Task 12: Transitions and effects

Transitions:

This is the movement of one clip to the next clip. Different transitions would suggest different ideas and meanings to the audience. This means it is important to choose the right one.

Cut:

This the most used and invisible form of transition. One clip instantly to the next clip. It does this without atracting the audiences attention. These cuts help keep reality in check. these are used in continuity editing because they do not break the viewers suspicion of disbelief.

Dissolve:

This is where one shot fades out whilst fading into another. The audience are able to notice both clips simultaneously at the mid-point of the dissolve. It suggests that the clips are linked in some way. It maybe two characters, places or objects. It may also suggest that a certain amount of time has past between the clips.

Fade:

This is similar to a dissolve, but a fade is where a clip starts to brighten at the beginning and dims at the end. A fade usually implies a the beginning and or ending of a section of time in a narrative.

Wipe:

A wipe is a pretty unordinary transition. It is essentially  one image being pushed off the screen by a proceeding image. The transition can push off the image in any direction.

Graphic Match:

This is an unusual transition as it is two shots that are very similar in appearance so, it allows for a seamless transition. This is used in "Psycho" with the eye and the plug scene. 

Manipulating of Diegetic Time and Space:

This is important in film making. This is where the film shows the audience that a period of time has gone by or the characters are in a different location. An example of this is in the Harry Potter films where time is being used monipulated to go back.

Diegetic:

This is the actions and sounds that are seen and heard by both the audience and the actors. Examples of this is speech between actors.

Non-diegetic:

This is where the audience can view the editing and the actors themselves do not know this while preforming. Examples of this are voice over commentary and sound effects that are added during editing of the film to add dramatic effect.

Task 11 Cross Cutting

Cross Cutting

We were given the task to create a video that effectively shows cross cutting so, the viewer understands that two different scenes are linked in some way.

I believe we showed cross cutting effectively. This is because we showed clip of me and Daniel right after the other so it foreshadowed us being connected later on.

The clips of us built tension as we showed close up shots of us doing small things like taking off our bags, clinching our fists and a close up of the eyes.

Most viewers should have assumed a fight for the final scene but we just high-fived for the viewers amusement.

The storyboard:

Task 10 Understanding Pace

Understanding Pace

Speed of Editing:

In a film each scene may last a matter of seconds or it continue for minutes. The length of each sequence establishes the pace of the film moving the action along.

The speed of editing will help to determine the mood of what is being showed on the screen.

If film makers want the audience to feel anxiety and suspense, if the editing was to be quick the shots would change frequently

Creating Pace

If a relaxed mood is wanted, the scenes usually last longer and shots change less frequently. For example in a romantic comedy. For example the Notebook.

However, a film does not need to have any editing. An example would be The Russian Ark which was filmed in one take using a steadicam and a digital camera. This required split-second timing and organisation.

A trailer for a film needs to pack a lot of detail in a short amount of time. This means the editing would be very fast and would cut to different scenes very quickly. An example of this would be the trailer for The Hunger Games: Catching Fire.

Cross-Cutting

This is where two sequences are edited together so, the audience know the two scenes are connected in some way. Usually two thing are happening at the same but in different locations. Cross-cutting can be used very effectively to create sense of suspense.

The death of Casey in the opening of scene of Scream is made more dramatic by the cross cutting to her parents approaching and almost making it home in time to save her. 

In conclusion the speed of editing is an important factor in determining the genre of a film. This is because fast paced editing is typically used in action, adventure, crime, sci-fi etc. Slower paced editing would typically apply to romance, comedy, christmas, drama, mystery etc.

Another example of fast paced editing would the bourne ultimatum 

Task 9 Non-Continuity editing

Non-Continuity Editing

Non-Continuity Editing is a style of film making that was made popular throughout the 1950s and 1960s

Film makers such as Jean Luc Godard and Francis Truffaut pushed the limits of editing techniques and created a new style called "French New Wave". These style of films used a carefree  editing method  and did not conform to the traditional editing etiquette  of Hollywood films.

French New Wave editing often drew attention to itself  by its lack of continuity, its self-reflexive nature That is reminding the audience that the were watching a film.

They often used material not often related to any narrative which kept the audience surprised and intrigued.

Jump Cut Continuity

This where where the gap in action is emphasised when a jump cut is introduced. This is used in the film Breathless

Jump cut is used to startle the viewer and draw attention to something.
In the video above Jump cut is used to transition between the two people in the car.

The jump cut is essentially a cut that transitions between two shots instantly. A jump cut would catch the viewers attention because it is so instant and change completely.

Another example of jump cut is shown in the image above. It shows four different shots would be used in a video and would use a jump cut to transition between them.

