Conventions & Techniques

Cutting and Splicing

Seamless

Seamless editing used to be alluded as invisible editing. It is because the cuts between the shots were coordinated to the action, and it was often applied by DW Griffith; an American film director, writer and producer. The effect it has is so powerful that when watching a scene, it won’t be evident that it’s been edited. It is very neat, smooth and flowing. Continuity editing is a technique that spotlights on making a clear continuity for the final piece that has been created. It creates that perfectly smooth stream between every one of the clips so the narrative of the story will be clear of breaks. The focus of this kind of editing is to be seamless and to ensure that the audience remains concentrated on the story rather than the techniques utilized.

To be seamless continuity regarding all components of mise-en-scène and all components of action in the frame ought to be safeguarded faultlessly starting with one clip or take then onto the next across the cut.

Any mise-en-scène component, for example, the position of figure or object alteration incorrectly across a cut breaks the continuity and prompts to editing which is not seamless.

Another example is when breaking the 180 degree axis rule- or any of the related rules- will likewise result in continuity issues and challenge the objective of invisible editing.

Creating Pace

·         An editor can create pace in a scene by moving from:

-          Longer takes to shorter takes;

-          A few cuts in a given stretch of film time to many cuts in a given stretch of film time.

·         An editor might increase the pace in a scene to communicate.

-          Rising action

-          Diminishing time

-          Mounting tension

-          Heightening of stakes

At the point when an editor assembles footage they would always keep the pace of the scenes as priority. As the pace of a scene significantly involves in how and what the genre of the movie is based on. The audience will react through the pace of the scene. As a rule, it will be a quick pace if it is an action film. The reason quick pace would be utilized is due to the face that a considerable measure of action will be going on in scenes at once, the editor will need to do quick paced cuts to keep up with the action on screen. While, on the off chance that it is a drama or a romantic scene the cuts are going to be much slower with a specific end goal to give the audience time to react and take in what the characters are feeling and based on their body language. Sound is just as important as different cutting techniques. For instance, in Jaws the music gets louder and fast paced when something is going to take place and increases the energy of the viewers. On the off chance that music being played is slow paced, then the odds are that it is a romantic scene or an emotional scene.

It departed off with a couple measure of cuts to a few cuts when the action started. Tension was already to be seen where the cuts were slow and at the beginning of the clip the body of a man was seen falling from the rooftop in slow motion. The second we encounter Leonard DiCaprio and the body hitting the concrete right in front of him, that is the cue for the action to take place and men running out of the building the quantity of slices tend to expand which makes the scene move at a snappier pace.

Romantic:



Romantic scene tends to be utilized to make that feeling of relaxation in a film. At the point when the editing pace gets slower it gives the audience the reassurance that everything is safe and noting bad is going to take place until the tempo of the music picks up. A case of this is Sleepless in Seattle.

In this clip, slow editing is used to demonstrate that they have quite recently met each other face to face for the first time, furthermore they are beginning to like one and another. This scene makes a séance of peace and romance, without much alteration of camera angles and edits.

Not Much Editing:

Editing is vital. However, great films have been produced without much editing being used. Alexander Nikolayevich Sokurov, is a Russian filmmaker and he proved it with one of his most significant work, Russian Ark. It was shot in one stream utilizing flawless coordination and split-second timing. He achieved this by utilizing a Steadicam and a digital camera. The risk of not using any editing means that if a slightest mistake is evident, the entire film would have had to be restarted from the beginning.

Anticipation:

Traditionally for action based movies speed editing is normally used, to achieve an intense preview and have the capacity to attract audience effectively. Using a footage that last between 2-3 seconds can instantly grab the anticipation of the viewer. A case of this is The Hunger Games: Catching Fire.

There are around 32 edits within 35 seconds, it gives a sneak peek of some of the scenes to get the audience into the movie before the actual release, it is a way of marketing. Additionally, a voice over from a scene or two to give the viewers on what is going on. Before the release of a trailer, the director of the film would be the individual to pick the scenes of the film to be used. Especially the ones that they believe would be best to grab peoples’ attention.

Thriller- Psycho:



There were 15 edits before the murder scene, this tricks us by giving the feeling everything is well and nothing bad is going to take place. At that point amid the murder there were 38 edits. The speed of the editing of psycho matches the scene extremely well. This is due to the fact that when she was writing in her book the speed of the edit was slow/normal, then as she begins to approach the shower they begin to be snappier. At that point when the killer approaches the shower to kill her, the edits are to a great degree quick and it impeccably coordinates the scene as it generates the sense of nervousness. It contains such a large number of edits since it needs to demonstrate that there is something wrong taking place and to include a séance of everything is focusing on the murder as it is changing from the silhouette of the killer and the victim.

Developing Drama:


When Casey is being killed and her parents were on the way home and when they walked into the house but didn’t manage to notice her in the front yard, is creates a sense of drama.

It is a very dramatic scene in the sense that the editor was cross cutting between Scream chasing for the Casey, and her parents returning home. We can see her being slowly killed and her parents got home even though she couldn’t scream for help to her parents. It gives the audience the sense of urgency and anticipation and the fact that she wasn’t noticed and led to her brutal death gives us as viewers the sense of shock and possibly reality.  

Combining Shots Into Sequence

The first priority for an editor is to cut chosen shots together in a way that the story stated in the script is perfectly moulded through image, sound and performance in production in preserved. This is accomplished in every genre by launching settings with wider shots, exploring character dynamics with medium coverage and greater details-  a fuse, a grimace, a coordinate – with closer scope.

