Why is editing an important part of filmmaking?

Editors are part creatives and part technicians. 

We need  a comprehensive understanding of the industry standard editing softwares. 

These include 

Adobe Premiere Pro vs. Final Cut Pro, and 

Da Vinci Resolve.

Narrative continuity: 

Film editing is the art of connecting shots, scenes, and sequences to pull a movie’s story together. Shot length, camera angle emphasis, scene order and transitions, and sound design all impact viewer experience. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=33eWqDZ6sRc&pp=ygUWTmFycmF0aXZlIGNvbnRpbnVpdHk6IA%3D%3D

An editor could be selecting and cleaning up the best footage, placing it in the right order, and matching it with the right audio and soundtrack, editors also give a rhythm to a movie’s progression. 

Tone:

 Editing in film is also used as a visual language. The editor creates emotional meaning. Even seemingly small decisions in the editing room—such as using sharp, short cuts instead of leaving in long, unbroken shots—influences a scene’s tone. Some editing decisions can change the entire feeling of a film. 

Mediation: 

An editor can also be a mediator between the different departments of a film and contribute their own creative ideas throughout the filmmaking process. 

Learn the intentions of different cuts and transitions: 

Use the cuts intentionally in your editing. 

1. Use a smash cut to emphasis a shocking moment. 
2. Use L-cuts and J-cuts to make conversations flow naturally. Use insert shots to give the audience vital information without wordy exposition. 

Match the editing to the film's tone: 

The editing made for a film directed toward crafting its overall narrative. 

For example, an action movie such as “John Wick” is edited to be fast and fluid, while a period drama such as “There Will Be Blood” is slow and weighty.

The editing gives appropriate  tone of the film. 

Study acting: 

A great video editor can understand the components of a great performance. Often, he will be building scenes from multiple takes

Be original: 

Good editing can also mean assembling a film in an unconventional way that mixes up the structure. Editing can also be used to create a distinct visual style and identity for a film. Think of “Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance),” which was made to look like a single, uncut shot. 

Be evocative: 

 Film editors must also be well versed in technical elements such as film segments, shots and camera movements, cuts, and continuity. 

Momentary editing: 

This is the basic shot placement, cuts, dialogue flow, action, and continuity within scenes.

Structural editing:  Structural editing

This is the big picture of the film, which includes pacing, scene order, sequences, and plot movements.

Segments of a film: 

Editing a film is the process of building up bits and pieces until you’re eventually left with a complete project. Here are the building blocks used by film editors:

• Shot: A continuous piece of footage between cuts.
• Scene: The basic storytelling unit of a film, scenes are compositions of shots and audio in a singular space and time. 
• Sequence: A distinct narrative segment of a film that is made up of multiple related scenes—
• Act: One of the major blocks of a film that encompasses multiple sequences. Many films follow a three-act structure that includes common elements of storytelling, such as a climax in the third act followed by a resolution and falling action.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XA87UorMO-U&pp=ygUTTW9tZW50YXJ5IGVkaXRpbmc6IA%3D%3D

Shots and camera movements: Even though camera work isn’t the editor’s direct responsibility, they should know the basics. Learning about the art of cinematography—especially the different kinds of shots and camera movements—is essential for knowing how to make a balanced edit.

Cuts:  In the video editing process, a cut refers to the shift from one clip to another. The term “cutting” came from the era when all movies were cut and spliced together on reels of physical film. Today, the majority of editing is done in digital programs such as Adobe Premiere Pro and Final Cut Pro. A few different kinds of cuts include

Standard/hard cut: A simple transition from one shot to another that’s most commonly used within scenes.

Smash cut: A sharp, snap change of one scene to another that emphasizes two contrasting elements. This cut is usually used to highlight a particular story beat, such as a punch line to a joke in a comedy or a way to release a tense moment in a horror or action movie. 

Split edit: A deliberate mismatch of video and audio between scenes. Either the audio from the next scene begins before the video (a J-cut) or the video proceeds the audio (an L-cut)

Cutaway: This is when an editor embeds a shot from a different time and space into a scene as a way of introducing new information or story beats. 

