Hairy arm

Just a quicky.
Discovered a new editing term today: Hairy arm

This is when an editor deliberately leaves in a glaring mistake when previewing a movie to distract the audience away from any subtle mistakes.

That's it!

Editors at the top of their game

To give some scope and recognition to my project I have decided to do some research into famous and successful editors and their particular work.

Dede Allen
Worked on such films as Dog Day Afternoon, Bonnie and Clyde and Serpico.
Here is a clip of her excellent work from the film, Bonnie and Clyde.

http://www.the-top-tens.com/lists/best-film-editors.asp

http://www.filmsite.org/bestfilmediting2.html

Walter Murch

A rather interesting character, Murch does all his editing standing up, comparing it to a conductor guiding an orchestra.  Murch also specialises in sound, winning the Sound Mixing Oscar in 1979 for his work on Apocalypse Now, which he also edited.  Murch has used a number of editing systems throughout the years, earning Oscar nominations for four films, using four different systems.

Here he is discussing the Rule of Six.

And here is some of his work from The English Patient

 

Thelma Schoonmaker

One of my personal favourite directors as her work is so recognisable and she collaborates with Martin Scorsese so often, Thelma has won 3 Academy Awards for editing.  Thelma often employs a change of speed in her editing.  This is perhaps most noticeable in Raging Bull.  Along with Scorsese's directing style, Thelma also employs a technique of long cutting, letting shots runs for perhaps longer than average without cutting.  As I've stated though, this is a case of the director and editor working in tandem to achieve this.  Here it is in Gangs of New York.

L cuts

I discovered 'L cuts' today.

L cuts are a type of edit in which audio is brought in ahead of video.  This is done for a number of reasons and again is one of those simple types of edits which I've discovered has a proper history and
tecnhique to it.  I've often used an L cut without realising why I've done it, or even knowing that it had a correct name.  It's called an L cut because of the shape it makes on an editing timeline.

Here are some videos explaining L cuts.
Video
Another video

A major reason we do 'L cuts' is because we need to see reactions to people talking.
Another way of L cutting is when switching scenes completely.

Example: 
2 people are in an office discussing the qualities an interviewee. CUT TO: Interviewee walking down the street while the audio of the 2 people discussing him plays over his journey.

I can feel my mind getting bigger

I was unsure at first about choosing editing for a craft to develop.  Now I've been into it for a few months though I'm really starting to enjoy it and I'm getting a much greater knowledge of editing.  This also gives me a better understanding of how a film is put together and how editing can impact a film greater than any other area.  A film is not a film until it is edited and an editor, as well as the director of course, has a huge influence of how the film looks.

Using Adobe Premiere Pro CS5

I'm getting to grips with Adobe Premiere Pro CS5.
It's relatively easy to use compared to other editing systems I have used.  Avid Media Composer is needlessly complicated while Final Cut is simple to use.
Adobe's editing gear is challenging yet rewarding to use. You get used to the interface after a while and there are plenty of tutorials online and via Aodbe Help Center to get you over any obstacles.

Parallel Editing

Today I discovered the joys of parallel editing.

Parallel editing is basically cross cutting.  It is when action in one place is cut with action in another, purportedly happening at the same time, yet it doesn't always have to be.

I've always known what cross cutting is but parallel editing makes it sound so much better.  AND it gets even more better when you realise the power of parallel editing as a true storytelling device instead of just a way of splicing two scenes together.

Take this scene from Taiwanese film Yi Yi.
The father is on a date with a woman who he has recently met again after a 20 year absence.
His first ever date was with the woman he has just met.
His daughter meanwhile is on her first ever date on the same night.
Both couple are doing practically the same thing and the scene is almost like 2 scenes running side by side.
It's the first 2mins 30s or so of this clip.