Film Editing
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morph. A special effect where one object or image transforms into another, e.g. a man turns into a monster.
Moviola. Upright film editing machine all but displaced by digital editing systems today.
MPAA. Motion Picture Academy of Arts. The board that rates feature films, bestowing a G, PG, PG-13, R, NC-17, or X rating and protects them against piracy.
over the shoulder (O/S or OTS). A shot from the waist or chest up that includes the shoulder of one character while focusing on the other character.
overhead (OH). Often filmed from a crane, an overhead shot looks down on the scene from above.
overlap. A cut where picture and sound cut in at different times so that one overlaps (extends beyond) the other.
pan. Shot where camera moves horizontally left to right or vice versa.
parallel action. Editing two (or more) independent lines of action together — characters, settings, or subjects — that do not interact directly and are unaware of each other.
point-of-view shot (POV). A variation of a reverse shot, a POV shot corresponds exactly to where a character is looking; it is what they’re seeing.
postproduction. The final creation phase of a show during which all editing and finishing work take place. Also referred to as editing, editorial, or post. Postproduction is followed by the distribution and exhibition phases of the movie.
postproduction house. Facility where the final cut of a show is reproduced in the digital format contractually required for airing on television or screening in theatres. Post houses also produce digital dailies and perform a myriad of other post production tasks. Frequently, they rent cutting rooms and screening rooms and provide free meals in an attempt to take care of their editing clients’ needs.
POV. See point-of-view shot.
preproduction. The preparatory phase of a show during which the script and money are finalized, talent (actors) and crew hired, locations and schedules locked, and sets, wardrobe, props, etc. created. Preproduction follows the development phase and precedes the production phase.
production. The phase of a show during which the filming takes place on set or location. Also referred to as the “shooting” phase, “the shoot,” or “principal photography.” Production follows the preproduction phase and precedes the postproduction phase.
raking shot. A tight form of a two-shot, usually (or other shot), that is filmed from the side and favors one character.
reaction. A cut to a participant reacting to something that is happening.
reverse. A cut to the opposite (reverse) angle. The cut can be from the front of a character to behind the character (or vice versa) or from a character (or characters) to the character (or characters) they’re facing.
seamless editing. See invisible editing.
screen direction. The direction where a character or object enters or exits a shot.
short cut. A cut that has a brief duration — less than two seconds. shot. The footage filmed from camera start to camera stop.
slo mo. Effect where the pace of the action is decreased from what occurred in reality in front of the camera. This retardation is accomplished during editing or, more traditionally, during filming by overcranking — running the film through the camera at a faster rate than it will be played back. Opposite of speed up.
smash cut. Variation on a short cut. An unexpected, lightning-quick cut designed to deliberately jar the audience by zapping the action from one place/object/person/image to another.
special effects house. Facility where effects are created and finalized.
speed up. Effect where the pace of the action is increased from what occurred in reality in front of the camera. This acceleration is accomplished during editing or, more traditionally, during filming by undercranking — running the film through the camera at a slower rate than it will be played back. Opposite of slo mo.
split screen. Dividing the screen into two or more parts with different shots in each division.
still frame. See freeze frame.
subliminal cut. A cut consisting of a few frames which zip by so fast that the viewer is only subliminally (subconsciously) aware of them.
superimposition. Effect where two shots (or more) are held on top of each other full screen.
take. A shot that starts (or ends) with a camera slate (clapstick).
tilt. Shot where camera moves vertically up and down or down and up.
tracking shot, a.k.a. dolly shot. Shot where camera follows the action (often a character) while mounted on a dolly that is pushed along a set of temporary tracks laid down on the ground.
transition effect. Effect, such as a dissolve or wipe, which moves the action from one cut to another.
white out. Effect where a shot cuts or dissolves to white. Often involves organic elements such as a light, a camera flashbulb, or steam.
wide shot (WS). A shot framed wide that encompasses much if not all of the action.
wipe. A transitional effect where the incoming shot replaces the outgoing shot by appearing to wipe (erase) it from the screen.
