Research - Editing techniques - Ms Begum

Editing – Ms Begum

What is editing and what is the importance of it?

Editing is used to provide coherence and continuity to the film, There are different types of editing techniques used to specific effect which I would talk about in depth. It’s also used for effect by emphasising the action while the attack is taking place. Personally i believe that editing is one of the most influential and important micro-element because it has the potential to directly impact on how the audience feels due to the pacing of the editing. As show in the example, as the intensity of the scene builds up, the speed of the editing also does.

Trailers:

Film trailers are an excellent in connecting with the audience, and giving a general idea of what the film is going to be about. In addition also to advertise the film to the audience that prefers the type of genre the film belongs to. Film trailers consist of a mixture of editing styles, techniques and speed to advertise a film.

Terms learnt in lesson:

Straight cut:

Straight cup refers to when a shot moves into another shot in an edit and it’s done in a way that does not confuse the audience.

Fade to black:

A fade to black edit is when one shot goes/moves into another and there is a black filter in between. At the end of the clip we see a fade to black edit being displayed.

Wipe cut:

A wipe cut is when a shot slides into another, with a distinct type of edge that would form a shape. This clip shows examples of wipe cuts, the first one is shown when the character is in the shower and the wipe cut results in the character being in bed. Then, from he being in bed to getting changed into his clothes.

Dissolve:

Dissolve is a transition effect in which an image gradually fades out while another image simultaneously replaces the original image. A specific film in where we can see ‘dissolve’ happening is at the end of psycho. This is where there characters face dissolves into a skeleton figure. 

Reaction shot:

This in a any shot, usually used as a cutaway in which we see the characters reaction to a previous shot.

Montage:

This is the speed of editing where shots are juxtaposed together in a quick way to cause create excitement. The clip shows various example of montage used in thrillers, for example from '2:16 to 2:18' we can see a montage from the amazing spider man.

 Slow and Fast editing:

Slow editing is when clips are put together in a slower pace and this is to create suspense and prioritise action. Slow editing is used frequent in thriller films to because of the suspense it creates.

In contrast to slow editing, fast editing is when clips are put together in a fast pace. this is usually seen in thriller films at appropriate scenes such as an attack that’s taking place. I think it’s been used to portray the intense action that’s taking place .It causes a chilling response to the audience by the fast and quick editing used.

180 degree rule:

The 180 degree rule refers to a hypothetical line drawn between two or more actors/actresses. The camera doesn't cross the line, because this would cause confusion to the audience, also the shooting would not be at a constant rate. As shown in the example the 180 degree rule is used between a conversation between the three characters.

Shot reverse shot:

This editing technique is usually used during a conversation and it is when one shot quickly follows another. The example from ' Dawn of the dead' implies the use of a shot reverse shot at the time of 2:10 and 2:20 when the male and the female characters are having a conversation.

Jump cut:

This involves a drastic camera movement that is noticeable by the viewer, and the edit almost ‘jumps’ in the clip we see scenes from the thriller movie ' layer cake ' that uses jump cuts which gave me a wider understanding on how jump cuts are used in thrillers.



Analysis of a thriller scene:

The editing technique that is used and stands out in the clip is Dissolve. We see it at the end of the film where the scene finishes with the murderers face dissolving into a skeleton. I could come to an assumption that the reason for this editing technique is to portray that the murderer is either about to die or is not going to be able to murder again, moreover it could have been used to give an idea to the audience as to what happens to the character without using any form of dialogue. This would create a chilling response from the audience because the way the scene dissolves from a man to a skeleton would shock the audience and it would leave question marks in the audience's head wanting to know why has dissolve being used and what would this lead to.

Conclusion:

This research into editing has helped me understand how they are used in effect in various aspects in a film and in the production of the film. Such as trailers to attract the target audience, and also the editing types used in the appropriate scenes throughout a film which creates a response from the audience. I've learnt about the editing types that are appropriate to use in a specific scene and also I can put some of the ideas that I've learnt into practice in my own thriller film, such as dissolve and fast editing when the intensity of the scene increases.