Editing Concepts

Establishing shotEstablishing shot allows the audience to grasp an idea of the setting of the scene and where the action is taking place. Its also known as a very wide shot or an extreme long shot. Films that have used this concept are ‘James bond, skyfall’, and also the ‘conjuring’ when it sets the scene of the big haunted house. Act IV of Skyfall begins at 1:45:49 and opens with a stunning shot of Bond, with his Goldfinger car, as a tiny figure in a huge landscape, fitting as Sky fall's primary goal is to place the Craig Bond in context, not just in the Bond-verse but in the cultural landscape. In harry potter visual supervisor David vickery uses CGI to enhance the look of Hogwarts. He takes the establishing shot from a low angle to set the scene and also shows it superiority as it is a school of witchcraft.

Graphic MatchGraphic match Is a cut in film editing between either two

different objects, two different spaces are graphically match which links them metaphorically, for example a bone fading into a spaceship,. For example in Psycho The drain becomes an eye due to its similar shape. This happens towards the end of the scene when Marion has fallen to the bathroom floor, the camera movement follows the shower water draining off, the camera zooms closer of the plug-hole, we see the water go round the plug-hole, this scene then slowly blends into Marion’s eye, making the ending shot a perfect chilling experience.

The bone thrown by the ape in 2001: A Space Odyssey becomes a space station. This cut helped to make the transition from the past Neanderthal world to the future 2001 (which is now our past). This cut juxtaposes the past and the present, yet links the two smoothly through a graphic match.

Eye Line MatchEye line match is to show each character interacting with each other. Its associated with continuity editing. The audience want to see what the character is seeing it starts with the character looking at someone or something followed by a cut to the object or person which he is looking at. An eye line match is also shown in the thriller Disturbia when two teenagers are spying on there suspected murderer for a neighbour. The camera focuses on them looking out the window. It then switches to the cut of the neighbours house.

Cross cuttingCross-cutting is what you do after you've created a series of scenes or sequences, and you re-order them to create a drama that goes forwards and backwards in time. Sometimes a drama that starts and carries on in a linear manner can be too predictable, which makes it boring to watch. With cross-cutting we can show the moment when something important happened in the past (using a flash-back), or we can move the drama forward in time (using a flash-forward). In this way the action can be broken up to enhance tension or the narrative.NB - the cross-cutting video example can be found on the next page, with the hot-seating video.

Shot reverse shot

Shot/reverse shot is a staple of editing in dialogue sequences. It utilizes the 180 degree rule, the eye line match, and rule of change among others. Its A film technique wherein one character is shown looking (often off-screen) at another character, and then the other character is shown looking "back" at the first character. Since the characters are shown facing in opposite directions, the viewer unconsciously assumes that they are looking at each other. Shot reverse shots are commonly used I soaps such as Eastenders as it adds to the realism of the programme. It creates the impression that you are in the program with them and you can see what the character sees.

Shot reverse shotSince the characters are shown facing in opposite directions, the viewer unconsciously assumes that they are looking at each other. Shot reverse shots are commonly used I soaps such as Eastenders as it adds to the realism of the programme. It creates the impression that you are in the program with them and you can see what the character sees

Montage EditingMontage editing is a group of quick shots put together in a scene to condense time. This was used in rocky. Its also used in the ‘ karate kid’ and is also known as manipulating diegetic time and space. A montage is used to show the viewer what the character is going through in a quicker process otherwise the movie would be too long. The second shot of Rocky is him celebrating his end of training as he believes he is perfect shape for his match. It is a medium shot.

180 Degree rule180 degree rule is a guideline which outlines spatial relationships between different characters. This strategy is used in continuity editing to allow the audience to know whose in the scene and where they are positioned. Their is also an invisible line which cannot be crossed. If you do cross the line the audience will be confused as it will look like one of the characters has switched positioned.