FILMOGRAPHY: FILM AND EDITOR(S)
* Babel – Douglas Crise, Stephen Mirrone
Brokeback Mountain – geraldine Peroni, Dylan Tichenor
Cars – Ken Schretzmann
Corpse Bride – Jonathan Lucas, Chris Lebenzon
* * * ‡Crash – Hughes Winborne
Fahrenheit 911 – Kurt Engfehr, Christopher Seward, T. Woody Richman
* Finding Neverland – Matt Chesse
Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire – Mick Audsley
* * Hero – zhai Ru, Angie Lam
Hot Fuzz – Chris Dickens
* Into the Wild – Jay Cassidy
Kill Bill Vol. 2 – Sally Menke
Knocked Up – Brent White, Craig Alpert
La Vie en Rose – Richard Marizy
Lust, Caution – Tim Squyres
Mamma Mia – Lesley Walker
‡‡Man on Wire – Jinx godfrey
* Munich – Michael Kahn
* ‡No Country for Old Men – Roderick Haynes
Paprika – Takeshi Sayama
Pan’s Labyrinth – Bernat Vilaplana
Pirates of the Caribbean, Dead Man’s Chest – Craig Wood, Stephen Rivkin
Ratatouille – Darren Holmes
Rope – William H. ziegler
* * * ‡Slumdog Millionaire – Chris Dickens
Spider-Man 2 – Bob Murawski
* * * The Aviator – Thelma Schoonmaker
* * * The Bourne Ultimatum – Christopher Rouse
* The Constant Gardener – Claire Simpson
The Da Vinci Code – Dan Hanley, Mike Hill
* The Diving Bell and the Butterfly – Juliette Welfling
* There Will Be Blood – Dylan Tichenor
Underworld Evolution – Nicholas de Toth
* United 93 – Clare Douglas, Richard Pearson, Christopher Rouse
War of the Worlds – Michael Kahn
* Nominated for Academy Award for Best Editing
* * Nominated for Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film
* * * Won Academy Award for Best Editing
‡ Won Academy Award for Best Picture
‡‡ Won Academy Award for Best Documentary
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Abeel, Erica. indie WIRE Interview with The Diving Bell and the Butterfly Director Julian Schnabel, November 29, 2007.
Apple, Wendy (director). The Cutting Edge: The Magic of Cinema Editing. Documentary on DVD available from Amazon, 2004.
Bradford, Steven. “The Blue/Green Screen Page”, www.seanet.com/~bradford/blue_green_screen_visual_effects_1.html
Browne, Steven E. Film – Video Concepts. Boston: Focal Press, 1992.
Chandler, Daniel. “The ‘Grammar’ of Television and Film,” 1994, www.aber.ac.uk/media/Documents/short/gramtv.html “Devilish Perceptions,” Fear Magazine, Issue 24 (December 1990).
Chandler, Gael. Cut by Cut: Editing Your Film or Video. St
udio City, CA: Michael Wiese Productions, 2004.
Dancyger, Ken. The Technique of Film and Video Editing. History, Theory, and Practice. 3rd ed. Boston: Focal Press, 2002.
Dmytryk, Edward. On Film Editing. An Introduction to the Art of Film Construction. Boston: Focal Press, 1984.
Goldman, Mia. “Interview with Dede Allen Part 1,” The Motion Picture Editors Guild Magazine, Vol. 21, No. 4 (July/August 2000). http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Subliminal_message
Lindgren, Ernest. The Art of the Film. New York: Macmillan, 1963.
LoBrutto, Vincent. Selected Takes. Film Editors on Editing. Westport, CT: Greenwood Publishing Group, 1991.
Masterpiece Theatre website. Production Notes, The Forsyte Saga, Series 1. Fall 2002. www.pbs.org/wgbh/masterpiece/forsyte/index.html
McGrath, Declan. Editing and Post-Production, Screencraft. Boston: Focal Press, 1998.
