Lecture 8
Video Editing Principles
– Short Movie Example
– Basic Film / Video Editing
– Compress Time
– Create Illusion of Continuity
– Create Illusion of Cause & Effect
Storyboarding
– Videos | Readings | Resources
© Anselm Spoerri
Video Editing Principles
Video Editing Principles
‒ Short Movie Example
‒ Meaning – Basic Film Editing
‒ Compress Time
‒ Create Illusion of Continuity
‒ Create Illusion of Cause & Effect
‒ Parallel Editing
‒ Motivate Cuts
© Anselm Spoerri
Film Editing – Tools & Devices
Illusion of Motion
Continuity of Direction of Motion & Speed
Total > Medium > Close-up Shot
Continuity of Location of Focus
Continuity of Line of Sight
© Anselm Spoerri
Hi – I am in a rush
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Illusion of Motion
© Anselm Spoerri
Illusion of Motion
© Anselm Spoerri
Motion Out of Frame
© Anselm Spoerri
Where Does Boy Reappear? His Direction of Motion?
?
?
© Anselm Spoerri
Direction of Motion Continuity

© Anselm Spoerri
Need to Maintain Speed Continuity

© Anselm Spoerri
Illusion of Motion
© Anselm Spoerri
Illusion of Motion
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Total Shot
© Anselm Spoerri
Medium Shot
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Close-up Shot
© Anselm Spoerri
Total > Medium > Close-up  Spatial Alignment
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Total Shot
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Medium Shot with Poor Spatial Continuity
© Anselm Spoerri
Close-up with Poor Spatial Continuity - Jumpy
© Anselm Spoerri
Current Location of Focus
© Anselm Spoerri
Maintain Location of Focus
© Anselm Spoerri
Continuity of Location of Focus
© Anselm Spoerri
Line of Sight between Protagonists
© Anselm Spoerri
Angle of Line of Sight Continuity
© Anselm Spoerri
Camera on Same Side of Line of Sight
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Do not Cross Line of Sight
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Establishing Line of Sight
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Crossing Line of Sight – Seesaw
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Maintaining Angle and Line of Sight
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Camera Again on Same Side of Line of Sight
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Film Editing – Tools & Devices
(cont.)
Frame Grid
Action  Reaction
Cut-Away & Audio L-cut
Establishing Subjective POV
© Anselm Spoerri
The Frame Grid
© Anselm Spoerri
Action
© Anselm Spoerri
Reaction
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Action or Cut-Away
© Anselm Spoerri
Reaction or Jump in Time (Audio L-cut)
© Anselm Spoerri
Stop The “Argument”
© Anselm Spoerri
Direction and Angle of Gaze
© Anselm Spoerri
Subjective Point of View
© Anselm Spoerri
Film Editing - Create Illusion of Continuity
Compress Time by Selecting "Highlights"
Viewer Fills In
"Real time" = "Screen time"
Maintain Continuity for:
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Location of Focus
Motion & Speed
Line of Sight
Theme: similarity in subject & background in terms of shapes,
color, texture, motion
Leverage Conventions & Viewer
Expectations
© Anselm Spoerri
Create Illusion of Cause & Effect
Sequence Shots
Use Continuity Principles
Viewers Create Relationships that Do Not
Exit in Reality
© Anselm Spoerri
Close-up of Face
© Anselm Spoerri
Subjective Point of View
© Anselm Spoerri
Effect
© Anselm Spoerri
Cause?
© Anselm Spoerri
Effect!
© Anselm Spoerri
Parallel Editing
Cut Back and Forth between Different
Storylines
Creates Illusion of Events Happening at
the Same Time
Enhances Anticipation or Anxiety
© Anselm Spoerri
Two Protagonists
© Anselm Spoerri
In Discussion
© Anselm Spoerri
Boy
© Anselm Spoerri
Rushing Home
© Anselm Spoerri
Action
© Anselm Spoerri
Reaction
© Anselm Spoerri
Really …
© Anselm Spoerri
Action
© Anselm Spoerri
Reaction
© Anselm Spoerri
Really Rushing
© Anselm Spoerri
Resolution …
© Anselm Spoerri
Short Movie Example
NIKE AD slow
– Click on
http://www.scils.rutgers.edu/~aspoerri/Teaching/MPOnline/Video/
Please click on “nikeadslow.wmv” link to play video (it may
take a while)
– Analyze happens to the focus of attention and which
continuity principles are employed.
© Anselm Spoerri
Summary – Basic Film Editing
Compress Time
Create Illusion of Continuity
–
–
–
–
Location of Focus
Motion & Speed
Line of Sight
Theme: similarity in subject & background in terms of shapes,
color, texture, motion
Create Illusion of Cause & Effect
Parallel Editing
Motivate Cuts
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Any Edit Has Potential of Breaking Illusion of Continuity
Use or Break Conventions & Viewer Expectations
Use Cuts to Create Rhythm
Maintain or Break Continuity As Storyline Requires
© Anselm Spoerri
Summary – Basic Editing Principles
Continuity of Direction of Motion & Speed
Total > Medium > Close-up Shot
Continuity of Location of Focus
Continuity of Line of Sight
© Anselm Spoerri
Summary - Create Illusion of Continuity
Compress Time by Selecting "Highlights"
Viewer Fills In
"Real time" = "Screen time"
Maintain Continuity for:
–
–
–
–
Motion & Speed
Location of Focus
Line of Sight
Theme: similarity in subject & background in terms of shapes,
color, texture, motion
Leverage Conventions & Viewer Expectations
© Anselm Spoerri
Storyboarding
Videos
AFI’s Storyboarding Guide
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pWPjjoOFIu8
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Help you visualize what you want to see in your video or film
Show what the camera is looking at a specific moment
Taxonomy of Shots: Long | Medium | Close-up | Point of View …
Sequence of Camera Shots to Capture Essence of Idea
Vimeo Storyboarding Basics
–
http://vimeo.com/videoschool/lesson/4/storyboarding-basics
How To Make a Storyboard
–
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=65_3bq_0eSY
Readings
Knight Digital Media Center: Storyboarding
Story Cookbook: Storyboarding
AFI’s Screen Shot Reference
Resources
website | video
video
video
http://filmmakeriq.com/2010/10/500-storyboard-tutorials-resources/
© Anselm Spoerri