In this essay I shall be exploring the history of editing and film, as well as various techniques used during editing. Techniques include: jump cuts; parallel editing; and reaction shots.
Editing is the process of taking a film or footage and rearranging it in order to create a story with continuity and fluidity.
Film dates back 1895, where the Lumiere Brothers created their first films – the first publicised being ‘The Exit from the Lumiere Factory’. This film consisted of a continuous shot of workers leaving the factory, lasting for forty seconds. Continuous shots without any editing don’t allow for much or any story at all; leaving early film to only be thirty seconds to a minute in length. This is a reason editing plays a huge role within the film industry; without editing there is no room for development of a story.
‘The Exit from the Lumiere Factory’ along with nine other films created by the Lumiere Brothers were also presented at the Grand Café as their premiere into the world of film.
Editing during these times had to be done by hand, meaning film had to be physically cut up and then put back together in order to create a film of longer length with a much more intricate story.
Examples of editing date back to 1903, where parallel editing was used in ‘The Great Train Robbery’. Parallel editing is the process of showing two stories at the same time where both groups eventually meet each other. This film followed two groups of people: passengers on the train and bandits who rob the train. ‘The Great Train Robbery’ begins with two bandits knocking out an employee; the train then stops allowing a group of bandits outside to board the train. The bandits then meet the passengers as they evict them from the train – holding them at gunpoint.
Other examples of parallel editing can be seen in the 1903 film ‘Life of and American Fireman’ also directed by Edwin Porter; in which a fireman rescues a woman trapped within a burning building. Shots show the fireman climbing up a ladder into the burning house, saving the woman and climbing back down. The same scenario plays again, but from the perspective of those outside of the house.
Cross cutting is a drama technique used where two scenes intercut to establish continuity and is a technique that is similar to parallel editing. Scenes which use this technique are usually fast paced and full of action. Cross cutting also falls into the same category as parallel editing.
Inception makes use of cross cutting by intercutting a scene with a car chase and a scene with a fight between two people inside a building. The two scenarios cut between each other after showing some development within them. Due to this technique’s fast-paced nature it keeps the audience immersed and entertained throughout the scene.
Cutaways are the most common editing technique and are used in every programme and film. They are used as a transition from one scene to another or to show an effect. Cutaways normally last for two to four seconds and are only a shot to look at as the scene transitions so the viewer remains entertained. This type of shot doesn’t have to relate in any way to any previous for future scenes as they are used to fill blanks.
Similar to cutaways, a jump cut is a technique used in post-production where a shot will jump forward in time by a few seconds. Examples of this in film are when someone is walking down a flight of stairs. The shot will begin with them starting to walk down and will then cut to them half way down and then again to them at the bottom. This editing technique is used in most if not all film and along with cutaways is one of the most commonly used techniques in film.
Using jump cuts adds a sense of flow to a scene and allows for the scene to play out much faster than following the character(s) around.
Reaction shots are used in film in order for the audience to see what the effects of an event, which has just transpired, has on a character(s). These shots will often be coupled with a shot of what has happened in attempts for the audience to relate with the character(s); which can in some cases replicate their emotion within the audience, be it sadness or anger.
Jaws (1975) uses reaction shots when the first attack takes place. In this scene the audience first sees a child attacked by a shark, shortly after they see the reaction of those witnessing the attack. A close up of a characters reaction is also used in order for the audience to see the terror on their face. Once the reaction is shown a shot of the attack is shown again – this allows for the audience to see what is being reacted to; the audience is now able to relate to the character.
Jaws also makes use of point of view (POV) shots. These shot types show the audience what a character is seeing and can immerse the audience within the scene. Just like the reaction shots, POV shot(s) are used during the first attack on the beach, with the audience seeing what the shark is seeing. During the attack sequence the audience may be filled with thrill as well as fear. Thrill may derive from the nature of the music, which plays during the sequence, and fear from the sight of blood.
Computer generated images (CGI) is a more than common method used in today’s film and is an editing technique that can be found in all major films. CGI not only creates special effects such as explosions and the destruction of structures, but the environment in which a film takes place. This can be from buildings to forests.
Examples of notable films and film franchises that use special effects include Star Wars, which makes use of special effects throughout the franchise – with these effects being more common in the prequels as years progressed and more effects began to be used.
Blade (1998), directed by Stephen Norrington, makes use of CGI as it is the first film to use a fully CGI character named Blade. The use of CGI allowed for Blade to perform acts such as flips and wall running while fighting against vampires. Avatar (2009), directed by James Cameron, also makes use of CGI for both characters and the environment and is one of the most grossing modern films to date.
