Old Editing and the Development of Skills

Basic Early Editing Film Techniques

Film Editing techniques that we take for granted today were formed in the early years of cinema as it transitioned from filming life or theatre to a form all of its own.

• 30 Degree Rule
• 180 Degree Rule
• Cross Cutting
• Kuleshov Effect
• Match on Action
• Shot Reverse Shot
• Temporal Overlap
• Montage

The 30 degree rule

This rule is a minimum amount of camera movement around the action that should happen. When followed it gives a movement that feels natural and progressive. With an angled move of less than this recommended rule you get a jarring feeling conveyed to the audience. This is because the change is noticeable yet too small of a movement to seem logical and we see it as a twitch or a jump cut.

180 degree rule

Here is the upper end limit of most camera action can follow without confusing the audience. This is mostly followed when following at least two objects or characters in a scene as the audience will position them along a 180 degree line. The camera must also follow line so in a shot reverse shot a character facing left positioned at the right side of the frame continues to do so up until the full 180 degree arc limit is reached. This imaginary line can be crossed but must be shown to be crossed through a take and not by cutting. Any other crosses of the line cause confusion as characters appear to have reversed positions whilst it was the camera that had moved.

Cross cutting

Cross cutting is the editing technique of going from scene that the is the focus to another scene that also will be happening at the same time or has information relating to the original scene and cutting between them. By having two scenes going on at once you can cause tension that will lead to cringing or embarrassment in the audience or a build up of action and fear as two things draw together all by giving the audience both sets of information.

Kuleshov Effect

The effect is named after Russian film maker Lev Kuleshov and is the editing technique that exemplifies the importance of context. It is when a piece of reactionary footage such as a smiling face is placed either side of a another clip, it is this filling clip that informs the audience information. If the middle clip is that of a child petting a dog or a cat then we know this is good the smiling character also has good morals. If the clip is of someone being pushed we see the smile as sinister or vengeful and the smile footage didn't have to change.

Match on action

Is the editing technique when the cuts of the film match the action that is going on. Examples of this were found very literally in the golden age of Hollywood where it was believed the audience needed to see most of the journey a character makes in order to enter new scenes or transitions into a different action.

Shot reverse shot

An editing technique that allows for two perspectives of a conversation to happen with the camera on one side of the 180 degree line showing object A in the left side of the screen pointing towards the right side, then cut to, Object B in the right side of the screen pointing towards the left side. With an example set up like this we could substitute objects for actors and cut from the shot, to its reverse and back again to get a tennis like feeling of looking at who's talking in a conversation. It can be slightly manipulated to show maybe an over the shoulder shot of an actor as long as the reverse is shown we still have a shot reverse shot.

Temporal overlap

The Temporal overlap is an editing technique where the same action is shown again happening at the same time but from different perspectives. This is a technique that messes with time by showing the same instance over and over again and can be utilised in key action moments such as a bomb explosion in an action film to an important handshake. What this gives to the audience is another chance to really see the action and coupled with perhaps slow motion to gain the most information that they can from a spectacle.

Montage

Montage is a series of cuts that shows the footage in a passage of time but the way that it is cut will give a different effect to the audience. Early film maker Eisenstein stated that there were five types of montage:

• Tempo (follows a well paced montage of clips consistently giving a tempo to the audience)
• Rhythmic (follows beats to the music and imagery the video has a pulse)
• Ideological (exemplifies a theme or ideology throughout it such as the sadness of war for example)
• Tonal (these montages have a mood or tone to them and is kind of a blend of Ideologies and Rhythms or half step towards an overtonal montage but more simple and informative than questioning)
• Overtonal (brings all elements of montage together to make a complex and interesting sequence designed to make the audience think)

Finished Product of Editing Techniques

The Review

In our team of three we had a few triumphs and a few problems when it came to our editing technique video essay. The start of the project was understanding what each of the techniques were in order to acquire cinematic clip examples. After reviewing each of the techniques we all split off to find examples in already made cinema. In finding these clips whilst we may have had more minds searching we were spread too thin and were looking in the same channels and the same topics so we would have been better to be gathered it together. In order to think ahead and save time on the editing and creation of content for the video essay for some editing techniques we used one cinematic and own example to explain many like for the five types of montage.

Editing and Bins 2

Logging and Bins for the Editing Techniques Video

Bins

Product Evaluation Unit 32 Unit 6

Promotional Video Evaluation

The Promotional video I created was to promote a card game designed by my client. After a discussion and a questionnaire we created a brief that I was to follow to create the finished product. I endeavoured to follow the brief in full but in time, the things agreed on couldn't all be achieved and the finished product does not feel tight. Here I shall go through my product against my agreed criteria.

