Editing and Characters


Fourth entry!! By now you’d think that was I getting good at this….but I’m not. I really don’t know how to start. Once I’ve stared then everything’s fine and dandy, but it’s the getting started that’s the problem. Well here goes!
When we started on this subject I couldn’t believe how important and complicated- to my mind anyway!- the editing part in film and television is! I just thought that a plain old cut was used for everything, but had ’fade’ in front of it if it was to fade, or ‘dissolve’. Shows how little I knew!
Up till last week, I used to think that the moods and atmosphere was created just by the actors and their lines. But now in studying the editing from other dramas, I’ve realised how wrong I was. Well it only took 16 years for common sense to kick in!. Not bad huh?!
Editing creates character bonds. The camera angles and types of shots are a key feature to the succession of the editing process. Depending on where that edit has taken place, determines the relationship of the characters on the screen, to the viewers watching. So for example, if a character walks into a room, and there is a cut to another persons face. It shows that the two already know each other, or will know each other. It is then the actors work that portray each characters mood, from the facial expression and dialogue. So with the cut being where it was tells a part of the story. Showing us- the viewer- other angles and points of view of the same scene.
Editing also makes the programme interesting. Editors use editing to keep the viewer on the edge of their seat. This could be showing a characters face with a scared expression, but not showing us what he/she is scared of. Or showing us the back of a character doing something. But not what they are doing.
I think I may have wondered off track a bit. But I’m just sooo ecstatic that I’ve found out the true beauty of editing!!! (you could either portray that as sarcasm, or that I’m having problems with the actual task!) I’ve even tried to make the writing bigger, but that just looks to obvious!
Right, back to it. I think I’m going to have to have a look at my notes. Which is ruing my theme of doing things from memory! L
Ah! I know! Let me list all the editing types!
Cut- sudden change
Matched Cut- where characters maybe talking
Jump Cut- from I scene to another
Motivated cut- moving from one shot to another
Cutting rate- to set the pact of the scene
Cutting Rhythm- set the atmosphere
Cross-cut- Changes from one character talking to another replying,
Cutaway- Two shots at the same time
Reaction shot- showing a characters reaction to something
Insert- close-up shot into a larger context
Buffer shot- Same shot taken with two different cameras for the same scene
Fade, dissolve- gradual transitions; may be used to show time gone by
Superimposition- two images placed directly over each other
Wipe-optical effect, the image being ‘wiped’ from the screen
Split screen- see several smaller images on the screen at the same time
Stock shot- footage that’s been filmed before the scene- e.g. Old documentaries.
Inset-special visual effect, reveal close-up detail
So I’ve done the deed. That sounds like I’ve just murdered someone!J (the smile face isn’t at the thought of killing someone- though how tempting it is sometimes- its at the ‘deed’, just so there’s no confusion, and you don’t mistake me for some psycho!)
Well that’s all I can think of to write about the relationships between characters and editing.
“Ciao belle!” as the Italians would say.