180 degree rule

This was ignored in the film "The Shining". This is used to create a startling effect and to convey something is going wrong to the viewer. It is clear that the the 180 degree rule has been broken because when the transition occurs the camera angle is completely opposite so, it does not make sense to the veiwer and confuses them.

The video above is another example the use of jump cut. This is because The camera zooms into the main character's face and jump cuts to the police who are waiting for him so., he cannot get away.

Task 8 My Continuity Editing

My Continuity Editing

We were giving the task to crate a short video where we show the four methods of continuity editing. We were given the task of showing:

Eye Line match

180 degree rule

Match on action
Shot, reverse shot

We showed eye line match erectly, this was shown when the camera took a shot of Satveer as well as the chair. Then I placed both clips next to each other so, it made it look like she was looking at the chair.

We showed the 180 degree rule when Daniel was walking across the classroom. As the camera was on one side of Daniel it showed the 180 degree rule.

Match on acton was shown when the camera filmed Daniel opening the door and filmed another shot of him closing the door at a different angle. Once i'd pieced the clips together the scene looks very seamless.

Shot, reverse shot was achieved when Daniel and Satveer were having a conversation. One shot was where the camera was behind the Satveer and looking at Daniel. The other shot was overlooking Daniel and facing Satveer.

The Storyboard

Task 7 Understanding continuity editing

Understanding Continuity Editing

Continuity editing is what is known as "classical Hollywood". 

Continuity editing includes:

Eye line match

Match on action

Shot, reverse shot

180 degree rule

Eye Line Match

When a character is looking at  something off shot and then cut to the frame of what they are looking at.

An example of eye line match is this women from the movie Kill Bill looking at here feet.

Match on Action

This is when the character does an action in one shot and then cuts to a different angle to finish the shot the next day.

An example of match on action is where the man is walking through a doorway, where there are two shots of him going through.

Shot, Reverse Shot

This reveals one character and than the second shot reveals the second character, this is used in conversations

A good example of shot reverse shot is this picture where there are two people having a conversation where the  shot cuts between each person.

180 Degree rule

When filming the 180 degree rule is a basic guideline that states that the characters should have the same left/right relationship, if this is broken then the characters will have swapped positions on screen. 

An example of the 180 degree rule is in this video where it is being broken so, it does not make sense to the viewer.

Task 6 My montage

My Montage

Me and my group were given the task of creating a montage, we were able to choose any type of montage, we decided to use a hollywood style montage.

We set our montage  in school and show the process a day in school.
We started with Daniel and Satveer entering their first lesson. Daniel was hungry and anticipating lunch. He rushed out as soon as the bell rang.

The next scene was where we show Daniel eating and enjoying his lunch.

The next few scenes showed him in his next lesson which was P.E. The other scene was where he was going home but he was taken back into school because he had a detention.

The Storyboard

Task 5 Montage

Montage

In this  post I will I will go through the different meanings of the term "Montage".

The term Montage has a slightly different meaning when referring to the following contexts: French film, hollywood cinema and early Soviet film making.

The French Montage

In French film practice, montage simply has its literal french meaning- Assembly. Therefore, in French film the term simply identifies the process of editing.

Hollywood Style Montage

An example of Rocky:

Hollywood style montage is used  to condense a long sequence into a shorter one. In this case an example is Rocky.

Soviet Montage

This is used to show a different meaning. Film makers used juxtaposing to make a whole new meaning towards the viewer. An example is show below.  

Lev's experiment 

Another example is Eisensteins Strike.

Task 4: From Analogue to Digital Editing

Analogue and Digital  Editing.

To make a film there is two different ways to make a film. The first of both being analogue editing analogue and the second being digital editing.

Analogue Editing:
This is the process of cutting together the pieces of celluloid film. Traditionally film are made up of images printed on acetate negatives. They are then "spliced" together to make the film reel. They are fed through a projector at constant speed of 24 frames a second. This is known as analogue. 

The Moviola:
A Moviola was invented in 1924 by 
Iwan Serrurier. It was the first device that allowed a film editior to view film while editing.
It was the first machine used for feature length motion picture editing.

Video Editing:
Before digital technologies bacame available magnetic tapes were used to store information-these known as video tapes.
Video editing is the process of editing segments of these tapes using a device that mechanically puts pieces of video tape together. 
The film has to be edited in the correct order. This is called linear editing.

Digital Editing:
Digital media is a form of electronic media where data are stored in digital ( as opposed to analogue)form.
Digital editing is the use of computers to order and manipulate this digital data.
There are many different editing programs such as: Adobe Premier, Avid, Final Cut Pro
Digital film making uses bits and bytes(strings of 1s and 0s) to record, transmit and reply images, instead of chemicals on film.
The whole process is electronic so there is no printing or "splicing" involved.
Digital Editing soon over took Video Editing as it is much quicker and therefore cheaper.
The biggest pro is that you can edit digitally in any order.

