Film Editing Project

https://youtu.be/l0OWJRMtfC8

The video above is me and my friend Ava's film editing project. In doing this project, Ava and I had to plan out and execute six edits/transitions. When we began the project, we looked at the list of transitions and chose the six that seemed like the most fun to record. These included a freeze frame, cutting on action, flashback, shot/reverse shot, match cut, and fade out. We then went out to record each one and the ideas just came to us as we went. In doing this, we learned the "behind the scenes" of crafting each type of editing technique. After each clip was recorded, we had to edit them. We had to make sure we were piecing them together in a sensible way. This portion of the project helped us further develop our editing skills. I'd say the hardest aspect of the video was editing the match cut, as the shots had to go together smoothly. Throughout the project, Ava and I shared the same roles, as they weren't assigned. We traded off the role of cinematographer, actor, editor, etc depending on the clip. Overall, the filming and editing process went very smoothly and was a fun experience!

Six examples of specific edits/transitions from films:

Match cut: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xhVnu_Y-V0c

(0:18-0:22) 

This clip from the movie Tarzan uses a graphic match cut to compare the baby gorilla’s relationship with its parent to Tarzan’s relationship with his mom. This match cut symbolizes the relationship between Tarzan and the wild, connecting him to this rough environment. It also highlights the similarity between the gorillas’ relationship and Tarzan’s with his mother. This cut helps to create a seamless sense of continuity between the two instances. Overall, the cut is very effective in creating meaning in this scene.  

Freeze frame: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tCizOPfimsU

In this clip, a freeze frame is used to close the film. This freeze frame is significant because it emphasizes Harry’s joy about his new broomstick. It also is important to note the more lighthearted, joyous ending to contrast the harsh events within the movie prior. The freeze frame is important because, without it, Harry’s expression would not be as visible as he is moving at such a high speed. The freeze frame is vital to understand the scenes' full meaning.  

Iris: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tCizOPfimsU

This clip also includes an iris transition to conclude the movie. This iris-out shrinks the image we see to draw focus to Harry’s joyful expression. Without the iris out, we would be left with the whole picture, and it would not be as clear what the filmmakers are trying to accentuate. In the end, the image is consumed by the closing circle, making the whole screen black and successfully closing out the film. This creates a sense of conclusion in the film. It also helps to further emphasize Harry’s facial expression. 

Flashback: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fmYWetLQZ28

In this clip, Rapunzel discovers something lifechanging, that she is the lost princess. The zoom in on her eye transitions into a series of flashbacks that support Rapunzel’s realization. These flashbacks create meaning through showing that these signs have been around over the course of Rapunzel’s entire life. Furthermore, the way that they are cut together creates a sense of disorientation that emphasizes how life changing this realization is for Rapunzel. The flashbacks help us fully understand Rapunzel’s background as she figures it out herself.  

 

Shot/reverse shot: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AiX-WvMNDPc

Anna and Elsa’s dialogue in this clip is presented using the shot/reverse shot editing strategy. The scene has both over the shoulder and POV shots throughout the dialogue, putting the viewer in Anna and Elsa’s shoes. This technique creates continuity throughout the scene, making the conversation easy to follow. It also creates meaning through emphasizing each character’s facial expressions and feelings about the situation they are speaking about. The shot/reverse shot is a very practical, effective way to present intense dialogue, which we can see in this scene.  

 

  

Dissolve: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=62llzl7iKkE

This scene from Camp Rock features many dissolve transitions to cut between Mitchie and Shane’s perspectives. These transitions, especially in the context of the lyrics they are singing, emphasize the differing views of the two characters that led to their “breakup” of sorts. The dissolves help create a seamless transition between the two points of view, whoever is onscreen being who is singing at that moment. This helps maintain continuity and a pace that appears slower in a scene with a lot of changing perspectives. Overall, the scene is very visually pleasing because the dissolve transitions make the conflict easier to follow.