1 Digital Filmmaking Lecture 5 Editing Definition Editing

Transcript

Digital Filmmaking Lecture 5 Editing Definition Editing encompasses the creative interweaving of shots and sounds in a way that’s meaningful, pleasing or coherent. It’s a practice or technique that continues to evolve with changing tools and changing human sensibilities. The viewer’s experience of a film has hitherto been linear in which shots and sounds serve to create evolving meaning. In the future will new practices emerge driven by interactivity and the implication of fragmented frames (single frames with multiple images and information as is seen on WebPages and the News)? Whatever, the next phase, a consistent and common root to editing has always been the human brain’s need to create order and meaning out of visual and auditory sensory input. Editing or Post Production is the final phase of the film production process. It is where all the chickens of Pre-production and Production (Principal Photography) indeed come home to roost. If the erstwhile filmmaker has not prepared well or did not acquire all the visual and sound elements needed, they will certainly become very aware of this absence at the editing table. Film Editing and Film Language Cinema has often been referred to as a sort of language. Scholars on the subject go back and forth debating this hotly and we will not waste too much time arguing about how many angels sit on this particular pinhead but I will say that filmmaking does have a number of language-like characteristics. There are conventions, conventions of visuals and sound that have evolved over time and are commonly accepted by both film viewers and film creators. These conventions are therefore shared ones and the filmmaking exercise is one in which the filmmaker uses old conventions and also may create new ones. If every convention is old, the film is a cliché. If everything in new it’s an experimental or art film. Most films sit somewhere in the middle between the two and filmmakers must know what people expect and where to innovate. It is this tendency we have to want new things, to be entertained in slightly new ways that separates this industry for others. The end product is a moving target and no one to this day can predict what will be a hit. When you make a film you engage a person’s entire lifetime of film 1 watching! They will watch your film on the basis of all the other film, television and audio-visual experiences they have had. The ability of an audio-visual communicator rests on being as conversant in that history as much as possible. Film editing, involves managing and, yes, manipulating the expectations and anticipation of your viewer. One of the hardest things to do as a filmmaker is to be able to see the wood from the trees, to be able to move oneself from being the director and builder of the film to being just like a member of one’s own audience. Some directors do not sit with the editor but will hand over the script and the footage, wave bye-bye then return after a scene has been edited. That’s not just laziness. It’s a way to keep one’s response to the film fresh so that one can be the audience’s proxy in the edit room. I sometimes will perform an edit, then review it standing at the back of the room rather than at the computer just to keep my eye, and therefore my brain, fresh! Technical Parameters The smallest unit for picture editing is the frame. In an earlier essay, I talked about the phenomenon of Persistence of Vision (The Flipbook effect) that creates the impression of images moving in time. When similar images change sequentially at a fast enough speed the human brain perceives a connection between each frame that creates the moving image effect. In motion pictures, 24 or 25 such frames are seen in 1 second. In American television, 1 second of video is made up of 30 frames. A minute of video therefore is made up of 30 x 60= 1800 frames. In video (and film nowadays) every frame of video has a number based on this timing. Video frames can be tracked in hours, minutes, seconds and frames. HH/MM/SS/FF 23/59/59/29 The next frame in the above sequence would complete one hour of video. Each frame has its own Time Code Number that is used like a library’s book code. It allows the editor to go and select a frame or group of frames (shots) for subsequent use in telling a story. The Editing Process Once the shots have been uploaded to your editing application, actual editing involves 1. Selecting the desired shots. This process can be excruciating but a way to approach this is by doing the opposite. Eliminate all the shots that are not good or “NG”. Discard or cut out shots that are shaky or out-of-focus (unless that’s what you are looking for) or shots with performance error and flubs. Most importantly remove from contention all those shots with technical problems- bad sound, bad light. 2 Once you have eliminated what doesn’t work, what you are left with is the workable raw material from which you can build your film. This process is more akin to sculpting where you must chip away at a material to find its shape. 