Montage: The French word for “assembly,” a montage is an arrangement of short clips into a continuous sequence. Montages are typically set to music or narration and convey a lot of narrative information in a brief segment of the film. 

A cut can also mean one of the different versions of a film. Among the different kinds are:

The assembly cut: the editor’s first version of the project.

The rough cut: an unfinished version of the project that implements notes and tweaks from the director but still includes temp sound, music, and VFX, as well as scenes that will ultimately be trimmed or cut from 

the Final cut: the version of the project that is locked with finished music and VFX

Continuity: One of an editor’s primary duties is maintaining continuity, or consistency of time and space within the film. 

In the shot-to-shot sense, continuity means that the visual and audio elements line up. For example, if a character is standing in a corner and holding a prop in one shot, they should be in the same position in the next, unless an action has occurred. Audio, like dialogue or diegetic sounds (sounds that originate within the world of the film), should also flow between shots.

Plot continuity is arguably even more important than visual and audio continuity. 

During the video editing process, a lot may be left on the cutting room floor. Shots, scenes, and entire characters might be trimmed out depending on what the director, producers, and studio decide. As a result, the film’s editor has to keep a sharp eye on the setup and payoff of plot points.

 

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Types Of Transitions In Film

 https://www.musicgateway.com/blog/how-to/film-transition

Different types of transitions in film are a vital part of the filmmaking process. 

Film transitions are extremely important in film, as they can 

1. help to set the mood or tone of a scene. 
2. and help to signify to the audience the passing of a certain amount of time or to separate out parts of the narrative. 

Types Of Transitions In Film

In this section of the article, we will detail the main types of transitions in film. 

They are techniques that are used to combine shots in film. This can be achieved during the filming, or editing process. Film transitions are extremely important in film, as they can help to set the mood or tone of a scene. 

The Dissolve 

The dissolve is a film transition editing technique. It gives the impression of one video clip dissolving into the next one that appears on screen. 

The quick dissolves convey action and life, and the slower dissolves are used to create an atmosphere of despair.  

The Cutaway 

A cutaway is a shot that “cuts away” from the main action to show supporting information – then returns to the main shot to reinforce that information. Cutaways can be used to transport us to a different time and place in order to confirm something that a character said. Cutaways can also be used to show something happening in the same scene as the main action 

A cutaway shot is a supplementary shot that “cuts away” from the main action to indicate something else in the space, such as an object or location. Cutaway shots enrich the story and are a great way to show essential elements of the story instead of telling them to the audience through exposition.

The Wipe 

It will be easier here to break up the different transition techniques that the wipe can offer. 

There’s the iris wipe (the shape of a circle), matrix wipe (the pattern of shapes), clock wipe (rotating the shape in clock hands), heart wipe (the shape of a heart) and the invisible wipe (the use of walls to cover cut). 

The two most commonly used are the natural wipe and the iris wipe. 

The natural wipe is pretty self-explanatory, as the aim of the transition is to be as seamless as possible for the audience. 

The iris wipe is used to focus on the cemental subject while cropping out the majority of the rest of the frame. 

The Fade 

This is one of the most common types of transitions in film. It’s typically used to signify the beginning or ending of a scene. 

It’s a popular transition technique for filmmakers who are fading to black or white.  

The L Cut & J Cut 

Let’s begin with the L Cut. This type of film transition technique is also known as a split edit, and it’s a film technique that’s been around since the analog filming days.

Put simply, it’s when the sound of the scene of a film transitions over to the next scene (or shot) despite the fact the sound no longer matches the video. These types of edits are great for portraying conversions between characters.

Match Cut 

A match cut is an edit in cinematography that uses elements of one scene in the transition to the next scene. The purpose is to create a visual match for different scenes that are not inherently linked, like scenes set in different locations, by having a second shot that — in some way — mirrors the first.A match cut uses two similar shapes, sounds, outlines, or actions to seamlessly cut from one image to another. 

