Editing
What is editing?
- Editing is one of the most important technique being used in media industry.
- Editing can be seen when we notice how it is joined together at certain points, each scene will take up for a few seconds or a few minutes
- The speed of editing is an important micro-element because it helps to create the excitement and heart-pounding by speeding up at the key moment in thrillers. Speed also create chill-excitement, sad, or fear by slowing down before or after key moments to calm the atmosphere and kept the movie inflows. This makes the audience feel fast-paced and excited while observing the speeding scene and calm down at the slowing scene. A good editing could make a massive impact within the movie production, it can make a bad movie looks good and catchy within the use of editing in the right way. The length of each shot or scene helps to determine the mood.
Speed of editing:
Films are joined together at certain points. The length of each shot determines the pace of the film and helps determine the mood.
- Slow motion is the action of showing film or playing back video more slowly than it was made so that the action appears to be much slower than in real life.
- Slow motion is the action of showing film or playing back video more slowly than it was made so that the action appears to be much slower than in real life.
- Slow editing is when clips are put together at a slower pace and this is to create suspense and capture action. For example this video clip down here is an example of a film called 'Undisputed 2', the use of slow editing helps to highlight the fighting skills of the fighter and helps to makes the audience feel excited as they admire the sensational actions in this scene.
- Fast editing is when a scene is being edited at a faster face to engage the audience attentions as they would like to catch all the scene in the amount of time where each scene is being putted. For example this video down here is an example from a film called 'Fast and Furious 6', the use of fast editing showing the extremely dangerous car racing and everything was in fast paced. This makes the scene looks more realistic and believable. This helps to engage the audience to the scene and make them feel excited and worried as the scene raise them up to climax and create chill-excitement towards the audience.
- Straight cut is when one shot moves into another shot in an edit and it does not confuse the audience. This clip down here is an example of a film called 'Undisputed 3', the use of straight up cut makes sense to the eye and does not confuse the audience as they observe a intense fighting scene. Straight cut also allows the audience to see everything that happens in different angles so they won't miss out a thing from this scene.
- Fade to back is when one shot goes/moves into another and there is black filter in between. For example this is a trailer from 'White House Down', fade to black editing in this clip is being used to shorten up the film and only highlights the important scene from the whole movie and wrap it up to a short trailer to tease the audience. This would helps to makes the audience to feel curious and wants to find out about this movie.
- Wipe cut is when she shot slides into another. This video clip down here of 'Star War' is an example of wipe cut, the use of wipe cut allows the new scene being displayed and helps the audience to understand the movie as the narrative is being developed through the use of this editing.
- Dissolve is when one shot disintegrates into another. For example, this is a trailer from a film called '8 rules of fight club', the use of dissolve/morphing effect in here helps to make the audience aware of the characters that appears in the trailer and identify who they are and also to avoid confusion.
- Reaction shot is any shot often used as a cutaway in which a subject reacts to a previous shot. This is a scene from a film called 'World War Z' is an example of reaction shot. There are a lot of reaction shot being used in this scene showing how the characters reacts when they find out that they are in danger and there's no way to escape. This has been used to show the audience how the characters react and shows that they're hopeless. This helps to creates fear and makes the audience feel sympathy towards the characters as they anticipate to see a horrible scene.
- Montage is the speed of editing, where shots are quickly juxtaposed together to create excitement. This video down here is an example of a film called 'Se7en', the use of montage editing creates confusion towards the audience as the scene is showing a lot of random information and leads the audience to be clueless of what is going on in th
- 180 degrees rule is when a hypothetical line drawn between two or more actors. The camera must not shoot on the other side of the line and this is because it can confuse the audience and also shooting will not be consistent.
- Shot reverse shot is mostly used in films where a conversation is taking place and it is when one quickly follow another. This clip down here is an example of a scene from a film called 'Dark Night Rises', the use of shot reverse shot allows the audience to follows the conversation between characters within the scene to provide all information and develop a clearer narrative.
- Jump cut is a drastic camera movement that is noticeable to the eye. The shot/edit is almost 'jump'. This is an example of a scene from a film called 'Erin Brockovich', the use of jump cut allows the audience to feel sympathy towards the characters feelings.