2. Arranging these shots in a meaningful way. Once the usable takes are selected, arranging them is in fact the editing process. Before we discuss that, we’ll briefly go over the preparatory steps before you start cutting (I use the words editing and cutting interchangeably though I actually prefer “cutting” since it has an old film feel to it). Editing Prep Before you start, it’s useful to get your shots well organized to prevent a frustrating mess in the middle of the edit. A lot of editing has to do with retrieving shots and sounds from your clip library. You can waste a lot of time scrolling through video trying to find a shot or a sound you vaguely remember. In fact you can kill a project doing that. Tape Log/Transcript (Note: Use the Scene Breakdown sheet as a template, just add timecode) While it makes for tedium up front, doing a very detailed transcription (watching your video then writing down everything you see and hear in columns) or tape log can pay enormous dividends and also serves a creative function later. First of all, logging and transcription allows you to absorb and internalize your material. Before your creative mind can take hold of the images and sounds and put them together in inventive ways, they have to be absorbed. Once they are, your brain will allow you to dream your movie. Secondly, it’s a darn sight easier flipping pages looking for a shot than it is to have to watch video again and again hunting for a clip. In my experience, computer –based editing has not made the process faster because people are more inclined to approach editing like word processing- dump the stuff in and sort it out later. That can take hours of sorting and whittling. Because early film editing involved the actual cutting and splicing (joining) of filmstrips and magnetic tape, the process was more like using a typewriter. The editor would think it through in their mind before carefully executing the edit because making a mistake or repeating the edit (like typewriting) was just too painful to do. The Paper Edit (Note: Use the 2-Column documentary script as a template. Add columns for timecode) Once you’ve completed the selection process (or elimination process), cut and paste from your transcript and Log into a sheet that looks like a 2-column script with columns added for start and end time codes of each shot and sound in the order in which the audience will see it. If you are using tapes or film reels, you may also have to add a column for the Tape or Reel number. 3 A detailed script with actual written visual and audio descriptions and accompanying timecode information is called A Paper Edit. Again it is tedious but it does allow you to play the film out on paper, visualizing it before you edit. A final paper edit, is called an EDL – Edit Decision List. With EDL in hand, you proceed to edit. Now let’s be truthful! Folks don’t do this anymore. They dump the footage in and go for it! With increasing cultural impatience and ADD, I find that filmmakers of all stripes are less and less willing to go through this process (except the good ones!) and it shows in their work. By choosing not to confront the tedium upfront, it gets pushed into the editing process. Filmmakers get worn out and overwhelmed by too many choices. They often end up making their editorial choices out of fatigue than any other factor. It is however an increasing trend. Story Structure Re-visited This is just a reminder of the underlying principles that will drive your editing decisions. When looking at your footage, you should consider any or all of the belowDramatic Structure 3-Act Beginning Middle End 5-Act Freytag’s Triangle Exposition Inciting Incident Rising Action Climax Falling Action Denouement Non-fiction/News/Feature Documentary Structure Expositional questions that must be answeredWho? What? Where? When? How? Why? 4 Editorial ElementsA-roll B-roll SOT VO FX Titles Music Checkerboard Editing Checkerboard editing refers to an approach in news and documentary editing when using VO (Voice-over/Narration). In this approach, the editor first lays down a shot then edits in a section of voice-over then returns to the visual time line to lay down another shot. Rather than put in all the visuals first then the sound, Checkerboard editing involves editing some picture then bouncing over to edit some sound then bouncing back to edit more picture. In a sense, the editing process jumps back and forth from the visual timeline to the soundtrack until the film is complete. This allows the editor to ability to keep track of how scene is being paced. Checkerboard editing is also used in sound editing where each sound is placed on a parallel soundtrack running simultaneously. A Personal Tip For Documentary Editing An editor from the TV show 20/20 once told me how he approached editing his footage. He always looked for the following1. The Hook 2. The Line 3. The Close (sorry not “The Sinker”) The