Purpose of Editing

Purpose of Editing

There are many purposes to editing. Editing is used in films to depict:

• Storytelling - Engaging the viewer
• Combining shots into sequences
• The development of drama
• Creating pace - Fast or slow cuts
• The relationship to genre

The purpose of using an editing technique such as an "Action Shot" which you can determine by the name that the shot is used to create action. Furthermore, different kinds of editing are used to have a certain effect on the viewers. To create suspense, tension, fear, excitement and to reveal important information to the viewing audience (Montage editing).

Referring to creating pace, different shots can create a certain feel towards the film. Such as fast cuts are used in action and horror films to create emotions of fear, excitement and tension for the viewer which matches perfectly to the genre which the producers are trying to capture. In horror films fast shots are used to scare the audience after a slow shot which built the tension. 

Slower shots are used to create the 'development of drama', this lets the audience to see and understand the scene which is being conveyed and to understand the character. This is exhibited by having longer shots in a scene

Examples of Editing

Examples of Editing

Video editing - Video editing takes place when you take raw footage which you have filmed and change different features and properties. Video editing includes:

• Rearranging, adding or removing sections of footage or audio clips
• Applying colour correction, audio gain, removing sound interferences (static) filters and other enhancements
• Creating transitions of clips.

•   Adding special effects. E.g.: Adding a Ultra Key and Chroma Key on footage with green-screen and then placing footage or a still image in its place. (Adobe After Effects CS6) 

 Montage editing (soviet/political) - Montage editing is when different clips of footage is put together to create an instant understanding of the subject which is being portrayed. 

• The 'soviet' or 'political' montage style of editing that was used in the 1920's to get meanings and a better understanding of the topic straight from the shots being used.

• Hollywood montage editing is when clips of footage are put together to illustrate a story or important information to viewers in short.

Example of Hollywood Editing in 'Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix'

Between 0:00 and 0:45

 This scene from 'Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix' conveys an example of a Hollywood montage editing through Harry's dream to illustrate what is happening to Arthur Weasley. This reveals important information which foreshadows Voldemort's intentions throughout the rest of the film.

Transition editing -  Transitions is editing which creates a movement between one shot to another. 

• Different kinds of transitions: Fade In, Fade Out, Dissolve, Wipe, Straight Cut (When a still image is suddenly replaced with another still image without any visual changes)

Example of 'Straight Cut' transitions in 'Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2'

This scene is from 'Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2'. Between 0.00 and 0:24 the Straight Cut transitions are used to capture a conversation between Harry and Professor McGonigal when the Dark Lord and his followers are about to infiltrate Hogwarts.

Action Editing - When shots are edited in a certain way to increase the effect of action to create a bigger impact on the viewing audience.
 
Example from 'Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2'

At 0:32 and onwards Action editing is used by have straight cut transitions in a fast motion to create a bigger impact of action to the viewing audience as the Harry Potter trio battle the followers of the Dark Lord Voldemort in a cafe in the Muggle World.

Match Cut -  When a scene cuts from one scene to a totally different one, but has objects in the two scenes  which is "matched", so they are in the same place in the shot's frame.

Example from 'Braveheart' 

Between 2:22 and 2:43, there is a clear example of a Match Cut in 'Braveheart' s ending scene when a Scottish solider throws his sword into the air and then lands in front of the English soldiers before the battle to win their freedom.

 

History of Editing

History of Editing

The history of editing from js1productionstm

What is 'editing'?

What is 'editing' ?

Editing is when you change or correct a incomplete or false product, document or footage. In other words, you modify it. 

Film editing is when is said to be apart of the creative 'post-production' of film making. Its when editors take the raw footage which they have collected and cutting out any unwanted footage. Which is similar to what my class and I did when filming the documentary for the 'Understanding film and TV' Unit and other units which we have covered previously. 

Film editing also includes adding special effects such as 'green-screen' by using the 'ultra key' and 'chroma key' (In Adobe After Effects CS6 which we used) and placing a video or still image in the place of the green-screen on the footage.

Audio editing is used to increase and to decrease the audio and to reduce any interference (such as any unwanted noise).

References: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Film_editing