- Straight cut is when one shot moves into another shot in an edit and it does not confuse the audience. This clip down here is an example of a film called 'Undisputed 3', the use of straight up cut makes sense to the eye and does not confuse the audience as they observe a intense fighting scene. Straight cut also allows the audience to see everything that happens in different angles so they won't miss out a thing from this scene.
- Fade to back is when one shot goes/moves into another and there is black filter in between. For example this is a trailer from 'White House Down', fade to black editing in this clip is being used to shorten up the film and only highlights the important scene from the whole movie and wrap it up to a short trailer to tease the audience. This would helps to makes the audience to feel curious and wants to find out about this movie.
- Wipe cut is when she shot slides into another. This video clip down here of 'Star War' is an example of wipe cut, the use of wipe cut allows the new scene being displayed and helps the audience to understand the movie as the narrative is being developed through the use of this editing.
- Dissolve is when one shot disintegrates into another. For example, this is a trailer from a film called '8 rules of fight club', the use of dissolve/morphing effect in here helps to make the audience aware of the characters that appears in the trailer and identify who they are and also to avoid confusion.
- Reaction shot is any shot often used as a cutaway in which a subject reacts to a previous shot. This is a scene from a film called 'World War Z' is an example of reaction shot. There are a lot of reaction shot being used in this scene showing how the characters reacts when they find out that they are in danger and there's no way to escape. This has been used to show the audience how the characters react and shows that they're hopeless. This helps to creates fear and makes the audience feel sympathy towards the characters as they anticipate to see a horrible scene.
- Montage is the speed of editing, where shots are quickly juxtaposed together to create excitement. This video down here is an example of a film called 'Se7en', the use of montage editing creates confusion towards the audience as the scene is showing a lot of random information and leads the audience to be clueless of what is going on in th
- 180 degrees rule is when a hypothetical line drawn between two or more actors. The camera must not shoot on the other side of the line and this is because it can confuse the audience and also shooting will not be consistent.
- Shot reverse shot is mostly used in films where a conversation is taking place and it is when one quickly follow another. This clip down here is an example of a scene from a film called 'Dark Night Rises', the use of shot reverse shot allows the audience to follows the conversation between characters within the scene to provide all information and develop a clearer narrative.
- Jump cut is a drastic camera movement that is noticeable to the eye. The shot/edit is almost 'jump'. This is an example of a scene from a film called 'Erin Brockovich', the use of jump cut allows the audience to feel sympathy towards the characters feelings.
Trailers and use of editing
Editing is being used of almost every single trailer in all type of genre in the media industry. This is because it helps to create understanding and develop a narrative in a shorter way but also conventional to the genre it belongs to. The common types of editing thrillers tend to use are shot reverse shot, fade to black, reaction shot, dissolve, slow editing, fast editing and many more. All of these editing techniques helps to create anticipation towards the audience within the narrative of the film.
Scene analysis
This is a scene from a film called 'World War Z', I will identify and analyse the use of 3 types of editing in this scene. First of all, we can see the use of reaction shot of the family inside the car right after when the police man got hit by the truck, this creates fear and chill-excitement towards the audience as it happens so suddenly that no once would expect that to happen.
Second of all, the use of fast editing through out this whole clip makes the audience feel excited and creates confusion as they don't know what's going on in this scene almost like a riot, this helps to makes the audience to feel petrified as if they're involve in the scene and makes the audience feel worried and anticipate something bad is happening but they can't seem find out what causes all of this.
Lastly, the use of straight cut allows the audience to catch every single details of this scene to make sure they understand and don't miss out anything, this helps to build up tension and creates an intense atmosphere and also develop a clear narrative to make sure the audience don't get confuse.
Second of all, the use of fast editing through out this whole clip makes the audience feel excited and creates confusion as they don't know what's going on in this scene almost like a riot, this helps to makes the audience to feel petrified as if they're involve in the scene and makes the audience feel worried and anticipate something bad is happening but they can't seem find out what causes all of this.
Lastly, the use of straight cut allows the audience to catch every single details of this scene to make sure they understand and don't miss out anything, this helps to build up tension and creates an intense atmosphere and also develop a clear narrative to make sure the audience don't get confuse.
Conclusion
All the information above has helped me to have a wider understanding of how editing can be used in thrillers and how it creates different connotations towards the audience. I am planning to use as many type of editing as possible to helps my thriller to be understood by the audience and avoid confusion and also to gain as many marks as necessary.