Hook is essentially anything the editor can find to hook the audience’s attention- a dramatic and compelling shot, sound, voice-over, that will grab the attention of the viewer, enticing them to stay for the whole show. The Line is the storyline based upon the same dramatic principals that have been discussed in earlier lessons. The Close is a strong ending. Thematic Unity in Documentary In documentary and news features, concepts of Time and Space continuity break down. A scene in fiction is a moment of dramatic action and reaction taking place in a single location at a single time. In documentary, dramatic moments are often constructed by juxtaposing interview 5 soundbites (A-roll/SOT’s) or juxtaposing A-roll with B-roll and sound. These dramatic or significant moments do not necessarily have unity of time or space but they must have unity of theme or subject. A documentary sequence must still have exposition, action, re-action, a beginning, middle and end with rising drama or intensity leading to a climax and denouement without each character being in the same location or at the same time. Categorical Structure/Instructional Video Instructional videos often follow a step-by-step process from beginning to end. There may not be drama inherently in the process. Conceptually break the process to be depicted into sequences or chapters. Under each chapter heading create lists of relevant A-roll, B-roll, Voiceover, animation, graphs, music, photographs and effects. During Production acquire all the elements listed in each chapter. Convert and capture all these audio-visual elements to the editing software as clips and store these clips in files or bins with the same name as the chapter headings. Begin editing the first draft (or Assembly) based on these chapters or categories. Arrange sequences in process order. Second and third drafts of the movie can break these categories if creative or instructional ideas and demand necessitate these changes. Don’t be afraid to move from a logical or systematic organization to a creative or intuitive layout of your film. Dramatic elements such as malfunctions and potential failures can be added to make the categorical more “entertaining” so to speak. Editing The Assembly As mentioned above, after selecting the best takes or clips, the editor lays them out on the timeline in approximate story order. If editing a drama, for example, the editor will layout multiple takes (different versions of the same shot) consecutively. The editor and director can then choose which one’s work visually and audibly then delete the ones that don’t. Computer based editing has made life easier in one respect- instead of having to lose clips permanently by cutting film strips, all you have to do now is save the project under a different file name so one can keep different versions of the same film. 6 At this point it is useful to refer to a basic requirement of all film edits is called 3-point Editing. 3-Point Editing Every edited clip (video or audio) has 3 points: The Source Video’s In-point By Source video, I refer to the video that has been shot then captured as a clip to the editing software. From this source material, we select clips that are put on to the timeline and will be in the movie. Sometimes these are called “sub-clips” but for the most part we call them clips too. Each shot selected for the timeline starts at a particular frame. This starting frame will have its own Timecode in hours, minutes, seconds and frames. An Inpoint is the actual frame that starts an edited shot. It is the first frame of a clip the audience will see. The Source Video’s Out-Point Every edited shot or clip or sub-clip has to end. The ending frame in called the Out-point. The Timeline In-Point Once you have selected a shot’s In-point and Out-point, you have to decide where that shot has to go on the timeline. That’s called the Timeline In-point. (Note: In advanced editing, sometimes editors will “back-time” a clip- figure out where they want the shot to end rather than where it should begin. In that case, editors’ may choose to find a Timeline Out-point). Trimming Once clips are assembled on the timeline in story order- act by act, sequence by sequence (or chapter by chapter), scene by scene, take by take, the editor then concentrates on one scene at a time and one shot at a time whittling each shot down to the minimum effective length. This process of cutting a shot down frame by frame is called Trimming. How long a shot should be is more art than science. However some factors considered by editors include1. Finding the dramatic beat of the shot- the point of significance. 2. Paying attention to what is being communicated in the shot. 3. Letting a movement or action resolve. For example, if the camera is panning or tilting let it finish. Do not cut before the action has ended. If it takes to long cut the beginning but leave the end. 4. Watching for action and reactions. Listening to what is being said and thinking about what the viewer should be seeing. If two people are talking to each other 7 should the audience be seeing who is speaking or the reaction of the person listening at any given point? 