Transitions are used a lot nowadays in film and television. They each have their own qualities and effects that it leaves on the audience. The transitions used in a movie often depends on the style of the movie itself. For example, a fairy tale could include a wipe to indicate a page turning in a book or fades to indicate flashbacks. There are even more types of transition than these as well.
One of the most commonly used transitions is more of an audio transition. It is called the L Cut or the Split Edit because on the editing timeline it looks like the letter L. The L cut is an audio transition which is used to create the effect that a character is talking in another following shot. The viewers mind fills in the gap that the talking character is still in the same scene.
A much simpler cut, known as the jump cut, doesn't require any real editing and isonly used to cut to an area of action or movement to an area with little or no movement. This is used in the film "I Am Legend" to distinguish between a flashback and the present day.
Another cut which isn't used much in films is the wipe cut. This cut is associated with the Star Wars franchise because the wipe makes the film look like a story book, which the films were actually based on. This cut isn't used much for that reason, it creates the illusion that we are watching a picture book.
Parralel editing is more of an editing technique but can also be used as a transition. It is used to show two events occuring at the same time. A phone conversation for example could be editied using this. Take these scenes from Scott Pilgrim VS the World and Red Dwarf. They show good examples of parralel editing.
Friday 21 October 2011
Monday 17 October 2011
Editing and Transition Types - Chapter 3
Transitions are used a lot nowadays in film and television. They each have their own qualities and effects that it leaves on the audience
Styles And Conventions - Chapter 2
All films have a specific style/s in which they are shot. They generally apply to the setting and time when they are shot. Here are some examples of how a style affects a film
The Russians came up with the idea of using a series of clips and putting them into a complimation in order to inspire their mostly illiterate workforce. This is now more commonly known as a Soviet Montage. Montages can be used to show long periods of time over a couple of minutes. An example of this is in the Rocky movies to show the process of the characters training.
Point of View (POV) shots in films are not common in a lot of films but do occassionally pop up. Point of view is mostly used to identify a character personally. It can also be combined with shot reverse to create a conversation entirely from points of view, such as in Peep Show. (Link in the Notes Section Below)
A Cross Cut can be used to cut between the action and a completely different scene. Examples of this can be found in a lot of old war films. These cut between the warzone and the command room usually.
Shot Reverse Shot is used when characters are communicating between each character. A lot of films generally use shot reverse to create conversations which flow into each other and can be combined with L cuts, eye tracing and other styles to create a convincing story or plot.
Eye tracing is used during conversations in shot reverse. This generally means that the eye line of the characters communicating look as if they are talking to the character in the next clip ahead of them. The audience fill in the gaps with their mind.
Walter Murch also came up with a series of questions about where to cut such as:
Does the cut reflect what the audience should be feeling about the characters or story at the moment?
This refers to what happens if an inappropriate cut is made at the wrong time. It completely deletes the effect the clip has on people.
Does the cut advance the story?
This refers to whether the cut has affected the audience's belief as to whether any progress has been made during the plot.
The Russians came up with the idea of using a series of clips and putting them into a complimation in order to inspire their mostly illiterate workforce. This is now more commonly known as a Soviet Montage. Montages can be used to show long periods of time over a couple of minutes. An example of this is in the Rocky movies to show the process of the characters training.
Point of View (POV) shots in films are not common in a lot of films but do occassionally pop up. Point of view is mostly used to identify a character personally. It can also be combined with shot reverse to create a conversation entirely from points of view, such as in Peep Show. (Link in the Notes Section Below)
A Cross Cut can be used to cut between the action and a completely different scene. Examples of this can be found in a lot of old war films. These cut between the warzone and the command room usually.
Shot Reverse Shot is used when characters are communicating between each character. A lot of films generally use shot reverse to create conversations which flow into each other and can be combined with L cuts, eye tracing and other styles to create a convincing story or plot.
