The Origins of Editing Styles and

TechniquesCOM 320—History of the

Moving Image

I. The Beginnings of Classical (Hollywood) Editing

I. The Beginnings of Classical (Hollywood) Editing

1. Intercutting (between 2+ different spaces; also called parallel editing or crosscutting)

-e.g., D. W. Griffith’s Broken Blossoms (boxing match vs. girl/Chinese man encounter)

I. The Beginnings of Classical (Hollywood) Editing

1. Intercutting (between 2+ different spaces; also called parallel editing or crosscutting)

-e.g., D. W. Griffith’s Broken Blossoms (boxing match vs. girl/Chinese man encounter)

-e.g., lack of intercutting: The Life of An American Fireman (1903, George S. Fleming & Edwin S. Porter (uncredited))

I. The Beginnings of Classical (Hollywood) Editing

1. Intercutting (between 2+ different spaces; also called parallel editing or crosscutting)

2. Analytical editing -Breaks a single space into separate framings

I. The Beginnings of Classical (Hollywood) Editing

1. Intercutting (between 2+ different spaces; also called parallel editing or crosscutting)

2. Analytical editing 3. Continguity editing

-Movement from space to space -e.g., Rescued by Rover

I. The Beginnings of Classical (Hollywood) Editing

1. Intercutting (between 2+ different spaces; also called parallel editing or crosscutting)

2. Analytical editing 3. Continguity editing 4. Specific techniques

1. 180-degree system (violated in Cabinet of Dr. Caligari) 2. Point of view (POV) 3. Eyeline match 4. Shot/reverse shot

1. l80o system

NoYes

2. POV shot

3. Eyeline match (and the Kuleshov Effect)

4. Shot-Reverse-Shot series

II. Soviet Montage Editing

II. Soviet Montage Editing 1. Many shots

II. Soviet Montage Editing 2. Rapid cutting

II. Soviet Montage Editing

3. Thematic montage

II. Soviet Montage Editing 4. Creative geography

II. Soviet Montage Editing 5. Kuleshov Effect

Established (??) by Lev Kuleshov in a series of experiments (poorly documented, however)

Nature of the “Kuleshov Effect”—Even without establishing shot, the viewer may infer spatial or temporal continuity from shots of separate elements; his supposed early “test” used essentially an eyeline match

II. Soviet Montage Editing 5. Kuleshov Effect

Kuleshov Effect—Preliminary Kuleshov Effect—Preliminary Empirical EvidenceEmpirical Evidence

Essential Kuleshov

FRAMES Study 2011

SOUP = ???

COFFIN = ???

GIRL WITH TEDDY BEAR = ???

Kuleshov Effect—Preliminary Kuleshov Effect—Preliminary Empirical EvidenceEmpirical Evidence

Essential Kuleshov

FRAMES Study 2011

SOUP = HUNGER

COFFIN = SADNESS

GIRL WITH TEDDY BEAR = ANGER

Kuleshov Effect—Possible sequencesKuleshov Effect—Possible sequencesEssential Kuleshov Manipulation

Condition 1

Condition 2

Condition 3

Condition 4

Condition 5

II. Soviet Montage Editing 6. Contradictory space

Shots of same event contradict one another (e.g., plate smashing in Potemkin)

II. Soviet Montage Editing 7. Graphic contrasts

Distinct change in composition or action (e.g., Odessa step sequence in Potemkin)

II. Soviet Montage Editing

8. Cubism? From Yuri Tsivian’s analysis on the Strike DVD:

Multiple views of the scene are presented, views that are not POVs of any characters in film–like the work of a cubist artist

Cubism—Subject is “cut up” (decoupage), then re-assembled using various angles

e.g., Pablo Picasso

II. Soviet Montage Editing 9. Intercutting

Expanded use from Griffith

II. Soviet Montage Editing 10. Overlapping editing

Repetitions expand the time of the event shown Later example–Babe (in-class showing) Later example—Mission Impossible 2

Overlapping EditingOverlapping Editing

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9

1 2 3 4

Angle A

Overlapping EditingOverlapping Editing

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9

1 2 3 4 4 5 6 7 8

Angle A Angle B

Overlapping EditingOverlapping Editing

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9

1 2 3 4 4 5 6 7 8 7 8 9

Angle A Angle B Angle C

Overlapping EditingOverlapping Editing

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9

1 2 3 4 4 5 6 7 8 7 8 9

Angle A Angle B Angle C

Overlapping EditingOverlapping Editing

Mission Impossible 2Mission Impossible 2, John Woo, 2000:, John Woo, 2000:

II. Soviet Montage Editing 11. Elliptical cutting/Jump cutting

Opposite effect of overlapping editing A portion of the event is left out (often via jump

cuts), so the event takes less time than it would in reality

Later examples–Rocky Horror Picture Show, Basquiat (in-class showing)

Elliptical (Jump Cut) EditingElliptical (Jump Cut) Editing

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9

1 2 3 4 7 8 9

Angle A

II. Soviet Montage Editing 12. Nondiegetic inserts

Elements from outside the “story world” (diegesis) are inserted for symbolic or metaphorical purposes

e.g., Slaughterhouse/police attack in Strike

II. Soviet Montage Editing 12. Nondiegetic inserts

Elements from outside the “story world” (diegesis) are inserted for symbolic or metaphorical purposes

e.g., Slaughterhouse/police attack in Strike Later examples–Naked Gun 2-1/2, My Own

Private Idaho, Basquiat (in-class showing)

Non-diegetic Inserts--ExampleNon-diegetic Inserts--Example Naked Gun 2-1/2 Naked Gun 2-1/2

12 inserts during sex scene:12 inserts during sex scene: A flower openingA flower opening Raising of a pillar in ancient EgyptRaising of a pillar in ancient Egypt Rocket blasting offRocket blasting off Man putting a hot dog in a bunMan putting a hot dog in a bun Man being shot out of a cannon at a circusMan being shot out of a cannon at a circus Train going through a tunnelTrain going through a tunnel Oil rigs moving up and downOil rigs moving up and down A roller coaster going upside downA roller coaster going upside down A submarine firing a torpedoA submarine firing a torpedo A levee breakingA levee breaking FireworksFireworks A basketball being dunkedA basketball being dunked

Non-diegetic Inserts—Other Examples?Non-diegetic Inserts—Other Examples?

Fight ClubFight Club (peaceful forest, flames) (peaceful forest, flames) A Clockwork OrangeA Clockwork Orange (explosions, hanging, (explosions, hanging,

vampire fangs)vampire fangs) ?????? ??????

end