality of movement that depends on the motion within the shot, the rhythm of the cutting of shots, and rhythm of the sequence itself.

External Rhythm: depends largely on the length of time a shot or scene remains on the screen.

Audio-Visual RelationshipsAudio-Visual Relationships

Image to Image: every scene is affected by the scene that precedes or follows it.

Image to Sound: every sound affects the audience reaction to what is seen. Every image conditions the audience’s response to what is heard.

Image to Image: every scene is affected by the scene that precedes or follows it.

Image to Sound: every sound affects the audience reaction to what is seen. Every image conditions the audience’s response to what is heard.

Relational EditingRelational Editing

Editing: “psychological guidance” of the spectator.

Aim at the impression of the audience

Editing: “psychological guidance” of the spectator.

Aim at the impression of the audience


Contrast: compare contrasting images, one strengthening the other; cutting between two different scenarios to highlight the contrast between them.

As an example, Pudovkin suggests moving from scenes of poverty to someone really rich to make the difference more apparent.

Contrast: compare contrasting images, one strengthening the other; cutting between two different scenarios to highlight the contrast between them.

As an example, Pudovkin suggests moving from scenes of poverty to someone really rich to make the difference more apparent.


Parallelism: resembling contrast, two thematically unconnected incidents develop in parallel; connect two seemingly unrelated scenes by cutting between them and focusing on parallel features

Parallelism: resembling contrast, two thematically unconnected incidents develop in parallel; connect two seemingly unrelated scenes by cutting between them and focusing on parallel features

ParallelismParallelism

Example: if you were shooting a documentary about fish stocks in the Atlantic, you could cut from a trawler being tossed about in the ocean to a family chomping down on some fish’n'chips – in both scenes drawing our attention to the fish: the object that connects them. It creates an association in the viewers’ mind.

Example: if you were shooting a documentary about fish stocks in the Atlantic, you could cut from a trawler being tossed about in the ocean to a family chomping down on some fish’n'chips – in both scenes drawing our attention to the fish: the object that connects them. It creates an association in the viewers’ mind.


Symbolism

Again, more intercutting, you move from your main scene to something which creates a symbolic connection for the audience.

Symbolism

Again, more intercutting, you move from your main scene to something which creates a symbolic connection for the audience.

SymbolismSymbolism

Pudovkin (living in Soviet Russia) suggested cutting between shots of striking workers being shot by Tsarist police and scenes of cows being slaughtered: in the audience’s mind, they associate the slaughter of the cattle with the slaughter of the workers.

Pudovkin (living in Soviet Russia) suggested cutting between shots of striking workers being shot by Tsarist police and scenes of cows being slaughtered: in the audience’s mind, they associate the slaughter of the cattle with the slaughter of the workers.


Simultaneity: simultaneous rapid development of two actions, in which the outcome of one depends on the outcome of the other

Simultaneity: simultaneous rapid development of two actions, in which the outcome of one depends on the outcome of the other

SimultaneitySimultaneity

This is used lots in Hollywood today: cutting between two simultaneous events as a way of driving up the suspense. If you’re making a film about a politician on election night, you might cut between shots of the vote being counted to shots of your main subject preparing to hear the result. This extending of time builds anticipation.

This is used lots in Hollywood today: cutting between two simultaneous events as a way of driving up the suspense. If you’re making a film about a politician on election night, you might cut between shots of the vote being counted to shots of your main subject preparing to hear the result. This extending of time builds anticipation.


Leit-motif: Re-iteration of the theme through the use of repeated shots, usually close up (CU) shots or POV shots

Leit-motif: Re-iteration of the theme through the use of repeated shots, usually close up (CU) shots or POV shots

Leit-motifLeit-motif

This ‘reiteration of theme’ involves repeating a shot or sequence at key moments as a sort of code. Think how Spielberg uses a ‘point of view’ shot in Jaws showing the shark looking up at swimmers. The first time he does it creates a visual code for “the shark’s about to attack”. Every time we see that underwater POV we know an attack is imminent. He has allowed us to participate in the decoding.

This ‘reiteration of theme’ involves repeating a shot or sequence at key moments as a sort of code. Think how Spielberg uses a ‘point of view’ shot in Jaws showing the shark looking up at swimmers. The first time he does it creates a visual code for “the shark’s about to attack”. Every time we see that underwater POV we know an attack is imminent. He has allowed us to participate in the decoding.

Session 10 the art of film editing: Film Appreciation Course

Entertainment & Humor

Transcript of Session 10 the art of film editing: Film Appreciation Course