Editing is the process of taking a film or footage and rearranging it in order to create a story with continuity and fluidity.
Film dates back 1895, where the Lumiere Brothers created their first films – the first publicised being ‘The Exit from the Lumiere Factory’. This film consisted of a continuous shot of workers leaving the factory, lasting for forty seconds. Continuous shots without any editing don’t allow for much or any story at all; leaving early film to only be thirty seconds to a minute in length. This is a reason editing plays a huge role within the film industry; without editing there is no room for development of a story.
‘The Exit from the Lumiere Factory’ along with nine other films created by the Lumiere Brothers were also presented at the Grand Café as their premiere into the world of film.
Editing during these times had to be done by hand, meaning film had to be physically cut up and then put back together in order to create a film of longer length with a much more intricate story.
Examples of editing date back to 1903, where parallel editing was used in ‘The Great Train Robbery’. Parallel editing is the process of showing two stories at the same time where both groups eventually meet each other. This film followed two groups of people: passengers on the train and bandits who rob the train. ‘The Great Train Robbery’ begins with two bandits knocking out an employee; the train then stops allowing a group of bandits outside to board the train. The bandits then meet the passengers as they evict them from the train – holding them at gunpoint.
Other examples of parallel editing can be seen in the 1903 film ‘Life of and American Fireman’ also directed by Edwin Porter; in which a fireman rescues a woman trapped within a burning building. Shots show the fireman climbing up a ladder into the burning house, saving the woman and climbing back down. The same scenario plays again, but from the perspective of those outside of the house.
Cross cutting is a drama technique used where two scenes intercut to establish continuity and is a technique that is similar to parallel editing. Scenes which use this technique are usually fast paced and full of action. Cross cutting also falls into the same category as parallel editing.
Inception makes use of cross cutting by intercutting a scene with a car chase and a scene with a fight between two people inside a building. The two scenarios cut between each other after showing some development within them. Due to this technique’s fast-paced nature it keeps the audience immersed and entertained throughout the scene.
Cutaways are the most common editing technique and are used in every programme and film. They are used as a transition from one scene to another or to show an effect. Cutaways normally last for two to four seconds and are only a shot to look at as the scene transitions so the viewer remains entertained. This type of shot doesn’t have to relate in any way to any previous for future scenes as they are used to fill blanks.
Similar to cutaways, a jump cut is a technique used in post-production where a shot will jump forward in time by a few seconds. Examples of this in film are when someone is walking down a flight of stairs. The shot will begin with them starting to walk down and will then cut to them half way down and then again to them at the bottom. This editing technique is used in most if not all film and along with cutaways is one of the most commonly used techniques in film.
Using jump cuts adds a sense of flow to a scene and allows for the scene to play out much faster than following the character(s) around.
Reaction shots are used in film in order for the audience to see what the effects of an event, which has just transpired, has on a character(s). These shots will often be coupled with a shot of what has happened in attempts for the audience to relate with the character(s); which can in some cases replicate their emotion within the audience, be it sadness or anger.
Jaws (1975) uses reaction shots when the first attack takes place. In this scene the audience first sees a child attacked by a shark, shortly after they see the reaction of those witnessing the attack. A close up of a characters reaction is also used in order for the audience to see the terror on their face. Once the reaction is shown a shot of the attack is shown again – this allows for the audience to see what is being reacted to; the audience is now able to relate to the character.
Jaws also makes use of point of view (POV) shots. These shot types show the audience what a character is seeing and can immerse the audience within the scene. Just like the reaction shots, POV shot(s) are used during the first attack on the beach, with the audience seeing what the shark is seeing. During the attack sequence the audience may be filled with thrill as well as fear. Thrill may derive from the nature of the music, which plays during the sequence, and fear from the sight of blood.
Computer generated images (CGI) is a more than common method used in today’s film and is an editing technique that can be found in all major films. CGI not only creates special effects such as explosions and the destruction of structures, but the environment in which a film takes place. This can be from buildings to forests.
Examples of notable films and film franchises that use special effects include Star Wars, which makes use of special effects throughout the franchise – with these effects being more common in the prequels as years progressed and more effects began to be used.
Blade (1998), directed by Stephen Norrington, makes use of CGI as it is the first film to use a fully CGI character named Blade. The use of CGI allowed for Blade to perform acts such as flips and wall running while fighting against vampires. Avatar (2009), directed by James Cameron, also makes use of CGI for both characters and the environment and is one of the most grossing modern films to date.