5. What is the tone of the scene or sequence? Is it face-paced therefore needing short shots or is it slow and contemplative needing longer shots. Editing Techniques For this section, it really is quite important for you to see the documentary The Cutting Edge: The Magic of Movie Editing. Each of these techniques can be viewed in this film and that makes much more sense than my prattling on about here since these are audiovisual techniques. Invisible/Continuity Editing Continuity has been referred to earlier in course as techniques used to preserve the viewer’s emotional involvement in the scene they are watching. It requires that the filmmaking process- cameras, microphones and above all editing be invisible. A typical example of this is the concept of cutting “on action”. In this type of editing an action starts in one shot (say an MLS from a particular angle) then the edit is made just after the action begins to another shot (say an MS from another angle). Because the edit is placed in the middle of the action, the viewer’s does not see it. There is an example of this in The Cutting Edge. Jump Cut A jump cut is in fact the opposite of an invisible cut. In a jump cut, the edit or splice connects two shots in such a way as to cause a jerk or jump in the visual. It often occurs when the same subject is shot from only one angle. If editing from say an MS to a CU on the same angle (camera to subject axis) the subject will appear to jump at the point of the splice. It can be distracting but can also get the audience’s attention. Watch Goddard’s classic movie Breathless for a cinematic treatise on the Jump Cut. There is also an example in The Cutting Edge. Montage Montage refers to a technique of juxtaposing two shots to create a third meaning. First developed by Soviet filmmakers after the revolution, Montage is now a common part of filmmaking technique. Classic examples of montage are Sergei Eisenstein’s Odessa Steps sequence in the movie Battleship Potemkin and subsequently Brian DePalma’s homage to Eisenstein during the station shoot out in The Untouchables. The Long Take The Long Take could be thought of as the first film edit. All movies before editing were simply one long shot or long take. It is used to great effect still in movies. For bravura Long Takes see Orson Welles’ opening shot in Touch of Evil and Robert Altman’s tribute to Welles in the opening of The Player. Shot-Reverse Shot 8 A staple of movie making, we have discussed this in earlier sessions where a scene proceeds from LS to MS to CU and the camera angles ping-pong back from one character to another. Cross-cutting In documentaries, when editing soundbites from different characters talking about the same topic, we call it Crosscutting. Watch any documentary for this. Parallel Cutting When two separate actions are inter-cut creating a meaningful relationship between the two actions this is referred to as Parallel Cutting or Editing. A wonderful example of using parallel editing to deliberately misdirect an audience is seen in The Silence of the Lambs when the FBI surround what they believe is the serial killer’s house. The Match Cut When the Out-point of the exiting shot matches the In-point of the starting shot we refer to this as a Match-cut. The most famous match edit occurs in the opening sequence of 2001 – A Space Odyssey when an ape throws a bone up in the air. As the bone descends in slow motion it suddenly cuts to a ship in space of the same dimensions of the bone. Matching edits are used to compress time- a person exits a car then slams the car door shut. With the slam the shot cuts to a door opening and the same person enters the office. The matched slam has eliminated the need to show the person walking across the street, entering a building, entering the elevator and so on and so forth. None of these actions really help the story move forward so can be eliminated and compressed by using this editorial technique. Cutting Action Here are some tips on editing moving (pans, tilts, track, dollies) and static shotsMovement to Movement Splicing a moving shot to a moving shot will most likely create an invisible edit. Static to Static Splicing a static shot to another static shot will help create an invisible edit (of course depending on other things too, such as what’s going on each shot, the brightness and colors in each shot respectively). Movement to Static Splicing a moving shot to a static shot will usually create a jump or a flash. 