Time Manipulation

Editing has many effects over the film in which it is in. If edited well it can manipulate the audiences perception over time. There are many ways on how time can be manipulated using such edits as; compressed time, simultaneous time, slow or fast to real time and freeze frame.

Compressed time - An edit that uses our brain as a tool to fill in a gap that isnt seen as an important event, such as going to open the door but instead of showing the person turning the handle that character will then be shown wlking into the room. This is shown in a still frame film of Vancouver City througout the night and morning to show the differences over time but during a very short period.

Simultaneous time - This edit uses editing to show many but usually two event between characters of interest being cut to show they are in sync. In V for Vendetta there is a scene where both main characters are getting ready and then walking at the same time and cut to show this clearly in the film.

Slow or fast to real time - Fast to real time usually used either to speed the events that have happend over a long period of time and shown to us as fragmented but quick cuts in a small amount of time, or to make one long take shorter for example in crank the main character is looking for something but time is made quicker so that we see how desperate he is to get to it. Slow to real time typically shown in the matrix movies either can seperate the character of interest from the rest of reality like a never ending dream state to emphasise all detail and movement/reflex like when Spiderman's "spidey sense" goes off.

Freeze Frame - An edit used to show and emphasise the stopping of time in that area and to emphasise the sorroundings and events on screen. This can be seen in the scene of Submarine where the girl is about to fall into the puddle/pond to show everyones emotion clearly before the event.

Transitions

Transitions are edits that are used to link on shot with another, or to link many shots to a scene. Different transitions can give different effects or meaning to a shot. Transition shots include:

1. Dissolve transitions or fades, give the effect that one scene has started or has begun. This will let the audience gradually be moved from one scene/story to another without disorientating the audience.
2. Wipe transitions, a cheesy edit that is usually not taken seriously. The Star Wars franchise used this as their main form of moving from one location to the other, whilst simultaneously keeping time the same.
   
3. Long takes, filmed in a way that a single scene will shot within one take but filmed so that the audience may feel it is filmed as many shots.
4. J cuts and L cuts, used so that an audio track from character or object may overlap a video track so you can hear the speech and see the others reactions simultaneously.
5. Jump cuts, used so that a large amount of time can be covered withing seconds like when the caveman throws the bone into the air and it turns into a space craft.
6. Cross Cutting, used to show and change between two shots that contridict each other giving the emotion and setting for both sides of the story.
   

Editing styles and conventions

There are many editing styles used in modern and old films. These editing styles and conventions help to protray the meaning and add layers to the film itself if used correctly. Usually when edited well the edits will seemless to the audience therefore telling the story well.

Continuity editing has many different styles but these are the most often used. The 180 degree rule, where the camera will always film from one side in that scene whilst following a 180 degree wall limitation, this is to prevent the audience becoming disorientated with that film technique. The level eye line rule keeps the characters eye lines level so that the audience will always know where they are looking or who they are looking at, this will usually be filmed in a shot-reverse-shot. Cross cutting edits show two different events that are happening simultaneously and that are linked with the current story.

the history and devolopments of post production

To begin with filmmakers would just photograph of anything that would interest them or interest other, with using any editing techniques at all. The first documented film that had cutting edge editing included was "life of an American fireman" filmed by Edwin Porter. In this film they included a cross cutting edit that showed two seperate events, that were linked, happening simultaneously over a period of time. Editing from then onwards was used in films to help portray a story whilst keeping the audience interested.

Lev Kuleshov and his "kuleshov experiment" theorised that by editing a film in a certain way, you can get the audience to discover or predict their own meanings. He did this by linking a man with a blank expression and a bowl of soup and that created the thought of wanting the soup but when the soup is replaced with a greiving mother and coffin it shows that he may be greiving to. Filmakers later on would then use editing techniques in soviet films or propaganda films to help prevoke a response. For example, the film "Oktober" where the film maker shows the whole story but in such a biased way, that it would prevoke the respected audience into fighting for the cause/rebellion.

D.W.Griffiths near enough during this time of soviet montage editing wanted to make the edits invisible to the audience eye to make the edits "seemless". whilst soviet montage would make edits very visible, to deliberately gain the audience attention and response.