Non-linear Editing
Editing in any order is called non-linear editing. 
You can edit a sequence from the end of the film before you have started editing the first scene.
The process uses electronic files so it makes it as easy as cutting and pasting text in a word document.

Con of Analogue Editing: 

With analogue editing it takes a lot of time and requires skill to fully master

Pro of Analogue Editing:

You can start editing  from any clip, it doesn't have to be from the start to the end.

Con of Digital Editing:

This would difficult for beginners to use.

Pro of Digital eEiting:

This is fast and easy for professionals to use.

Task 2/3 In Camera Editing

Unit 16 task 2/3

In camera editing is technique of video production, in which the camera operator shoots the shots in the exact order that they would be viewed in.

We were given the task to create a one minute short film using in camera editing. We were in a group of four, one person was the director, one person was camera operator and there was two actors. Daniel was the director, Reece was the camera operator and me and Satveer were acting.

We decided on the idea that Satveer was working on a computer and i came in as her boss. I was disappointed  at her lack of work so i decided to fire  her. As I was furious at her, she became very depressed  and she stormed out of the room.

What went well was that as we got to the end of the scenario we learned how to use in camera editing. Now what did not go too well was at one point in the scenario was that we did not get my head in the frame.

An advantage is that its quick to edit. A disadvantage is if you make a mistake you will have to do the whole scenario again.

The Storyboard

Task 1: Editing in early cinema

The Lumiere brothers

They were french inventors and pioneer manufacturers of photographic and film equipment who made the one of the first motion-picture camera and projector named theCinématographe (“cinema”. Motion in the shot was all that was necessary to amuse an audience. This can be seen in the film Sortie D'Usine in 1895. 

G.A.Smith
In 1899 he made the film Kiss In The Tunnel. This film is said to mark the beginnings of naritive editing. He took advantage of the brief onset of darkness as they went into the tunnel to splice [cut and then stick two pieces of film together.

Another example of his work was in 1899 with the film Miller and the Sweep.
George Melies
George Melies was a magician who had seen the films made by the Lumiere brothers.
Melies saw at once the possibilities of a novelty more than just motion itself.
He acquired a camera, built a studio, wrote scripts, designed sets and soon he discovered  and exploited the basic camera tricks we know so well today.
George Melies- In Camera Editing.
It is rumoured that he discovered the art of stop motion purely by accident when a camera of his broke down for a brief second.
In 1896 he made THE VANISHING LADY using a technique known as in camera editing.

Sadly it never occured to him to move the camera for close ups or long shots and so his work was soon overlooked.
The commercial growth of the industry forced him out of buisness in 1913, and he died in poverty.
Elements of his life are depicted in the recent film HUGO.

Porter & Edison
Edwin S. Porter worked as an electrician before joining the film laboratory of Thomas Alva Edison in the late 1890s.
He and Edison worked together to make longer more interesting films.

Edwin S. Porter
Porter made the breakthrough film LIFE OF AN AMERICAN FIREMAN in 1903. The film was among the first that had a plot, action, and even a close up of a hand pulling a fire alarm.

Porter discovered important aspects of motion picture language: that the screen image does not need to show a complete person from head to toe
that splicing together two shots creates in the viewer's mind a contextual relationship. 
These were the key discoveries that made all narrative motion pictures and television possible.
THE GREAT TRAIN ROBBERY 
Porter's (then) ground breaking film, THE GREAT TRAIN ROBBERY(1903) is an excellent example of how early films began to resemble the types of films we see today.

Charles Pathe
in the film THE HORSE THAT BOLTED (1907) Charles Pathe introduces the first example of a technique known as parallel editing- cutting between two story lines:
 The Horse
 The Delivery man

D. W.Griffith 
U.S. film director D.W Griffith was one of the early supporters of the power of editing. 
He made use of cross- cutting to show parallel
action in different locations.
Griffith's was one of the first of the early directors to use editing techniques in the production of "feature" length films.


D.W Griffith
His most controversial film and the one his best remembered for was THE BIRTH OF A NATION(1915) In this film there are scenes of the KKK and black slaves.

In Summary
Thomas Edison developed the equipment need to develope moving pictures.
The Lumiere Brothers pioneered the art of moving film.
George Melies was one of the first to use "in-camera" editing.
G.A Smith pioneered the technique of using shots from different locations and developed filming making from single shot films.
Porter, Pathe and Griffith developed the art of story telling through editing. 
They made popular the art of "splicing" individual shots together in order to make longer more dramatic films.