Editing Techniques - Visual Analysis

Please note that my work for editing techniques is in 3 posts. This is post 3.

180 Rule
This particular technique states that the camera, whilst in motion, should stay on an imaginary line. This is so the moving image production continues to make sense throughout, and doesn't cause confusion to the audience. The rule is never usually broken, unless it's purposely done so, in examples such as The Shining. If such a rule is broken, it's usually done so to purposely confuse the audience, or can help to set the scene.

Motivated Editing

A motivated edit is where something happens in the shot which motivates an edit to happen. An example of this is hearing a knock at the door, it seems simple, but the next shot is usually of the door, or who is behind the knocking sound made.

Construction of SpaceA construction of space editing technique is used to allow the audience to understand the setting and surroundings of any given character in a particular scene. For example, the first shot may be of a house; the second of a window (supposedly a window in the house that was formerly presented) and finally, a desk from the point of view of the window (supposedly the same window from the same house).

Shot-Reverse-Shot
A shot-reverse-shot is an editing technique which shows one character looking at another, and then another shot of the second character looking at the first. This editing technique is often used when there is a lot of dialogue, to enable the audience to follow the narrative and conversation between two or more people.







Shot Variation

This particular technique is used in moving image productions to create a sequence of images via movement, and include a wide shot, long shots, medium shots and close ups. A wide shot is most commonly used for the establishing shot- to show the audience the full scene and as much information as possible. It also manages to set the tone of the scene. Long shots are commonly used to introduce the main character and more often than not stay on the sole character for the entirety of the scene. Medium shots are often used for scenes that carry a lot of dialogue or action, to allow the audience to follow the narrative. Close ups are primarily used to focus on a certain character or item within the scene, and allows characters to show expression and emotion.

Match Cuts On Action



A match cut on action editing technique is used to show the start of an action in the first shot, and the finished product in the second. For example, in the above clip, you see the lady go to strike the match to light the cigarette in one scene, and in the second, the match is already alight and she lights her cigarette. The match on action shot in this scene is the movement of the ladies arm to actually strike the  match, not the strike itself. It deceives the audience to ensure that the edit is not visible. This is used to allow the audience to understand what is going on, but is also a sign of saving time. However, it's mostly used as a strong technique to maintain continuity.

Parallel Editing
Also known as cross cutting, parallel editing is "the technique of alternating two or more scenes that often happen simultaneously but in different locations." This technique of editing is also often used to show a construction of time between multiple characters and scenes. More often than not, the scenes will end up with the characters and scenes ending in the same place at the same time, with the characters confronting each other. This type of editing technique is primarily used to hyperbolise the tension in the scene.

Editing Rhythm
The editing rhythm technique is when the clips of footage are edited in time with a piece of sound production or, most often that is music or sound effects. It more often than not depends on the rhythm of the action in any given scene and the pace of the action taking place. For example, in action movies the editing rhythm is a lot quicker than it would be in a moving image production about opera music.




The above example of an Editing Rhythm technique is shown in Hitchcock's The Birds 1963. In this clip, editing rhythm is shown by the use of sound effects from the birds making sounds, and the man falling over at the gas station. It is clear to see that those sound effects are staged and hyperbolised for the sake of the audience to ensure and support the actions that are happening, in case the footage is unclear.

Cut-a-ways
This editing technique is often used when there is a bad shot or focus within a scene. Editors usually overcome this problem by inserting a shot in between two others to get away from breaking continuity and making an error. This shot is always relevant to the before and after scene, but what the shot focuses on is not always within the original scene.

A good example of the cutaway shot is the view of the roulette number being bet upon in Casablanca. 



Jump Cut
A jump cut is an editing technique that manipulates time within a 'cut' to the audience. It simply cuts and edits different scenes together, that don't necessarily flow in time, and so jump in time. The YouTube clip below is an example in Breathless. 

Cutting To Soundtrack
This editing technique is when a particular shot or scene is edited and motivated by that particular piece of music or song within the scene.

Reference List
http://www.steves-digicams.com/knowledge-center/how-tos/film-and-video-production/post-production-how-to-do-a-motivated-edit.html (27th Feb 2014)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eKS2d6TyiWo (27th Feb 2014)

http://www.elementsofcinema.com/editing/parallel_editing.html (27th Feb 2014)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ts1x6uADFtM (27th Feb 2014)

https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNHvASxMTqHuywnUdh_LOpdHmDgzAwNUzsIL8d3qKfh67AHu5mIAHzBkH9VXVbw4rhS4ZLevJwpwZSXLhJ-ZRrU0oYKcGcvfPyzsYrXYgIYWiS36mOVSHtkDN_PcAGoc1obWuQ3iHVirGI/s1600/180+degree+diagram.jpg (27th Feb 2014)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QLkUHZ1qips (27th Feb 2014)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=diNUplP7GZ8 (27th Feb 2014)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5-HYj5cLfEI (27th Feb 2014)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L5G7QuYNr60 (27th Feb 2014)