Michele’s Blog, “Subliminal Persuasion: Getting the Story a Little Less Wrong,” http://serendip.brynmawr.edu/exchange/node/438
Millar, Gavin and Karel Reisz. Technique of Film Editing. 2nd ed. Boston: Focal Press, 1995.
Murch, Walter. In the Blink of an Eye, A Perspective on Film Editing. 2nd ed. Los Angeles: Silman-James Press, 2001.
Oldham, Gabriella. First Cut. Conversations with Film Editors. Berkeley, CA: University of California Press, 1992.
O’Steen, Bobbie. Cut to the Chase. Studio City, CA: Michael Wiese Productions, 2002.
Pepperman, Richard D. The Eye is Quicker: Film Editing: Making a Good Film Better. Studio City, CA: Michael Wiese Productions, 2004.
Rosenblum, Ralph and Robert Karen. When the Shooting Stops… the Cutting Begins. A Film Editor’s Story. New York: Da Capo Press, 1989 (1979).
Tarkovsky, Andrei. Sculpting in Time. Austin, TX: University of Texas Press. 1989.
Thompson, Roy. Grammar of the Edit. Boston: Focal Press, 1993.
Truffaut, François. Hitchcock. New York: Simon and Schuster, 1966.
Van Sijll, Jennifer. Cinematic Storytelling The 100 Most Powerful Film Conventions Every Filmmaker Must Know. Studio City, CA: Michael Wiese Productions, 2005.
Vokey, J. R. and S. W. Allen. Psychological Sketches. 6th ed. Lethbridge, Alberta: Psyence Ink, 2002.
INDEX
180° rule. See crossing the line
400 Blows, The, 134
action match, 25, 39–42, 50–52
angle match, 6, 21, 25, 30–32 Apocalypse Now, 21, 45
audience, 3, 10, 25, 28, 58, 79, 108, 121, 131, 147, 152, 176
affected by effects, 92, 97, 99, 105, 135
crossing the line, 60–61, 63, 64
emotional response, viii, 9, 23, 73, 108, 114–115, 117, 128, 138
focal point, 39, 49–50, 51
needing and receiving information, 5, 16, 99, 107, 112
relating to character, 6, 60, 124, 134, 165
relating to sound, 21, 45
Aviator, The, 32, 38, 43, 52, 81, 104, 112–113, 124, 136, 148, 177
Babel, 3, 29, 44, 53, 177
bad cut, 65
basic cut. See cut
black frame, 46, 73, 79–80, 85, 90
black out, 78
Brokeback Mountain, 6, 15, 37, 85, 93, 177
Bourne Ultimatum, The, 17, 22, 35, 79, 129, 154, 171, 177
camera movement, 21, 42, 46, 52, 58, 62–63, 89
Cars, 26, 28, 39, 42, 53, 71–72, 78, 91, 100, 158, 162, 178
characters, 5, 54, 62, 94, 110, 134, 142, 148, 154, 170
eyeline, 28–29
interact, 30, 165
match cut, 30, 32, 39, 43, 47
react, 3, 11, 21–22
state of mind, viii, 55, 81, 84, 122, 147, 158
color correction, 37
color match, 25, 37–38
Constant Gardener, The, 30, 34, 55, 62, 155, 178
continuity, 25, 34, 37, 48, 50–51, 54, 108
Corpse Bride, 12, 34, 40, 95–96, 178
coverage, 46
Crash, 4, 30, 77, 138–139, 159, 165, 178
cross cutting, 170–172
crossing the line, 58–64
cut, xii, 1–2. See also motivation for cut
as compared to transition effect, 67–69
cutaway, 15–20, 60–61, 63
cutpoint, 24
Da Vinci Code, The, 16, 20, 84, 178
dialogue, 11, 14, 19, 21, 30, 50, 52, 107, 161
director, 60, 62
