The Grammar of Editing

The Grammar of Editing THE FIVE TYPES OF EDIT 1, ACTION EDIT 2. SCREEN POISITION EDIT 3. FORM EDIT 4. CONCEPT EDIT 5. COMBINED EDIT There are SIX ELEMENTS of the Edit 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.

Motivation Information Composition Sound Camera Angles Continuity

-

Continuity has four elements content movement position sound

General Notes: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7.

Sound and vision work together, they’re not rivals A new shot should really contain new information There should be a reason for every edit The 180 degree rule must be observed (don’t cross the line) Select the correct form of edit The better the editing, the less it will be noticed Editing is a creative process

General Working Practice – ‘The Rules’ 1. Never cut from a shot with incorrectly framed headroom to one that is correct (ir vice versa) 2. Avoid shots where objects appear close to the subject (unless a key part of furthering the narrative) 3. Avoid framing shots where the horizontal edges cut off people 4. Cut matched shots rather than unmatched 5. Don’t edit out performer’s pauses unless told to do so 6. A reaction shot seems more natural during a phrase or sentence than at the end 7. Do not be too bound by dialogue when looking for a cut point 8. In three person dialogue, never cut from one two-shot to another two-shot 9. On close shots of single characters, the fuller the shot the better 10. With a single character, try not to cut to the same angle (could get a jump cut) Document1

11. When cutting the ‘rise’ (character rising), try to keep eyes in shot as long as possible 12. When editing in a close up of an action, select a version of the close up where the action is slower 13. Prefer a tracking shot to a zoom 14. Never use a track out unless it is motivated (it usually signals the end of a scene) 15. When cutting in a pan, keep the direction the same 16. If cutting from a moving shot, never cut to a static shot of the same object/person 17. when tracking objects/people, don’t cross the line (or action is reversed) 18. When cutting a telephone call, the head shots should be looking in different directions 19. If a character leaves frame stage left, in an action edit, they should enter stage right in the next frame 20. Never cut point of interest to point of interest (watch details in the frame when editing!) 21. Give a long shot as soon as possible after a series of close shots 22. On entrance of a new character or subject, edit in a close shot to it 23. When editing a new scene, with new backgrounds, show a long shot as early as possible (establishing/master) 24. Don’t make action edits from long to close up of same character 25. Never cut to black and follow with a cut to picture 26. At the start of a programme, the sound leads to vision 27. For the end of a programme, use the end of the music NOTES:

Document1