An evaluation of structure: the brief wanted a video produced of over five minutes in length with content to include an overview of the game; setting up the game; the three main phases of gameplay and resolving winning and losing. I created a piece of visual media that was of thirteen minutes in length which was a challenge yet was shorter in length than example videos I had watched. It could have been longer and gone into more depth by pausing of key frames, editing to have titles and overlays or added voice over. I thought though it would have started to feel an even heavier piece than it already does with the increased reliance of listening to instruction without the interaction an experience user of the product could give. In showing to a couple of friends and family, whilst polite, many commented on its length and how they could feel that time. Going forward I will be tighter with my editing, keeping timings down but would say that its slower pace added to some clarity in understanding with the audience. 

Going on the structure, I believe in my succeeding in giving a brief flavour of the product. My narration explained quite clearly the concept and setting of the product without going too much into the games lore which would be inappropriate of the video's purpose and its target audience of general card game players (although it can be contested that above the games mechanics of a team deck builder, it is the flavour the setting brings which can bring the most to the game). I did not however succeed in conveying the games other products as only briefly mentioning the expansions available for purchase I only gave a website address at the end of the video. This could have been increased by making it more of a marketing video rather than an information video by increasing the mention of the game for purchase and a break down of what can be bough and for what price. With the given information a google search for Bulwark card game does offer links to the card printing store. My greatest success in the video was the structure for the game set up. The inclusion of the cut away clip gives a sense of continuity, coupled with the title - to which I added a fade in and out. The narration adds a clear and informative divide between the different sections. This could have been furthered throughout the rest of my production and if I use such an implementation again I shall consider its use fully throughout the piece.

When it came to sound the Client wanted royalty free music and voice over narration to give the video some depth and a good way for communicating the information directly. I liked that idea, quickly agreeing to it the narration would give the information and I knew that music would be an addition in terms of atmosphere, covering any dips or, in the likely case of edits, in sound. The client commented on my use of self-created music for the piece as interesting but the effort need not to have been made mentioning there are professionally done royalty music available at a search that could be harnessed for this piece. I would state that I wanted to create a theme for the product even if only a basic one that could give the beginnings of an identity to the product. The narration was created in three settings which meant it was harder to edit as each had not only a different ambient sound from the minimal studio conditions using a cardioid condenser microphone to the headset at my home whilst I was stuffy and ill. I felt confident in my cutting though and from the end testimonials to the narrations, I located the key information and the best usable take for the project. A note on my editing skills with the audio handling I cut as much as possible before and after the signal to have the least ambient noise. For the voice over I was selective over the natural noises and the slurs that blurred words together. I wanted a natural clear voice to follow what my clients guidelines were for the voice over to provide information which would be easier for an audience clearer but also more natural sounding if not bordering on conversational.

Main production was done on a couple of days over two weekends, it was a short schedule which motivated me into getting all that was needed captured. The client was available and happy to film over these afternoons and was also pleased with the footage captured. I would perhaps improve the production by taking multiple angles of the interviews which, was pointed out to me, looked very flat - although I didn't redo them at the time due to availability the flatness reflects that of the card game and in keeping with the rest of the production. My production skills in the filming of the example of gameplay were improved on from my test shots earlier and the stills I had taken before filming. I would say this was from examining the media and how my client reacted to it through his reactions I gauged how I could capture the footage he needed. My client wanted a top down view of the area of play which I complied with. I would improve even now by incorporating better lighting into my production as the captured video is very grainy due in part to the insufficient lighting and high ISO settings.

I managed to film my short interviews at a small games and table top meet where people there were players and customers of the clients game. I found this to be a good decision from me and the client as we were able to attract enthusiastic and positive people with knowledge of the game. In my editing of these short vox pops I had to be very hard on the cuts as a lot of the interesting views slurred into other sentences and sounds. I faced another challenge when deciding on where to position the visuals as it was pointed out to me one of the shirts an interviewee had on it a copyrighted logo. As this was the one Unit where we were required to have permission of all things used rather than omit this persons valuable input I opted to experiment and have during my cuts a change in zoom. I did this through the options menu where I could magnify the image and reposition it to align with the rule of threes in cinema to keep its comfortable feel. I kept this aesthetic with the other interviews making a change in position and zoom as without it the changed clips would stand out. In order to have a more natural feel to the interviews and to play agains such harsh cuts I added in muted reaction shots before most new questions which showed expressions of thought and amusement. I think that it was pulled off quite well this was not mentioned in the original brief so there is not much criteria to go off. The client was happy with this as with the production as a whole but he and I both share the same opinion that it feels slightly comical with its cuts.

