Editing Blog

Film editing is part of the creative post-production filmmaking process. Editing involves selecting and combining shots into sequence and creating a piece of work. Film editing is the only art that is unique to cinema; it is an art of storytelling. Sometimes referred to as the ‘invisible art’, when well-practiced, the view can become so engaged they are not even aware of the editors work. A film editor edits by assembling film footage. However, he does not just cut film then stick it together, he must creatively and imaginatively use and work with the layers of images, story, music and dialogue and even the actors performance to re-image or even recreate the film in a coherent way.

With the advancements of digital editing, the film editors have become responsible for many other areas. For example, in the past film editors dealt with just the picture and sound and other aspects such as visual effects were the jobs of others. Digital systems are now increasingly putting the responsibility onto the picture editor.

Early Experiments

Edwin S. Porter was the first filmmaker to put editing to use. Edwin S. Porter started working for Thomas Edison, whose film were one long, static shot, which had no story or no plot. Edison and Porter then worked together to make the breakthrough 1903 film ‘Life of an American Fireman’

Porters ‘The Great Train Robbery’ was one of the first examples of dynamic and action editing, which used different pieces of footage shot at different times and locations to create an emotional impact.

Porter discovered that an image does not need to show a complete person (from head to toe) and that when you splice two shots together it creates, in the viewer’s mind, a contextual relationship. This means that a shot of man running from one room into another would be perceived as being in the same building, in rooms next to each other, when in reality the two shots could have been shot hours, days or possibly even months apart.

Purposes of Editing

One purpose of editing is to tell a story. For example, instead of following a person around for an hour, we can use the film footage to select certain shots to cut it down to a two-minute scene, which still tells the same story.

Another purpose is to create pace. For example action films use lots of quick cuts to create a fast pace.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fWqsWlj6F4E

History of Film Editing

Before the use of non-linear editing systems, editing was done with a positive copy of the film negative (film workprint) and was physically cut and pasted by using a splicer and threading the film. Nowadays films are edited digitally (on programmes such as Avid or Final Cut Pro) and completely bypass the film positive workprint altogether.

Post Production

Editors Cut

The editor’s cut (often referred to as the rough cut) is usually the first attempt at what the final product will look like. Prior to cutting, the editor and producer would have seen and discussed ‘dailies’. ‘Dailies’ are raw footage that is shot each day. Viewing ‘dailies’ gives the editor an idea of the director’s intentions. Also because it is the first attempt, the editors cut may be longer than the final film.

Directors Cut

When filming is finished, the director can turn his full attention to working with the editor. This is the time used to mould the editors cut into the director’s vision. Whilst working together, the Editor and Director go through the film very carefully to tweak and adjust the film, for example shortening, re-ordering and removing shots or scenes.

Final Cut

After the director has had his chance to oversee any cuts the subsequent cuts are supervised by one or more producers who represent the production company.

Continuity

Continuity is the term that describes something to be physically continuous, as if the just the camera angle is changing, nothing else, in a single event. Live coverage of a sporting event is an example of something that is very continuous.

Continuity is the responsibility of the script supervisor and film director, who are together responsible for preserving continuity and preventing errors from take to take and shot to shot

Techniques

Edward Dmytryk came up with 7 rules that a good editor should follow:

o    Rule 1: Never make a cut without a positive reason."

o    "Rule 2: When undecided about the exact frame to cut on, cut long rather than short."

o    "Rule 3: Whenever possible cut 'in movement'."

o    "Rule 4: The 'fresh' is preferable to the 'stale'."

o    "Rule 5: All scenes should begin and end with continuing action."

o    "Rule 6: Cut for proper values rather than proper 'matches'."

o    "Rule 7: Substance first—then form."