“It’s useful for when you are doing something in one shot, and you know that your next shot is going to involve something moving in the same direction or the same position in the frame as the one previous,

Match cutting doesn’t have to be just for movement. It can also be used to illustrate the passage of time, as in a montage. Or it can also be used to connect similar shapes with the same frame composition

Jump Cut 

French illusionist and filmmaker Georges Méliès is credited as the “inventor” of the jump cut after accidentally discovering the effect in the late 1800s.

Jump cuts are used in editing to purposefully break the rules of continuity to emphasize a point, elicit an emotional reaction from the audience, or avoid monotony, especially when depicting the passage of time.

Emphasizing changing mental states

There are various methods that can be used to highlight a character’s mood; a jump cut is an extremely effective way to illustrate how quickly someone goes from joy to sorrow, or across another range of emotions and/or mental states. Increasing confusion, nervousness, or showing an unpleasant mood without lingering too long is one benefit of this tool. 

Elevating tension

A jump cut can push the terror closer to the camera without giving the viewer a chance to look away, heightening an unsettling atmosphere.

Adding special effects

This is a tried and tested way to increase scares by removing or adding something to the frame, as it’s disquieting for both characters and audiences

Jump cuts are often meant to disorient or surprise, if used incorrectly or inappropriately, they can be distracting. While a jump cut is far from the only tool in the video editor’s arsenal, there is a time and place for the technique.

Define continuity editing.

Continuity editing is an editing system used to maintain consistency of both time and space in the film. Continuity editing helps ground audiences in the reality of the film while establishing a clear and structured narrative.

The goal of continuity editing is to make the mechanisms of filmmaking invisible as to help the audience dismiss disbelief more easily.

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Crosscut

Cross cuts go back and forth between two shots that are happening at the same time in order to build scale, continuity and or tension. Christopher Nolan does an amazing job of using cross cuts in movies like Memento and Interstellar. Let’s take a look at a video that explores the art of Nolan's cross-cutting.

“Making it in this business, means making sure you have everything you need to succeed.”

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FILM LANGUAGE:

Visual Language –. Cinema, being a medium that has a rich language of its own, needs one to pay attention to the elements of image and sound.

 

 

Ø  Film language or Cinematic language is the methods and conventions of cinema that are used to communicate with the audience.. Emotions and ideas are expressed in cinema visually through all types of techniques such as lighting, performance, mise-en-scéne, cinematography, acting, editing and sound, lighting etc.

 

FILM FORM

 

Ø  Film Form: Form/ Structure: Film form or film structure is the total system that the viewer perceives in the film. It is the overall system of relations that we can perceive among the various elements in the whole film. film form or structure at both micro and macro levels- from composition of individual shots, fragments of picture and sound to the arrangement of these fragments into scenes, sequences and finally the entire film.

 

FILM MEANING

 

Ø  Meaning: the meaning of the film is its essence; the theme, story, plot, characters, the various elements of film language as used in the film, and its composition etc. They are   Denotative and Connotative meaning –

 

 

Concept & Principle

Signs, Symbols,

CINEMATOGRAPHY & MISE-EN-SCENE

 

Mise-en–scene cinematography(Video)

Ø  Mise-en-scene focuses on what can be seen ‘in the picture.’ The term mise-en-scene in French literally translates to ‘staging an action’ or ‘putting on the stage’. It was originally used with reference to theatre. The mise-en-scene included the elements of set design, lighting, costume, figure expression and movement.

Ø  They do not consider camera placement as a part of mise-en-scene.

 

 

👉Film scholars David Bordwell & Kristin Thompson (1979) in their book Film Art state that mise-en-scene consists of setting, lighting, costume, figure expression and movement.

Questions: 

What you mean film language?

What are the elements included in the 'mise-en-scene'?

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Sound!

It is crucially important to human experience and to sound design in film.