The target audience was for a general audience displayed in a style that would be familiar and comfortable to competent players of card games. I think this was adhered to in the use of some in genre jargon but the simplicity of the discussion of game so that it was not bogged down in the details which as mentioned by the client are represented in written media. I would improve my focusing with the general audience side by using what I have already produced to see if that would, attract them to my clients game and if they found the video helpful information wise.

Unit 6 Set up and Using Equipment

Set up and Using Recording Equipment

As a part of gathering footage the set up is the key step before actually using it. 

I have previously gained some experience in using lights in a few places.

Making sure that for safety they are plugged in with the socket switched off; Wires are known of there location (secured with duct tape and wrapped around light stands); beware of the heat the lights produce and wait a good amount of time for lights to cool before disassembly. Using good lights to good effect would depend on the situation in a previous post I show studio lighting set ups for the face. Position two or more lights for Ideal conditions at angles which illuminate the subject.

Setting up for camera is something that can be apart of the DSLR's settings and it's positions angles and weather or not it it is on a tripod or other equipment. You set the white balance first in order to get the balance of colours right then onto the three modifiers of light information: ISO, Aperture and Shutter Speed. When using tripods you need to make sure that the camera is securely attached to the tripods sleeve and locked in on the top. Before recording you must position the tripod at its right angle and place making sure that the camera atop is stable and preferably level.

Here is my set up for the close up on cards used for my promotional video. You can see the tripod supporting the camera is extended and the angle of the camera is top down vertical to get the cards on a flat surface. In the background I innovated my use of lighting to a small desk lamp which would fit in my workspace. 

Setting up for sound in a studio environment requires that you know which inputs are used for your microphones and for safeties sake having leads on the mic stand wrapped around them. In my uses of voice over throughout the course I have used a condenser microphone with a phantom power electrical current used to power it. With a pop shield attached to the stand I was ready to record whilst someone in the mixing room (or vide versa) has the signal levels tested and inputs into the mixing desk and computer system are ready for record.

My use of Video and Audio equipment is seen throughout my promotional video with cameras positioned with good framing and the use of voice over.

Unit 6 and Unit 32 Health and Safety conciderations

Health and Safety

For units 6 and 32 I considered health and safety for my promotional video formally as I would be working with and for a client. I thought about the considerations needed for the equipment as the client may not be aware of the possible situations that could arise. For example with the filming of the short consumer interviews I considered the space needed for the tripod and making sure all equipment was stable and viewable by all people in the area. I supervised the equipment so no one else would be injured by it or damage the camera or tripod. For our interviews we had the volunteers sat on a safe four legged chair and checked to see if all were comfortable and felt alright sitting there. The second location was filming in a relative of the clients homes so I looked in collaboration with the client who had prior knowledge to me of the location to see what could cause potential problems. For this location I filled out a risk assessment form noting the small space of the area and furniture that could cause problems. Everything was checked that was near the filming area especially the table where the camera was rested no one has to go upon the table in the end and the table supported the weight of the equipment well. Health and safety in regards to sound and lighting was not much as I used the inbuilt microphone for camera recording and when conducting audio voice over I had all wires secured with tape, visible and wrapped around the stable microphone stand securely. Lighting was all natural but I would have complied with similar precessions to recording sound equipment making sure all wires were tidy on top of checking the bulbs and monitoring incase of overheating.

Here is a risk assessment form that I filled in.

Exploring Conventions of Promotional Video

Promotional Video

We were tasked in creating a power point to explore and analyse codes and conventions of promotional videos and what elements are to be incorporated to produce them.

We looked at the types of promotional video that can be created and then I worked with another student on the power point.

The types of promotional video are:

• Product Launch/Marketing 
• Promoting Key Messages and Values
• Internal Communications
• Training (Internal/External)
• Show-Reels
• Event Coverage

For our powerpoint exploration we took a slice of four of these different reasons to promote a video and analysed the conventions and how effectively they were applied in terms of theses elements:

• Target Audience
• Mode of Address
• Technical Conventions
• Image/Brand Identity
• Narrative

These are screen caps of the slides used for the presentation, each were discussed between the two of us, reviewed and we elaborated during delivery of our presentation on each of the points.

Here above is a screen shot of one of the notes page in which recorded extra information for our presentation.