cutaways

A cutaway is a short break from the main story. It is used to show what is also happening at that time in other places or other parts in the film whilst giving a break from the action packed scenes which is mostly the main plot. Cutaway shots are normally not very long, they show what else is going off in the film quickly. They are also a key part to the film, they are important to watch or listen as it will have some sort of message of specific meaning behind the cutaway. 

Below is an example of a cutaway technique being used. Between seconds 0:51 and 0:58 the scene cuts when one character is stood on the truck in the middle of the action and the scene cuts to another character that is out of the action.

transitions

Transitions in films are used to add clips together and make them flow into one whole film. If a film didn't include transitions the film would go from clip to clip without any flow. The editors will choose transitions to suit the part of film or type of film in general. Certain transitions can represent the passing of time or could drift off to a different part of the story or even a flashback. 

Cut

A cut is just a basic transition that is used a lot in films to join two shots together. There is no special effect of editing that is used in a cut transition it is just one clip playing directly into the next one. This is highly noticeable by the audience as it just changes without any sort of change. 

Dissolve

The dissolve transition is used to make a film dissolve from one clip into the other. This makes the change in scene a lot less visible as it changes slowly which can create a link between the two scenes. 

Wipes

A wipe transition is when the new clip slides into the frame and pushes out the other clip. The second clip will travel in from the opposite side in which it pushes out the first clip.

180° Rule

The 180 degree rule is used when two characters are in conversation in the same scene. The camera will go left to right and not exceed 180°. If the rule is not followed, the viewer could be confused on who is talking or who they are talking to. However, you some films have broken the 180° rule and it has worked such as The Shining.

Here is the example from The Shining. This clip shows the rule being broken creating a different view on the scene making it more interesting. 

Here is an image explaining the 180 degree rule, showing where the camera is places and the characters. 

parallel editing

Parallel editing is an effect used in film editing and shows two clips running side by side switching between each clip. It has lots of effects linked to it but the main point is to show that two things are happening at once, sometimes could be telling two stories at once or just showing things from a different point of view.

Here is an example of parallel editing. This clip is effective as it shows a view from both armies and shows that what they are both doing at the exact same time before they go into battle.

jump-cutting

Jump cuts are clips that jump from one shot to another and don't leave any form of transition between or anything to make the clips flow together. These types of shots can be used to show the passing of time or to draw attention to certain objects. Jump cuts are not used as much as they used to be because the can be misleading, but if used in the right clip they can work perfect. 

Here is an example showing how jump cuts are used.

montage

Montage is when you edit a group of small shots and put the clips together to make a large video sequence showing part over a long period of time. A montage includes all of the best parts or highlights of a video and saves the audience a lot of time by doing this. In films this is a really good way of showing the main parts in a short time and the speeding up of passing time. 

An example of this would be the Rocky training montage. This shows Rocky training over a long period of time but shortens the video to show the main parts. 

motivated edits

A motivated edit is when a scene cuts an changes to a different scene, or introduces another object or person that wasn't in the last scene. This technique is used in a very sly way so that the audience doesn't know that it has even happened. These edits are used mostly in horror films for example, when you hear a random sound when there is no other sound in the scene, the camera and character will look towards the sound but there will be nothing to be seen. The tension it built up as the camera is moving in this scene. 
 an edit from the camera turning towards that direction.

An example is shown below from 1:40 to 2:10.

seamless and continuity editing

Seamless and continuity editing can also be called 'invisible editing'. Although it is called invisible editing it doesn't mean that there is no editing, its just that editing and cuts between shots is so precise that it is like the scene was never even edited. The first person to master this technique was DW Griffiths.

Continuity editing is what makes a video flow from start to finish, it smooths the flow between each clip. This is to show the story as the director is trying to show, in the way that they view it. This technique helps the viewer to follow the story rather than seeing the techniques used to put the scene together

creating pace

Creating pace is used in films to speed up or slow down a film. A good example of this would be in action films in car chases or in fights. For the action films the scene will have a fast pace which will change the angle of the shot every 2 or 3 seconds. In other genres of films such as drama they use slower paced shots which have a long time on one subject whilst in a single angle. This could be used to show emotion on a persons face. 

