Have you ever thought producers of shows might edit the various shots to be more meaningful in order to capture your interest? If you have ever pondered this for a second, you are indeed correct. In the chapter entitled, “Aesthetics of Editing,” Osgood & Hinshaw discuss the different ways one may edit a video and the significance of editing.
So…what goes into editing? Well, let me outline it for you!
- The Order: the way shots are arranged develops a plot line
- The Relationship: establishing believability with patience and attention to detail
- Time: the editor must constantly consider the length of each shot, each scene and each program
- The Rhythm & the Pace: an image should be on screen long enough to transfer the information to the viewer
- The Continuity: maintaining story consistency from shot to shot and within scenes. Remember to:
- Maintain screen direction
- Matching eye lines (when two characters speak with each other)
- Use of vectors (i.e. character looks off-screen, then shot of what the character sees shortly follows)
- Establishing shot (establishes the location of the scene each time location changes)
- Montage: a grouping of unrelated images to produce a new meaning
- Sequencing: a series of shots that relate to the same activity
- Transitions: change from one shot to another
Before I go onto an example of all of these elements in action, let me rant about transitions and the importance of them. A series of shots should flow naturally together so the audience can follow the storyline without getting a headache from confusion. There are several different types of transitions like mixing, fading, dissolving and wiping. However, the most important transition to me is the fade from one scene to the next. I mean honestly, a video isn’t a slideshow of your favorite photos with nifty transitions. The transition should be seamless and smooth and occur so un-dramatically that the audience is simply aware of a continuing storyline. Simple is better, people!
Alright as promised let me provide you with a little example that incorporates all of these elements so you get the picture. I particularly like the show Gossip Girl, so I’ll focus on an example from that. First, the opening shot of each show pans over Manhattan in some dreamy way, slowly focusing in on Serena’s Penthouse all the while GG (Gossip Girl, duh) begins with her snarky dialogue about the debaucherous Upper-Eastsiders. The relationship is thus established between Manhattan, the Penthouse and then an image of Serena laying in her bed thinking about her lover-boy, Dan. The rhythm is slow with a consistent pace where each image stacks on the next to provide a clear storyline of where that particular episode is going. The sequencing of the images not only establishes the location, but the deeper meaning of the episode as well, naturally with the help of GG’s narrations. Also, each scene fades into the next to distract the audience as little as possible with the actual changing between scenes and have them focus more on the actual plot line.
Isn’t editing fun? I bet you never even knew how much thought and work went into each tiny scene shown in your favorite shows. Gives you a whole new appreciation for them, huh?
Questions to ponder:
- Who came up with this genius idea of editing images in movies and shows so we become even more addicted than we already are?
- Are there any new techniques to try?
- Where will the future of videography and editing go next? (I can only imagine!)
Source of Image: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Gossip_girl.jpg
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