Eye tracing is used during conversations in shot reverse. This generally means that the eye line of the characters communicating look as if they are talking to the character in the next clip ahead of them. The audience fill in the gaps with their mind.
Walter Murch also came up with a series of questions about where to cut such as:
Does the cut reflect what the audience should be feeling about the characters or story at the moment?
This refers to what happens if an inappropriate cut is made at the wrong time. It completely deletes the effect the clip has on people.
Does the cut advance the story?
This refers to whether the cut has affected the audience's belief as to whether any progress has been made during the plot.
Manipulation of Time Notes
Time is a relative and a measurement.
There are several forms of time in films including:
Accelerated/Fast Forward - acts as a way to speed up an otherwise long scene or to emphasise on an action. Attention is drawn to fast forward.
Slow Motion - Also used to emphasise but for more things such as movement, identifying the characters, the importance of an action, etc. Used to create an emotion.
Long Takes - A single shot that lasts for large amounts of time generally more than a minute. Example - Cloverfield - Scenes filmed with camcorder for long periods of time.
Compressed Time - Shows a long period of time in a few seconds but can be spaced. Unlike fast forward it can be used at a normal speed. Example - Rocky montages.
Simutaneous Time - Two events occuring at the same time but cutting between one another to show it. The audiences mind puts together the idea of this and fills in the gaps if necessary.
Freeze - When a clip plays and suddenly the film freezes for a second or two. This can be used to identify a character or the significance of a persons movement.
Reversal - Playing a clip in reverse.
There are several forms of time in films including:
Accelerated/Fast Forward - acts as a way to speed up an otherwise long scene or to emphasise on an action. Attention is drawn to fast forward.
Slow Motion - Also used to emphasise but for more things such as movement, identifying the characters, the importance of an action, etc. Used to create an emotion.
Long Takes - A single shot that lasts for large amounts of time generally more than a minute. Example - Cloverfield - Scenes filmed with camcorder for long periods of time.
Compressed Time - Shows a long period of time in a few seconds but can be spaced. Unlike fast forward it can be used at a normal speed. Example - Rocky montages.
Simutaneous Time - Two events occuring at the same time but cutting between one another to show it. The audiences mind puts together the idea of this and fills in the gaps if necessary.
Freeze - When a clip plays and suddenly the film freezes for a second or two. This can be used to identify a character or the significance of a persons movement.
Reversal - Playing a clip in reverse.
Monday 10 October 2011
Styles and Conventions (Chapter 2)
Soviet Montage - a complimation of several shots which fit together in the mind of the audience without the need for editing. Can also be used to show progress in certain events. Later evolved to be used in movies such as the Rocky movies to show ocurrences over long time periods.
P.O.V Shot (Point of View) a camera angle which seems as if it is from the view of a person, typically the main character/s. Peep Show is a good example of this and is mixed with shot reverse for effect.
Cross Cutting - Cuts from an area of extreme action or lots of action to a place where little is happening. A good example of theis would be in a sequence of Apocalypse Now, where a squadron of planes is cut to a quiet village.
Shot Reverse - Cutting between two or more characters partaking in a conversation. The scene filps back and forth between the characters, typically focussing on the speaker at the time. This is generally combined with L cuts.
Peep Show - Shot Reverse - Contains some strong language/adult humour
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ATWnqhYmJlg
P.O.V Shot (Point of View) a camera angle which seems as if it is from the view of a person, typically the main character/s. Peep Show is a good example of this and is mixed with shot reverse for effect.
Cross Cutting - Cuts from an area of extreme action or lots of action to a place where little is happening. A good example of theis would be in a sequence of Apocalypse Now, where a squadron of planes is cut to a quiet village.
Shot Reverse - Cutting between two or more characters partaking in a conversation. The scene filps back and forth between the characters, typically focussing on the speaker at the time. This is generally combined with L cuts.
