DIRECTIONS: Editing lecture with S. Welsford - 23/1

Clips watched:

Steven Spielberg - Duel
"The Great Train Robbery" Dir: Edwin S. Porter ,1903 (Earliest use of in-scene cuts)
"Breathless" Dir: Jean-Luc Godard, 1960 (French new wave editing)
"The Sopranos. 6x21 Made in America" Dir: David Chase, 1999 - 2007
"2001, A Space Odyssey" Dir: Stanley Kubrick, 1968 (Match-on action)
"The Godfather" Dir: Francis Ford Coppola, 1972 (Cross-cutting)


Further watching:
"The Cutting Edge" Dir: Wendy Apple, 2004

Editing creates emotion, drama, rhythm and action by combining shots.

Up to 2000’s, all films edited by steenbeck machine, cutting film and joining it with sellotape. Films were usually slower paced.

Development of video editing combined with growth of MTV and music videos brought a demand for quicker cuts.

French new wave rallied against Hollywood, cutting in jumpy fashion. little care to line or in-scene continuity. 

The majority of drama comes from pacing, rhythm and emotion. 

Pace too quickly = Audience gets lost
Pace too slow = Audience gets bored

Back and forth works but holding on one can change the dynamic - hence why coverage is key

scenes usually start wide and slow and get closer and quicker.
Slow tilted conv. becomes more free flow and ENDS abruptly.
What if you start with a bang and end slowly?
Always cut for a reason, never just cut. Must add to the scene.

tension is created by moments of holding shots and quickly cutting - timing is key

Match-on-action allows for dramatic and artful shifts in time

Cross cutting can create suspenseful action sequences. opens the story out to multiple levels
can be used brilliantly to contrast two moments

Montage - NOT RUSSIAN THEORY
always useful for showing growth/development

Fade/Dissolve
fades originally used similar to curtain coming down in theatre
time passing or end of significant sequence
Combining with matching action - EG Psycho eye to plug

Editing stages:
log and arrange rushes (all shot footage)
assembly cut (one shot from each, assembled into order)
rough cut (cutting into assembly)
fine cut (cut into scenes and create drama)
final cut (tweaking)