1. AS MEDIA STUDIESAS MEDIA STUDIES
EDITING
Misfits Montage

2. What is editing?What is editing?
• The juxtaposition of different shots to
create meaning
• Constructing a narrative out of
footage
• Creating a rhythm and setting the tone
• Continuity editing in TV drama

3. What should you look for…What should you look for…
When analysing the use of editing, cutting affects the following 3
things that you should look for FIRST in your analysis, before
looking for transitions, speed and special effects:
1.SCREEN TIME
How much screen time does each character have? How do they relate to the
representational group you are focusing on? What does the amount of time
they are given on screen say about their status in the clip?
1.PACE
The number of cuts used at any time affects the pace of the sequence – making it
seem like things are moving quickly or very slowly. The quicker the cutting, the
faster the pace & the more tension or anxiety will be created. The longer the shots
are before each cut, the slower and more drawn out the action will feel. Think about
the pace at different points in the clip – what does it say about a) what is happening
and b) the characters involved?
1.EDITING FOR PERSPECTIVE
Cuts can be used to take us from one shot to another, and often from the
perspective of one character to another. Think about where the camera is
positioning you - are you with, behind or opposite the characters – what can you
see and how does that make you respond to the representation focus?

4. What ‘elements’ of editing areWhat ‘elements’ of editing are
there?there?
CUTS
TRANSITIONS
SPEED
SPECIAL
EFFECTS

5. CUTSCUTS
• Sometimes it might feel like there is “no editing” but there is ALWAYS editing in
moving image – it’s how the different shot types are pieced together to
create a structure that helps make a story from all the footage.
• If it feels like there is “no editing” it means that invisible editing techniques have
been used. This is when match, eyeline and motivated match cuts are used
so that it the editing between the shots can’t be seen. This is used to help
reinforce realism and suspend our disbelief (so we can pretend we’re watching
something that feels real).
• Cut Spooks
• Match cut waterloo road
• Motivated cut Downton Abbey
• Jump cut wateloo road
• Cross cut & Eyeline Match
Life on Mars

6. TRANSITIONSTRANSITIONS
• Fade out / Fade in Hotel Babylon
• Dissolve merlin
• Sped up motion / time lapse Hotel
Babylon
• Ellipses Sherlock Holmes
• Split Screen Spooks (at 30 secs)
• CGI Primeval
SPEEDSPEED
Special EffectsSpecial Effects

7. Why is editing important?Why is editing important?
• Key way shots can be connected together
in a sequence to convey meaning
– Coherent / realistic
• Choice of edits can have specific
implications
– Enbale action in TV drama to appear
Continuous
– enable action in episode to occur over a
specific time frame
• Edits work with carefully constructed shots
& use of sound
– Subtle relationship to other micro-elements