EDITING
TERMINOLOGY
Action match: A shot that cuts to
another continuing a piece of action or movement between the shots. Allows audience to
see a smooth action despite a cut in the shot.
For example we might see someone shoot a gun, and the editor would
perform an action match so we then see the bullet hit someone else and they fit
together seamlessly so we see both people’s perspectives. http://www.youtube.com/user/Sarahmediafilm#p/c/9A8A1640CC2BB752/1/laUPi7MPOSQ
Continuity Editing: an editing style that
aims to present the text in a chronological manner to emphasize the real-time
movement of the narrative and to create a sense of realism for the viewer by
giving the impression of continuous filming.
Continuity editing creates a narrative that approximates to the real
experience of moving through time, even though screen time usually covers a
much longer period. Audiences feel
comfortable with a linear progression that reflects their everyday experience. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qoaw7iTPlZc
Cross cutting (also
known as Parallel editing) – Where an editor cuts between two separate scenes
happening in two separate locations at the same time. This serves to illustrate a contrast or a
link between them. For example, cross
cutting between adults having a quiet drink in a pub, and a wild teenage party
will contrast the two age groups.
Another example is in the Godfather where the editor cut back and forth
between the christening of a child in a catholic church, and the violent
killing of several men. The cross
cutting in this sequence emphasises the violence as we see it juxtaposed
against childlike innocence and religion. http://www.youtube.com/user/FilmSchoolOnline#p/u/13/A7SLL9esQOA
Cut – The move from
one shot to another can tell us lots of things.
For example, it can draw our attention to things. If a woman is day dreaming at her desk and
the editor cuts to a scene of a man, we can assume that she may be dreaming
about him.
Cutaway: a brief shot that is not
totally necessary but is cut into a scene showing a related action, object or
person, not necessarily part of the main scene, before cutting back to the
original shot. For example a couple may
be having an argument which is the main scene but the editor may choose to
include a cutaway shot of their child’s crying before cutting back to the
couple arguing. This emphasises the
child’s emotions and helps the audience to understand that we are to disapprove
of these people’s argument. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ONMSe_zhq70
Dissolve - Dissolve is when the first shot is on screen
and the 2nd shot starts appearing on top of it more and more until
all you can see is the 2nd shot.
Often used to link two scenes or two people together. Sometimes used to show time moving on etc.. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qoaw7iTPlZc
Ellipsis: the removal or shortening
of elements of a narrative to speed up the action. For example an editor might use ellipsis in a
sequence about a young man taking a drink by cutting straight to him as an old
man, drunk and alone. The editor has
missed out the story in the middle to speed up the action and show us how quick
this man’s life has passed.
Eyeline Match: a type of editing
that maintains the eyeline or level when cutting from a character to what’s the
character sees. The effect of the edit
is to create a sense that what the camera sees is what the character sees. It puts us in the position of the characters
and helps us feel empathy for them. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qoaw7iTPlZc
Fade: a type of moving image
editing where the image gradually fades and disappears, leaving a white or
black screen. A fade to black often
suggests that time has passed or a situation has ended. A fade to white often suggests a dream
sequence.
Graphic match – A cut from one
shot to another that look visually the same (possibly linked by a similar
shape, a similar colour etc. They are
there to show us a clear link between two scenes. Often this is making a comment on the
issue. For example, a young girl playing
with a red doll then is cut together using a graphic match with a woman holding
a baby dressed in red. This might
suggest that the young girl has grown up into the woman. Or it might emphasise the gender stereotype
of women looking after babies. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qtbOmpTnyOc
Jump Cuts – a cut that moves to a very similar part
of the same scene but missing a piece of action out (eg a character is on one
side of the room, and then is on the other and we don’t see him walking). They are often used to disorientate the
viewer, or show how disorientated a character is. For example, if a party of young people was
being shown and included lots of jump cuts, it would represent the young people
as disorientated, implying they were drunk and wild. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ONMSe_zhq70
Linear Narrative: a sequential
narrative with a beginning, a middle and an end-in that order. Linear narratives provide a straightforward,
sequential representation of events leading to a single resolution. As such, easily accessible to audiences and
are the dominant form in mainstream media representations.
Long take: each time a shot is
recorded it is called a take. A long
take is one that is allowed to remain on screen for a long duration before it
is cut. Long takes are often used to
slow the pace of the scene down, making it calmer and more peaceful http://www.youtube.com/user/Sarahmediafilm#p/c/AACD3B2246DAEFF3
Montage – a montage is a
series of shots edited together to show time passing and something happening in
that time. Famous examples are in Rocky
where we see a montage of shots of Rocky training and getting better and better
before his fight. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DP3MFBzMH2o http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CQvNu8LoTo0
Parallel Action (Cross-cutting) the
narrative technique of showing two or more scenes happening at the same time by
cutting between them.
Short take: a short take is one
that is allowed to remain on screen for a short time before the editor cuts to
something else. Short takes are often
used to speed the pace of the action up, making it more dramatic and exciting. http://www.youtube.com/user/Sarahmediafilm#p/c/AACD3B2246DAEFF3
Shot / Reverse Shot – cutting between
two people having a conversation (rather than including them both in one static
mid shot) can help to contrast them and make them seem different. It highlights their differences and also
allows us to see the reactions of characters.
Slow motion: used in the editing
process to slow down the action for emotional or comic effect.
Split Screen: an editing technique which
involves the cinema screen being split into two or more parts to allow the
showing of events that are taking place at the same time.
Superimpose: the appearance of
writing/symbols or images on top of an image so that both are visible at once,
increasing the amount of information the viewer has in one shot.
Visual effects – depends on what
it is.. Often it depends on what the character’s reactions to these special
effects are. For example, a man who has
no reaction to a massive fiery explosion will seem brave and masculine. Graphics on screen (eg numbers and facts as
seen in CSI, may represent someone as intelligent or competent in their work. Showing someone in colour when the rest of the image is in black and white
emphasises them and draws the audience’s attention to them as important.
Wipe: a moving image editing
technique that involves one image wiping another off the screen. This suggests that whatever scene / character
pushes the other one off the screen, is more important or powerful. Wipes can go left or right, up or down and
even be in shapes like stars! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VnixMJvOtpI
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