30-Degree Rule This has been mentioned before. When shooting anybody always try to change the Camera to Subject Axis (angle) by about 30 degrees from LS to MS to CU give the editor shots that will cut together without jumping. Frame Exit and Entry 9 If someone exits shot frame right, they should enter the next shot frame left if you want to create the impression of instantaneous and continuous movement. Transitions The way in which one shot changes to another shot is called a Transition. These are: The Cut An instantaneous change from one shot to another, a cut is the workhorse of film editing. It mimics the blinking of a human eye and is very natural. Most editing uses cuts. The Dissolve A gradual blending of two different shots, the dissolve signifies changes in time and space- going backwards or forwards in time or from one location to another. It is increasingly used to hide jump cuts and lazy editing. The Fade The gradual emerging of an image from a color (black or white) is used to signify endings of scenes, acts and stories. The Fade-in alternatively is used to signify beginnings. The Wipe The cheesiest of all transitions used mainly in corporate videos, educational videos, crappy promotional videos. Color Manipulation Film and video color has the following componentsColor (Chrominence) Hue The actual color-reddish, bluish, greenish! Saturation A color’s saturation refers to how much white is mixed with the hue. Scarlet is a diluted red for example! Brightness (Luminence) Everything we see must have some brightness. The absence of brightness or luminence is blackness or no color. All images are made up of varying combinations of brightness and darkness. 10 Color Tonality (Tint) Chrominance and Luminance are often manipulated to give the image a tone- bluish for night, sepia for old, orange-yellow in order to create emotions because of the psychological connection between color and human emotion- black for mourning and white for purity for example. Text Titles When using text in film and video, pay attention to the following factorsChoose an appropriate font and font size for the frame (it shouldn’t be too big or small or to delicate and hard to read). Choose a thematically and stylistically relevant font. Estimate that you will lose about 10 percent of the edges of the frame because different TV’s have different curvatures to their screen so concentrate the titles in the center and stay away from the edges- be Title Safe! When shooting interviews keep in mind that you will probably need enough room in the lower third of the frame to place the interviewees name and title. These are called “Lower Thirds”. When using moving titles, pick a speed that is appropriate- slow enough to read twice by the viewer. When using a title you should be able to read it out loud two times. Final Editing Tips Think about scene exposition- Long Shot/Mid Shot/Close Up. How will a scene unfold? Think about what the viewer is seeing and understanding at all times. Do not presume the viewer knows what you know. Think about consistency of scenic time and space. Do you want the viewer to follow the scene smoothly concentrating on the characters, the action and the content? Do you deliberately want to jolt or jerk the viewer’s sensibilities by using jump cuts? This is a common technique (since the 80’s and the arrival of MTV and MTV-style video editing). Concentrate on the “Out-point” of a shot and how it connects to the “In-point” of the succeeding shot. Assess both points for the following elements- 11 Does the splice create a jump or flash? Does the viewer’s attention flash to the splice or does the transition proceed smoothly from one shot to another? Does the splice jump or flash created because you are cutting on the same axis? Does the splice jump or flash because one shot is much brighter or darker than the other? Does the splice jump or flash because of severe color differences between the two shots? Does the splice jump or flash because you are cutting a moving shot to a static shot or vice-versa? Do you deliberately want to disorient the viewer? In this situation, you choose to break continuity rules. Do not necessarily cut from one shot to another out of expedience or because you need to make an argument. Be stylistically consistent. Don’t just jump around using dissolves, wipes or other effects at random. It will turn your video into a hodge-podge and your viewer will eventually tire of your inconsistency. During the opening few minutes of your film, you will establish the editorial rules of the filmic universe you are presenting to an audience. You will establish what a “cut” means, what a “dissolve” means, what color tones mean, what certain types of musical refrains mean. Once established, you can break your own conventions at your own peril. It would be the same as changing what a period, a comma, a semi-colon or even what a word meant on a page. If a word, phrase or grammatical tool is used at random- the audience can be confused. What if, for example, you no longer started a sentence with a letter in caps and didn’t end it with a period. Then somewhere in the middle of a paragraph, you decided to restore those rules. It would make for awkward reading as the reader spent as much time figuring out how to read your page as they spent actually reading the text. Stylistic inconsistency is the first tell of amateur filmmaking! 12