Burton, Tim, 95
Coppola, Francis Ford, 45
Friedkin, William, 128
Hitchcock, Alfred, 46
Lumet, Sidney, 124
Moore, Michael, 10
Penn, Sean, 123
Schnabel, Julian, 131
Truffaut, François, 46, 124
dissolve, 69, 73, 75, 77, 80, 90, 108, 153
Diving Bell and the Butterfly, The, 5, 14, 56, 80, 84, 131, 142, 164, 178
documentary, 19, 136
editor, xii, 19, 21, 25, 28, 65, 108, 117
Chang, William, 54
crossing the line, 60, 64
Dmytryk, Edward, 49
Hirsch, Paul, 133
match cutting, 30, 46
mismatches, 49, 50
Murch, Walter, 21
using effects, 67, 87, 97, 99, 103
Winters, Ralph, 51
effects, 67–106, 108, 133–146, 153
English Patient, The, 21
Exorcist, The, 128
exposition, 148–152
eyeline match, 28–30, 50, 52, 59
fade in, 73–74
fade out, 73
Fahrenheit 911, 10, 18, 136, 161, 179
film lab, 37, 87, 99, 144
Finding Neverland, 4, 18, 33, 41, 60, 70, 73–74, 76, 89, 102, 170, 179
flash cut, 124–127, 129
flash frame, 79–80, 129
flashback, 153–160
flashforward, 158–160
framing match, 21, 25, 32–33, 50
freeze frame, 85, 134
greenscreen, 97–98
Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, 8, 30, 44, 77, 101–102, 142, 145, 179
Hero, 51, 97, 108–110, 117, 140–141, 156–157, 174, 179
Hot Fuzz, 50, 56, 130, 134, 137, 144, 151, 175, 179
idea match, 43–44
insert. See cutaway
inset, 100
Into the Wild, 38, 99–100, 103, 118, 123, 126–127, 134, 137, 143, 159, 163, 179
invisible editing, viii, 25. See continuity
jump cut, 54–57, 70
keying. See matte
Kill Bill: Vol. 2, 4, 6, 103, 115–116, 122, 135, 154, 179
Knocked Up, 69, 150, 180
La Vie en Rose, 160, 180
lighting match, 21, 25, 37, 50, 53
Lust, Caution, 63, 82, 93, 180
Mamma Mia, 13, 137, 180
Man on Wire, 45, 180
match cuts, 25–48
matte, 99–102, 108
mismatch, 19, 49–53
montage, 161–164
motion match. See action match
motivation for cut, 2, 21–22
movement match. See action match
Munich, 11, 28, 41, 51, 61, 83, 100, 168–169, 180
music, 21–22, 50, 64, 107–108, 117, 119, 138, 150, 161, 164
narration, 21, 77–78, 151, 161
overlapping action, 108, 172–175
No Country for Old Men, 16, 30, 32, 102, 116, 151, 181
pacing, 39, 51, 105–132, 142
Pan’s Labyrinth, 7, 34, 40, 42, 75–76, 88, 90, 119, 153, 181
Paprika, 27, 55, 58–59, 82–83, 85, 92, 102, 111, 125, 134, 143, 181
parallel action, 165–169
Pawnbroker, The, 124
Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest, 2, 6, 9, 35, 56, 69, 137, 181
point of view. See POV
POV, 2, 5–8, 30, 46, 60, 119, 122
Ratatouille, 8, 81–82, 101, 120–121, 181
reaction, 9–14, 21, 119
repeat
ed action, 117, 174. See also overlapping action
reverse cut, 3–4
reverse motion, 144–145
rhythm. See pacing Rope, 46–47, 181
rope match, 46–47
screen direction match, 26–27, 53
seamless editing, 37, 39, 54. See also continuity
shape match, 34–35
slo motion, 135–141, 175
Slumdog Millionaire, 23, 64, 145, 181
smash cut, 114–116
sound cut, 21–23
offscreen sound, 22