16.1.1

Introduction to editing

Editing is when the editor selects a variety of different shots to tell a story.

Elliptical editing allows the viewer to fill in the gaps of what is happening, it helps to move the story on more quickly. This saves more time on screen.

Long shots are used to create wide shots from a distance this can include the character and other things such as landscapes and the background.

Non-diagetic sound is used to add tension and suspense to a scene. The sound that has been added is not actually being played on the set. The actor/actress cannot hear this however the audience watching can.

When watching the short film, we know that the lady is bending down, for they focused the shot of the ring and her reaching for this object. This makes the viewer believe that she is bending down without us actually seeing her do this. The editor uses cutting scenes so that it does not look like the previous shot before.

Overhead establishing shot is achieved by, the director setting out the space where action will take space and the position of the characters. Even though they’re not always all in the same shot. We do know they are having a conversation. It also allows the viewer to get a clear idea of what the film maybe about and their location, by doing this the audience will not be confused.

Shot-reverse –shot- is when the camera cuts back and forth between the two characters, which makes us assume that they are looking at and talking to each other.

Eye-line matching is when the character standing up looks’ off screen and down and the other character sitting down looks’ off screen. From the angle of their eyes it makes the audience think that they are both looking at each other.

We cut to the other members of the group, so that the viewer can see the other characters faces and their reaction, to what the character is saying. This can be individually or two shots.

A wipe is a transition used to move the action to a different location and time.

The effect of using quick cuts is that it creates a fast rhythm, which keeps the story moving along and the audience engaged.

Editing can build tension by making the shots shorter and more frequent.

Crosscutting is the frequency of shots used and the different shot angles from long shot to close up shots.

Reaction shot- Is a technique that is used to make the audience feel the tension by showing the main character but switching to another characters reaction, to what the main character is doing. This creates drama to viewers and makes them wonder what is going to happen next.  

Seamless editing- Is the opposite to elliptical editing for instead of allowing the viewers to fill in the gaps of what is going to happen next, seamless editing shows us exactly what is happening on the screen instead of what is being implied. This keeps the audience engaged, for we don’t have any time to fill in the gaps ourselves.

Jump cut is a technique to expose rather than hide the edit being made. It lets the audience in on the film making process. A jump cut is also used as a deliberate joke.

Flashbacks take the audience from one point in time to another. It also highlights a key moment or period in the characters’ life, which explains how they got to where they are now. By using flashbacks in a film it adds extra depth and meaning to a storyline.


Editing can be used poetically by purposely selecting the shots next to each other in order to make us think about the connection between them.

When watching the film ‘The Gloaming’, I noticed a lot of editing skills that I had just learnt about today. The first technique that I came across was the flashbacks; this helped me to understand the storyline more clearly and kept me intrigued to find out what will happen next. I also spotted another technique, called the wipe, which a transition used to move the scene to another location.  I thought this was a useful technique for it didn’t drag on the story like some films do. About 59 seconds into the film we see another editing skill called the shot reverse shot; this shot was used in a scene between the woman and the man. Even though I did not see them together in the same shot, this technique gave me an idea that they are communicating with each other.  In most parts of the film they have used non- diagetic sound, which creates a mood or feeling, this can also tell the story too. The editor has also used a lot of quick cuts, which created a fast rhythm to the story and kept me engaged.