Peep Show - Shot Reverse - Contains some strong language/adult humour
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ATWnqhYmJlg
Transition Notes (Chapter 3)
Certain transitions are used to show certain effects:
1) L Cut/Split Edit - used to show someone talking out of shot. When a person talks to another person who isn't talking, when the screen cuts the other person who isn't talking for a reaction, that's the jump cut. The edit also looks like an L on the edit software.
2) Jump Cut - Cuts between two different points in time. It's better to cut on movement. It's also a very simple and obvious cut.
3) Wipe Cut - Found in all star wars films. This is used to create the effect of a page turning in a book or can be used to transfer between movement in one scene to another sceen with none.
4)Parallel Editing - Cutting between two scenes occurring at the same time and interchanging between them to show it. Used in many films and tv shows/dramas.
This episode of Red Dwarf has a good example of parralel editing during the spaceship exploration scenes. Link is below
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rn01wMMrnu4
1) L Cut/Split Edit - used to show someone talking out of shot. When a person talks to another person who isn't talking, when the screen cuts the other person who isn't talking for a reaction, that's the jump cut. The edit also looks like an L on the edit software.
2) Jump Cut - Cuts between two different points in time. It's better to cut on movement. It's also a very simple and obvious cut.
3) Wipe Cut - Found in all star wars films. This is used to create the effect of a page turning in a book or can be used to transfer between movement in one scene to another sceen with none.
4)Parallel Editing - Cutting between two scenes occurring at the same time and interchanging between them to show it. Used in many films and tv shows/dramas.
This episode of Red Dwarf has a good example of parralel editing during the spaceship exploration scenes. Link is below
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rn01wMMrnu4
Wednesday 28 September 2011
The History and Developments of Post Production
The history of post production goes back to the invention of film. Before the introduction of editing and post production many people generally just filmed one continuous shot of one thing that interested them.
That was how it remained until the introduction of a short film in which cuts were used which was called "The Life of an American Fireman." It was a film which cut between several different shots ranging from street shots to shots inside and outside a burning house. It followed the actions of the firemen and the person inside the building. The analogue editng in black and white films similar to these was recorded on a tape and the editors would cut and attach several shots together by identifying the shots on the roll of tape and later on, used a device called a Moviola to edit it. Cameras previously logged up to 200 hours of footage onto tapes in which it was sorted through by a group of editors. Some new shots were also invented around this time, the close up was created by a man named D.W Griffiths, the first recognised editor, and shown for the first time in his film "The Lonedale Operator," where a close up of a wrench is used.
Digital editing came later in the form of computer software and gave birth to many new techniques such as the invisible cut, in which the point at which a shot cuts matches the position of the next so that it is rendered unnoticed by the audience and also multiple camera videos in which the editing is done live or in front of an audience. Juxtaposition (Russian Montages) also came along more frequently in films, such as the "Rocky" films which features a variety of shots of training exercises. The rusians also used video montages to speak to their illiterate workforces as shown in the film "Oktober."
That was how it remained until the introduction of a short film in which cuts were used which was called "The Life of an American Fireman." It was a film which cut between several different shots ranging from street shots to shots inside and outside a burning house. It followed the actions of the firemen and the person inside the building. The analogue editng in black and white films similar to these was recorded on a tape and the editors would cut and attach several shots together by identifying the shots on the roll of tape and later on, used a device called a Moviola to edit it. Cameras previously logged up to 200 hours of footage onto tapes in which it was sorted through by a group of editors. Some new shots were also invented around this time, the close up was created by a man named D.W Griffiths, the first recognised editor, and shown for the first time in his film "The Lonedale Operator," where a close up of a wrench is used.
Digital editing came later in the form of computer software and gave birth to many new techniques such as the invisible cut, in which the point at which a shot cuts matches the position of the next so that it is rendered unnoticed by the audience and also multiple camera videos in which the editing is done live or in front of an audience. Juxtaposition (Russian Montages) also came along more frequently in films, such as the "Rocky" films which features a variety of shots of training exercises. The rusians also used video montages to speak to their illiterate workforces as shown in the film "Oktober."
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