In summation, shots are fused into sequences in 2 ways:

·         Continue Editing- Make cuts invisible to accomplish a seamless, flawless rendering of the story through successive shots and sequences drawing focus to the editing itself;

·         Montage Editing- Gives the editing procedure a more conspicuous appearance by juxtaposing less clearly related material, making it difficult for the audience to generate abstract connections between shots and sequences.

2008 film Changeling starring Angelina Jolie; the story of this film is based upon a pain-stricken mother who takes upon the LAPD when they determinedly attempt to prove an undeniable impostor as her missing child- ‘Walter’. The structure of the camera shots and editing techniques favours the character Jolie plays, and gains sympathy.  

Greater part of movies is shot with the camera, and films that acquire a storyline similar to movies like Cloverfield is shot with a hand-held camera style. Yet the shots are still assembled in a smooth sequence, the shots are noticeably shaky due to the camera and most importantly for that particular scene of the movie. Movies similar to Cloverfield would trickier to cut together in order to avoid less shake and jerk than is required for the audience to nevertheless intrigued and still being able to watch it.

This clip below from Cloverfield indicates precisely how the shots are difficult to merge on the grounds that it needs to resemble the camera is dying or damaged.  Meaning, in this scene when the camera dies this is could consider to be good editing since it looks as though the camera is fuzzed up and the picture is being misshaped. There is a considerable measure of close ups and zooms allowing the audience to really sense the state and emotions of the characters and emphasise the point that the film is utilizing hand held camera.

Creating Motivation

Shot motivation is essential when it comes to producing a film or a television program as it the only thing that keeps the target audience interested into whatever you’re sharing. Shot motivation is when a shot motivates another. In order to successfully edit a film the editor should always look for the motivation in between cuts and audio effects as it would determine how the audience will react and would want to react. At the point when action in one shot can infer another sort of action in a subsequent shot or call for it or demand it. While a unit of action demands some kind of responsive action from a subsequent shot, we feel/sense a provocative constrain driving the narrative forward.

Filmmakers tend to agree on the point that each shot, whether static or moving, should be motivated. Most filmmakers and editors would commit themselves further. David Mamet an American playwright, essayist, screenwriter, and film director hold much store to ensure that each shot drives the action-and the wider narrative forward-with the action in each successive shot motivating the ensuing shot. Filmmakers like David look at shot motivation as a key mechanism for keeping the audience engaged in what is going on.

Cutting starting with one scene then onto the next or from with one character then onto the next will convince how the audience will feel. Every cut will motivate their feelings and make them respond positively or negatively to the scene. For instance, the following clip from the film Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows section 2 indicates characters all focusing on Harry Potter which persuades the audience to feel terrified and on edge for the safety of Harry Potter.

Relationship To Genre

Relationship to genre from Varshini1999

HORROR- One Missed Call: 💀

Quick pace editing is consistently utilized in horror films. This is to develop tension and causes the audience on edge at what will happen next. They are holding up to be frightened by what the following quick-cut shot will be. In these sorts of movies, the most typically utilized shot is a low shot. Using low shots generates fear in the shots of picked characters. They scare others and have a feeling of power and that they are superior than the other characters in the film. The utilization of high shots and close-up in horror connotes weakness, regularly of the characters that plays as the victim. An example of a film where these techniques are applied is the movie ‘One Missed Call’. We see the casualties being haunted by strange phone calls, where they hear themselves being killed. The close-up shots demonstrate the dread and urgency in their faces when they discover of their fate.

Action- The Bourne Supremacy: 💨

Fast pace editing is also found in action based films. Since for the way of the film, it is an unquestionable requirement this is utilized, as it connotes adrenaline use by characters. Fast pace editing provides the audience a feeling of fear and threat at what is going on or what might take place. It is known to partner fast moving shots with action films as it involves car chases, fight scenes, or extreme violence. To set up the scene in action based movies, editors will utilize long shots. For instance, in a car chase, close-up shots, quick-cuts and POV shots will be applied as it intensifies the chase and we can familiarise with the characters’ emotions; especially fear through the power of close-up shots. In 'The Bourne Supremacy', there is a car chase scene that utilizes these editing techniques cleverly. The shots which are used, for example, low shots, are utilized on every one of the 3 characters required in the pursuit in 3 cars. It demonstrates that they all think they own authority of the other. The POV shots demonstrate the characters’’ perspective rapidly from one to another. This stirs tension.

Rom-Com- Bridget Jones's Diary: 💞

‘Rom-Com’ are movies that have both components of a comedy film and a romance film. Rom-Com’s tend to be about a male and a female, they meet, fall in love, separate and get back together as they cannot be without each other. These sorts of film stick to soft editing as there is nothing excessively significant, making it impossible to underscore. A great deal of mid-shots is utilized to keep it neutral and it demonstrates the characters’ body language towards one another. The shots are longer as the editors need the audience to understand the story and not be dumbfounded as to what’s going on. They additionally utilize the eye-line match technique, there is no other character looking on down on them or have that feeling of authority over them. These two components cooperate so well and the editing techniques consolidated adds to this. It concentrates more on camera angles and shots, and setting the scene. A case of a rom-com which utilize these conventions is 'Bridget Jones'. The way the characters are depicted in this is exceptionally naturally and the stream into each other, and the continuity of the shots and story are consistent.