Principles of Editing

Editing is used for different reasons, in Film & TV it I used to tell a story and to create a mood or atmosphere.

Concepts of editing
Editing is used in a Film to either introduce new information into the story or motivation for the characters.

Introducing New Information
A new shot should always give new information. In a motion picture, the new information would usually be a new character or a different location.
The shot you are cutting to should give more information, as well as the shot you are cutting from. For example a man could be looking at something in horror then the shot cuts to a murderer.

History of Editing
In 1895 the Lumiere Brothers invented a film recorder it was called, Cinematographe. Cinematographe was a 3 in 1 machine which recorded, captured and projected motion pictures.

The Lumiere Brothers lead the way for more ways of filming and editing.

In-Camera Editing

In-Camera Editing was used in the early years of filming. In-Camera Editing means the camera operator filmed in the linear order which the production will be viewed. It was used as the main filming edit before splicing became easier to do. One of the biggest in-camera editors was George Melies.

The problems with in-camera editing is it takes a lot of planning for the shots to work in order. There's no cutting the edit after it has been filmed, once the last scene is filmed the production is done.

Analogue Editing

Analogue Editing came after In-Camera, Analogue is the first step to cut editing. It was done using a razor blade and splicing block.

The tape would be cut with the razor blade then taped back together in the order intended, the cut and tape would be repeated until the film was created. An example of analogue editing could be the first film ever "exiting the factory" 

Following The Action
Following the action is a series of shots on one character. The shots are taken from a different camera, when a character is walking each time they turn a corner or change destination.

Following the action can also just simply be a single camera rotating round a specific character or event, this gives a less boring effect to the shot instead of it just showing the character or event from one angle.

Multiple Points of View
Using Multiple points of view, is exactly as it says, when a series of shots are used showing an event from many different point of views.

It can also mean when a film uses a good guy/ bad guy story we see both point of views from good and bad throughout the film. An example of a single event being seen from a variety of point of views is "Vantage Point" when a US President is assassinated we see the event from many different characters point of views.

Shot Variation

Shot Variation is a series of shots from different angles. Most commonly a wide shot would be used first to introduce the scene, this would turn into a long shot of a character or characters, this would usually show the main character/s. Next there are different shots that can be used, first a mid shot showing a character speaking or a two or three shot showing different characters talking.

Shot variation doesn't always have to be characters speaking, it can be used to show an event and have the different angles show the event in a much more interesting way making it less boring for the audience.

Manipulation of Diegetic Time and Space

The use of Manipulation of Time and Space shows a series of time in a single moment, this can be a character ageing as a Camera angle changes. It doesn't always have to be a character seen it can be an object, for example a flower could be seen alive then withers in a second.

It doesn't always have to show something ageing, a character having a flashback also shows manipulation of time and space this is because it isn't set in the current time.

Conventions and Techniques

Seamless Editing- Seamless editing is two shots edited together so cleanly that there is no jump in the cuts.
Continuity Editing- An edit that is used to keep a clear narrative. There are many rules to continuity editing, they are:

• Establishing Shot- A long shot that usually shows a setting which introduces where the next scene will be.
• Shot/Reverse Shot- Two shots usually used in a conversation scene, one shot shows the speaking character over the shoulder of the listening character, the other shot shows the listening character responding over the shoulder of the new listening character. Sometimes a shot can show a character listening and the speaking character is the over the shoulder shot. The two shots are edited together alternating from shot to shot giving the conversation seen more interest and makes it clear.
• 180° Rule- The angle between two consecutive shots shouldn't go more than 180° to keep the spatial relationship between characters and objects.
• 30° Rule - The angle between two shots shouldn't be more than 30° to keep the shot clear and not confusing for the viewer.
• Parallel Editing (Crosscutting)- An edit that alternates between two shots happening at the same time in different locations.
• Match on Action- An edit which shows two scenarios occuring at the same time side by side on screen.
• Eyeline Match- A cut between two shots, the first shows a person looking in a certain direction, the second shot shows either the object they are looking at or a person looking back at them in the exact opposite direction.
• Re-Establishing Shot- A long shot which once again shows the setting of a scene, this usually closes the scene for that setting.