Sound is important in a film production. Different aspects of sound enhance the characters and the story, making the movie a complete experience. In addition, sound is edited into the movie so it is coherent and comprehensible within the movie.

Some sort of sound is always used to enhance the movie experience. Sound in a movie includes 

1. music, 
2. dialogue, 
3. sound effects, 
4. ambient noise, and/or background noise and 
5. soundtracks. 

Music

 Music is a very important element for a movie. In the silent movie period, music was played throughout the whole movie. The film score is the music at the beginning of the movie when the credits are rolling, and it sets the atmosphere for the movie.

Music is also played at critical points during a movie. It indicate  something is going to happen,  some situations have occurred in  a movie, 

Dialogue

Dialogue is defined as a conversation between two or more people in a movie. In addition, a movie could have a monologue where a character is speaking out loud when he or she is alone. A character, for example, may contemplate the pros and cons of talking some form of action in a monologue.

A movie can also have voice-over narration. Voice-over narration is when a character is explaining what has transpired in a movie and why. 100 years ago, there were silent movies with no audio dialogue, but dialogue cards were used, and background music set the tone of the scene. Take a look at the following example of a scene with and without dialogue.

Sound Effects

It defines sound effect as “any sound, other than music or speech, artificially reproduced to create an effect in a dramatic presentation, as the sound of a storm or a creaking door.” An action movie, for instance, is more interesting and bolder with sound effects. With sound effects, the viewer gets more involved with the movie.

Sound effects are most often added into the movie post production.  player. Music and sound effects give an aspect of the character.

Ambient Noises (Background Noise)

Ambient noises are background noises that are in a room, a house, outside, or any given location.  Every location has distinct and subtle sounds created by its environment. Ambient noises are types of sound effects. Background noise gives the movie more realism.

Soundtracks

A soundtrack is an audio recording created or used in film production or post-production.  Initially, the dialogue, sound effects, and music in a film have their own separate tracks (dialogue track, sound effects track, and music track), and these are mixed together to make what is called the composite track, which is heard in the film.

Late in the 1940s “sound track” became one word, “soundtrack.”  A soundtrack or an original soundtrack from a movie became a way of advertising the movie.

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THE LUMIÈRE BROTHERS

Famous for inventing the cinematograph and the autochrome, Auguste and Louis Lumière are among the most significant figures in film and photography history.

With their first Cinématographe show in the basement of the Grand Café in the boulevard des Capucines in Paris on 28 December 1895, the Lumière brothers have been regarded as the inventors of cinema—the projection of moving photographic pictures on a screen for a paying audience. However, they were probably not the first to do this: the Latham brothers in New York were screening boxing films to paying audiences from 20 May 1895, using their Eidoloscope projector.

Nevertheless, the achievement of the Lumière brothers was considerable. Their Cinématographe was the first satisfactory apparatus for taking and projecting films, and its claw mechanism became the basis for most cine cameras.

THE LUMIÈRE BROTHERS’ BEGINNINGS

Auguste and Louis Lumière were born in Lyon, France, where their father, Antoine Lumière, had a photographic business. At the age of 17, Louis invented a highly sensitive photographic plate which the Lumière family began manufacturing. It was so successful commercially that the Lumières built a factory in the Monplaisir suburb of Lyon. By 1894, they were employing 300 people.

Late that year, Antoine saw an example of Edison’s peepshow Kinetoscope in Paris and encouraged his sons to develop an apparatus that would take and project moving pictures. Within a few months, they produced a successful prototype of the Cinématographe, which was not only a camera but a printer and projector as well. It was patented in France on 13 February 1895.

THE CINÉMATOGRAPHE

Compared with other attempts at producing a movie camera,

1.       the Cinématographe was remarkably compact and, unlike the Edison Kinetograph, it did not rely on electrical power, which few premises had at that time.

2.      The Cinématographe could be taken anywhere, either to shoot film or to use as a projector—all that was required was a magic lantern lamphouse with a gas or limelight illuminate.

