EDITING

EDITING AND REPRESENTATION As a technical code, editing is primarily related to narrative, and many students struggle to make connections between editing and representation. They see how camera-work such as close-ups and low angles conveys status and emotion to the audience. The use of costume, props and settings as functions of mise en scene are also pretty transparent to most students. But what does match-on-action have to do with character or representation? This list is designed to help you to start thinking about how editing can, if sometimes subtly, influence the audience’s reading of a character, and lead on to wider questions of representation. It is not an exhaustive list, and you should be wary of assuming these suggestions are either a) complete or b) foolproof - in the same way that black and white don’t always represent good and evil (just ask a penguin). The role of editing in representation is open to interpretation, and is greatly dependent on context. So use your intelligence!

Tasks:

1. What is meant by transition of image and sound?
2. Explain in your own words, why editing is so important.
3. Find definition, examples and include brief analysis of the following types of cuts -

shot/reverse shot

eyeline match

graphic match

action match

jump cut

corsscutting

parallel editing

cutaway

insert

**HINT - I advise finding definitions of all first, then you might be able to find a few examples in one go.