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What Is Editing?Â
What Is Editing?Â
Editing in film is the process of selecting, arranging, and combining shots to create a coherent and compelling story. It determines the pace, rhythm, and flow of the narrative, shaping how the audience experiences time and emotion on screen. If cinematography captures the raw footage, editing is how those pieces are assembled into a meaningful whole. When analyding editing, we can consider the aspects listed below. Click the images to learn more.
First Thing's First: Continuity
First Thing's First: Continuity
Film makers use editing to create or disrupt a sense of continuity. This technique guides the audience's perception, either reinforcing a seamless narrative flow or deliberately disorienting the viewer to evoke specific emotions or highlight certain themes. To learn more about how our brains piece movies into a logical progression of events, you can watch the video about the Kuleshov effect, which demonstrates how the juxtaposition of different shots can influence our interpretation of a scene.
The 180 Degree Rule
The 180 Degree Rule
The 180-degree rule is a key guideline in filmmaking that ensures spatial continuity. It involves drawing an imaginary line, or "axis of action," between two characters or elements in a scene, with the camera remaining on one side of this line. This keeps characters in consistent positions (e.g., one on the left, the other on the right) to help the audience understand their spatial relationship and follow the action smoothly.
Filmmakers may choose to break the 180-degree rule to create a deliberate effect. Doing so can disorient or unsettle viewers, reflecting a character's confusion, anxiety, or psychological turmoil. It can also signify a shift in power dynamics or a change in perspective within the story. Breaking the rule can enhance the narrative by challenging audience expectations, adding emotional intensity, or emphasising a thematic element, making it a powerful tool when used intentionally. See this example from Todd Phillips's Joker (2019), analysed by StudioBinder.
Click the image to follow access some extra material related to analysing cinema. Use these resources to deepen your understanding of the different ways in which authors develop meaning in movies with performance.
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