At the heart of the Cinématographe was the film transport mechanism, whereby two pins or ‘claws’ were inserted into sprocket holes at each side of the film, moved it down and were then retracted, leaving the film stationary for exposure. This    recurrent movement was designed by Louis and based on the principle of the sewing machine mechanism.

MAKING EARLY FILMS

The Lumière brothers’ first film  was shot outside their factory as the workers left at the end of the day. It was shown to the Société d’Encouragement à l’Industrie Nationale in Paris on 22 March 1895: this was probably the first public screening of moving pictures ,the Lathams’ first public demonstration in New York took place on 21 April 1895.

At the Paris meeting, Louis met the engineer Jules Carpentier, who undertook to refine and manufacture the Cinématographe for the Lumières.

Later that year, the Lumière brothers made a number of other films, all around a minute long, showing scenes such as

Auguste and his wife feeding their baby;

a train arriving at La Ciotât in the south of France;

and possibly the first film comedy, L’arroseur arrosé, in which a mischievous boy tricks a gardener into being soaked with water and is chased and spanked.

Another public demonstration of the Cinématographe was given to the French Photographic Congress held in Lyon in June 1895, when the delegates were particularly impressed at seeing film of themselves taken the previous day.

THE PUBLIC LAUNCH OF THE CINÉMATOGRAPHE

Against his sons’ wishes, Antoine Lumière decided to launch the Cinématographe publicly in Paris on 28 December 1895. The screening was organised by Antoine and Clément Maurice, with three members of the Lumière staff in charge of projection. The Lumière brothers and Carpentier were not there. The first show was given to an invited audience of journalists, theatre directors (including Georges Méliès) and friends. Thereafter, the public shows commenced.

Each show comprised ten films and lasted about 15 minutes. There were twenty shows a day, starting at 10.00 and ending at 01.30 the next morning, with breaks at 12.00–14.00 and 19.00–20.00. Admission was one franc.

There was little public interest at first—the few papers that reported on it criticised the name ‘Cinématographe’—but news soon spread. On some days, queues extended a quarter of a mile, and the takings amounted to 2,500 francs (more than £42,000 in today’s money).

THE CINÉMATOGRAPHE IN BRITAIN

The first public screening of the Cinématographe in Britain took place at the Malborough Hall of the Royal Polytechnic Institution in Regent Street, London on 21 February 1896. There had been a press show the previous day when, coincidentally, the British cinema pioneer Robert Paul had demonstrated his Theatrograph projector at Finsbury Technical College

The opening performance attracted only 54 customers but, as in Paris, the Cinématographe’s popularity soon increased. Cinema quickly became part of music hall programmes.

Lumière Cinématographe, c.1986 © Science Museum Group Collection

THE CINÉMATOGRAPHE GOES GLOBAL

In the first years of the Lumière film operation, cameramen were sent all over the world to record scenes in locations such as Russia, Japan and the Holy Land.

In America, the first Cinématographe show took place at eith’s Union Square Theater, New York on 29 June 1896.

In November the Lumière brothers established their own agency in New York, selling equipment and films. This was very successful for a few months, but the Lumière brothers had fallen foul of the American customs by importing apparatus and films illegally—their manager had to escape the country—but mainly because films sprocketed in the Edison format were becoming the industry standard.

The Lumière brothers began to issue copies of films in both their original and the Edison format, but the ubiquity of the latter signalled the obsolescence of the original Cinématographes. Before the end of 1897, the Cinématographe had largely been superseded by the Lumière Cinématographe Model B, a projection-only machine designed for film with Edison perforations.

THE LUMIÈRE BROTHERS MOVE AWAY FROM CINEMA

Auguste and Louis continued to work on technical developments, and in 1900 devised a camera which took large-format 75mm films. By 1905, however, the Lumière brothers withdrew from the cinema business. They worked instead on inventing the first successful photographic colour process—the Lumière Autochrome—in 1907. Louis also worked on a process of stereoscopic cinematography.

The two brothers lived long enough to be famous as pioneers of the cinema within their lifetimes.

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