EXPERIMENTATION INTO EDITING TECHNIQUES (RESEARCH)

After researching into and experimenting with L and J cuts, I wanted to look into different editing techniques that I could possibly use for my own short film that would work effectively and properly. By researching these techniques it will allow me to understand the techniques and how to perform them smoothly. It will also help me gain knowledge on the different editing transition techniques that can be used in film and what meaning they have behind them.

The Whip pan transition is used to move between two scenes no matter how different the two scenes are in comparison. To create a whip pan you need to start from your frame before whipping to the right, allowing the shot to become blurry when moving. Once this has been done, for your next shot you need to whip from the left onto your frame to complete the action, this being harder to execute as you need to land on the subject you wish to film. In editing you need to layer the shots to allow the blur to fade to each other, creating a smooth transition between the two shots. This allows you to change the setting or the character's outfits in a simple transition. In editing you can also add a cross dissolve which allows the two shots to blend if the transition seems too noticeable.

You can also learn how to fake a whip pan transition for shots that are still and you want to create into a whip pan. With a better understanding on how these transitions work and how to execute them properly, I will have to experiment with the shots to make sure that I can perform them and that when it comes to the day of filming that the transitions will run smoothly in editing. For this camera technique I created a short video of different ways of performing the whip pan to see how effective and smooth the transition can be, being able to use it effectively as a transition between two different scenes.

Cutting on action is transitioning between the shots by using an action to move between two different shots, making it smoother to move between the two different shots than using a straight cut. This can move between two different areas of the same action or to move to see the end of the action, transitioning outside to see an explosion being an example of this. Cutting on action can also be seen as a match cut if performed correctly, becoming a match cut on action rather than just a normal cut on the action. An example of this is in the Matrix where they are fighting and the shots are cut on the action but some are also match cut on action.

Match cut is similar to cutting on action but can also be used for more mundane shots, becoming less visually seamless as the two shots can look so alike. Match cuts can be completed by the action, visuals or even verbally, being able to transition smoothly to the next scene without much difficulty. At 10 to 11 seconds in this video clip of Hot Fuzz, you can see an example of a visual match cut being performed, Angel being in the same location but at a different time of day to show the passing of time. A match cut is less visually seamless to the audience but also still a great transitioning technique to show the passing of time like in this example from Hot Fuzz. Match cuts are a rarely used technique and takes a good amount of planning and set up to make sure the scenes match, especially if working with daylight hours rather than studio settings.

Montages are quick transitions between multiple shots, being used in action sequences or to make mundane, boring scenes become more visually interesting to the audience. The same example for the match cut can also be used as an example of a montage, using quick transitions and cuts to show the whole moving process and to keep it visually interesting to the audience. In my own video, Two Tied Thieves, I perform a montage of actions between 3:13- 3:22, showing that I have practiced this technique before and have put it to use in a short film. Making sure the edits are quick and visually interesting is the most important element of this technique to make it visually pleasing to the audience, if they are slow they do not work as a montage and can become sloppy to the audience. Montages are hard to perform correctly and to keep visually pleasing to the audience, managing to keep the audience's attention through boring scenarios if performed correctly.

Cross cuts are used mostly in action to show the same action in the same setting and location. They are shown to be doing the same action from multiple angles, normally switching between the two shots as they complete this action. This can be applied to things as simplistic as walking, being able to cross cut from an angle behind them and an angle in front of them. A good example of this exact crosscutting technique is in inception during the fight sequence, the crosscutting starting as soon as the man starts walking towards the lift and then continues into the fight sequence, being evident throughout the fight sequence. Crosscutting is a simple technique that can be spotted in any film during action scenes or talking scenes, moving between two angles to keep it visually interesting to the audience and to focus their attention on what is happening in the scene and the character's surroundings.

By researching these techniques it has allowed me to understand the techniques and how to perform them smoothly. It has also helped me gain knowledge on the different editing transition techniques that can be used in film and what meaning they have behind them, finding out where the techniques work best in different scenarios and genres of film.

References

Brock J. (2018) match cut on action [online] Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0o7WUnnDzIc&t=108s [ Accessed 17 Apr. 2018].
Conner C. (2018) Shaun of the Dead- The Plan [online] Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MeJzHSxRq40 [ Accessed 17 Apr. 2018].
KerrieSloperMedia (2018) Whip Pan Test [online] Available at: https://youtu.be/BErGFHcBdqY [ Accessed 16 Apr. 2018].
KerrieSloperMedia (2018) Two Tied Thieves-SHORT FILM [online] Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LO8muwRM-BY [Accessed 17 Apr. 2018].
Sploid.gizmodo.com. (2018). [online] Available at: https://sploid.gizmodo.com/watch-these-excellent-match-cuts-used-in-movies-1788164173 [Accessed 17 Apr. 2018].
YouTube. (2018). Hot Fuzz Move to Sandford. [online] Available at: https://youtu.be/e8dFK5nI1YA [Accessed 17 Apr. 2018].
Super Red Falcon (2018) Crosscutting- Inception [online] Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KmptU7vEkNU [Accessed 17 Apr. 2018].