Planning editing styles

Why is editing important?
Film editing is a post-production process of film making that combines separate footage into a continuous sequence. This is a fundamental process that achieves continuity. Continuity editing is simply a style of editing that prevents inherent discontinuity of shots and establishes a logical coherence between shots to make one sequence. The editing guides the telling and pace of the narrative. It can be used to create illusions of danger through the use of fast paced editing styles as well as emphasising certain elements that may not have been necessarily noted.

Editing Terminology

Jump cut

A cut in film editing in which two shots of the same subject are taken from camera positions that vary only slightly

Fade

When an edit fades from a scene into a black background or a black background fades into a scene.

Straight cut

An abrupt cut from one edit to another which may have no significance in the following of the narrative.

Kulvestov effect

This a film editing effect which can be used to hint at emotions without actually showing any.

Dissolve

When an image is blended into another, the other disappears as the other one comes in.

Montage

This is the reverse of slow editing in which shots are quickly joined together in order to create fast paced motion that provides the audience with excitement.

How will your editing styles help to make your thriller conventional?

The thriller opening being limited to lasting two minutes means it cannot involve too many editing effects. However, various editing techniques must be used in order to satisfy the thriller genre conventions. The purpose of those chosen will be to build up tension, intensifying the atmosphere and so providing the audience with anxiety and excitement. To achieve this, a fade effect will be used on the credits as they will prolong the scenes which will give the illusion of scenes drifting in and out as the tension rises. When the events become more thrilling, jump cut editing will be used to fasten the pace of the thriller. For example, a close up shot of the victim on the phone will cut to her turning around to emphasize her sudden movement caused by a loud sound.The credits of the production company will dissolve into the first scene as slow editing must be achieved.