12 Rules Of Editing Every Filmmaker Must Know About 1. Emotion – Does the cut reflect what the editor believes the audience should be feeling at that moment? Is it emotionally true to the story and character arc? 2. Story – Does the cut advance the story? 3. Rhythm – Does the cut occur at a moment that is rhythmically interesting and ‘right’? 4. Eye-trace – Does the cut pay respect to the location and movement of the audience’s focus of interest within the frame? 5. 2-Dimensional place – Is the cut true to the 2D representation of the film world? 6. 3-Dimensional space – Is the cut true to the physical/spatial relationships within the diegesis? 1. Never make a cut without a positive reason – “The only reason for using another cut is to improve the scene.” Edit points are governed by anything other than the drive to improve what the scene intends to communicate to the audience. 2. Whenever possible cut ‘in movement’ – “Creating a ‘diversion’ of sorts … is also the principle at work in the action cut.” The goal is seamless, invisible, “magical” editing. This is not possible without the greatest command of timing: timing that comes from an understanding of human perception and eye movement. 3. The fresh is preferable to the stale - “In art, the obvious is a sin.” Dmytryk suggests that if frames must be added between shots, do so at the beginning of a fresh, new shot so that the viewer accepts the lingering frames as part of exposition for a new angle or shot. 4. All scenes should begin and end with continuing action – “Subconsciously suggest to the viewer that he is seeing a fragment of continuing life, not a staged scene with a visible framework.” In other words, enter after it started leave before it finishes. 5. Cut for proper values rather than proper matches – “The film’s dramatic requirements should always take precedence over the mere aesthetics of editing.” Continuity is not the most important aspect of editing. 6. Substance first – then Form - “Technical skill counts for nothing if it is used only to manufacture films which have little to do with humanity.”
Posted on: Fri, 23 Jan 2015 09:20:11 +0000
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