Editing Post

Continuity editing. Continuity editing is of the basis that everything is in time order, and that it flows from scene to scene. The editing is continuous.

We undertook a session in class which allowed us to grasp the concept of continuity editing where we had images of screenshots from the TV show Spooks. We had to arrange these in order so that each scene was in chronological order. At first it was difficult as there was also parallel editing between two different locations which contained two establishing shots of both character and location and made it hard to determine which one came first. If we got any of these wrong it would mean that it would not run in chronological order and would not make sense so we watched the clip and corrected the mistakes we had made.

Continuity editing provides fluidity to the sequence, it also allows for a wide variety of different camera angles to be used.

There are specific key features of continuity editing; for example Match on action. This is were a different shot/camera angle is used to continue the action of what was happening in the previous shot.

There is an establishing shot which is usually either a birds eye view, long shot, or a pan which reveals to the audience the location in this particular scene.

Another effective shot is the POV- Point Of View shot which allows the audience to place themselves in the characters shoes, it can make us feel that we are there in the film it self and creates tension.

An eye-line match is where you can clearly see the character looking at something/someone but you do not know what, this part is effective as it helps create mystery and enigma. Then it cuts to the object/to the person the character was looking at.

Parallel editing - This is where the film is showing two or more events happening at the same time, they do this by cutting between the two different events, this often be two people travelling to a destintion where they will end up coming together, this editing style is used to create tension as we wait for these people to come together.

There is parallel editing here as the camera switches between shots with Max, Derek and Jack, but the in that context the time is still the same. We are shown what all three are doing at exactly the same time, which created an enigma to whom could be Kat's lover.

This video shows continuity editing techniques such as Match on action, eye-line match, time compression.