Here is an example of a fast paced scene. 

Here is another example of a slow paced scene. 

Combining shots into sequences

Combining shots into a sequence is simple although could be challenging. The term is as simple as it sounds and explains itself however some scenes using this technique could take days to record and place in the right position. The whole idea of the video is for the scene to continue whilst changing angles so that it flows smoothly, smooth enough for the audience not to notice.

This is often used in fight scenes such as the one in the example below.

The angle changes a lot at the start of the scene focusing on each different person that is in the scene and then back to the main character. However when the final fight breaks off the angle stays the same and the rest of the fight happens in one clip.

Creating motivation

For a film to 'create motivation' the camera must flow smoothly from scene to scene, so smooth that the viewer doesn't notice the sudden scene change and doesn't interfere with the story. Making the scenes roll is very important in film making as it is important to keep a smooth look on the film and to view the film without any jumping or jerks in the cameras. 

This clip is from Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2, it shows Harry been killed by Voldemort. This scene shows all the other characters concentrating on Harry which could make the viewer feel scared or anxious about what is going to happen.

Relationship to Genre

Different genres uses different methods of illustration to show what their genre is and what each genre contains, and what different aspects you might see in each genre, for example in horror you'll see suspense and murder. Where in a romantic comedy you'll see laughter and love, it's fairly simple.In a horror film for example you'll see- Suspense- Slow cuts to build intensity- Fast action to scare the viewersExample:
Another example could be in romantic films. They will have a completely different approach on the scene.They may use- Slow editing, no fast action to capture the whole scene- Heart touching music Example:
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Development of Drama

The development of drama is one of the most overlooked parts in film, just via the way the footage is edited can play the hugest part in roping viewers inwards. Putting them together and the methods used to film them can really aid the development of intensity within a shot.

Above is an example of how the development of drama can play a huge part in a film, we see in this clip from Shawshank Redemption where we see srtictly face shots to keep the viewers enthralled as if they are actually there looking at the people having the conversation.

Engaging the Viewer

Engaging the viewer is absolutely essential to the film industry, it separates interesting watchable films from boring films. There are many ways to engage a viewer, even before production of a film and its script, people will have decided with what the story would be like and how it will be told. Each director has a specific style that can be identified throughout their films.

For example if we look at director Brian De Palma (director of Scarface, The Untouchables etc.) we can see that as a director he loves a villain to be revered amongst his colleagues. And they always end the same, the villain having an ultimate demise at the end.

 The Untouchables Example






Scarface Example

Storytelling

Films are roped together by a story, it is absolutely essential to have a solid story with your film otherwise it can become very annoying and boring. A way of storytelling in film is via narration of a scene whilst it is taking place.

Below a clip from Shawshank Redemption is shown, it is an excellent example of how storytelling is used in film, Morgan Freeman narrates and helps build the story by simply breaking down what is happening.

Developments In Technology

Film Editing 
Film editing is similar to analogue editing but not as blunt, the film editor will work with raw film to create a sequence they want. The shots are captured via film where as now the film is captured instantly on disks and other easy ways to transport footage such as USB or memory cards.


Digital Editing 
Digital editing is the current and most up-to date way to edit film, it is extremely easy in comparison to analogue & film editing. The footage is uploaded to a computer and edited using software that allows you to edit and take apart your footage very easily and add computer generated effects and editing that you wouldn't be able to add otherwise.

Analogue Editing
Before digital editing was widely available and introduced to film editors, editors would of had to edit the film via analogue. It is quite simply editing the film physically, you have your film roll and you manually splice (a splicer is a sharp tool used for cutting film roll) and cut up the film and edit out the parts of the film you didn't want, you then glue the parts together that you do want to create your finished product. It made editing a lot more strenuous and annoying as it was a lot more time consuming than simply pressing delete.