Invisible Editing
When editing is done well, it shouldn’t draw attention to itself — it should feel as though the film hasn’t been edited at all. Great editing relies on the cameraperson providing good Coverage, but it also requires the editor to skillfully use techniques that mask transitions and keep the viewer focused on the story, rather than its construction.
Video 1: Invisible Editing
Video 1 Transcript:
Editors repeatedly make two basic decisions: which Shot to use next and how long to keep it on screen. As we’ve learned, every Shot tells a story. Shot selection drives the story forward. When we order Shots to successfully engage the viewer in a story, the action of one flows naturally into the next, creating what is called “fluid continuity.”
In contrast, poor Shot selection breaks the flow of the visual story and disrupts the viewer’s immersion in the experience.
After choosing a Shot, the editor decides how long it stays on screen. This is known as the Shot’s “Optimal Duration,” the time it needs to tell its story. If Shots are cut too short, as these are, the viewer doesn’t have enough time to absorb the information, which can be frustrating. But if the same Shots are held too long, as in this version, the viewer is left waiting, looking for more information. When it doesn’t materialize, they lose interest in the story.
Edits with Optimal Shot Duration and fluid continuity keep the audience actively engaged in figuring out the story. The viewer is neither overwhelmed by too much information or left underwhelmed by too little.
To keep our editing invisible, it’s essential to mask the transitions between Shots. One of the most effective techniques for this, which we introduced in previous modules, is known as “Cutting on the Action.” In many cases, it’s best to start a Shot just after the action begins.
Here’s an example of a Shot that starts before the speaker raises her arm. While it might seem natural to show the full action from beginning to end, doing so can make the edit feel slow and stilted. In contrast, now the Shot starts too late – after the action is in progress – and we feel like we missed something. The ideal In-point starts just a few frames after the movement begins. Not before the action, not after the action – on the action.
Cutting on the Action works because movement draws our attention. But in real-life there’s a split-second delay between when a movement begins and when we lock our eyes on it. We replicate this slight delay by starting our Shots just after the action has begun. Some editors call this the “four-frame rule” – a guideline suggesting that edits feel more dynamic and natural when the In-point is set about four frames after the action starts, rather than before it begins, as seen here.
Now let’s compare the editing of a Sequence of these Shots. First, cutting before the action begins, and now, Cutting on the Action. Notice how Cutting on the Action creates more energy and fluid continuity between the Shots. But Cutting on the Action also accelerates the pace of the edit, and that may not always be appropriate. It’s important to consider the context and emotional tone you want to convey. In some cases, a slower, more relaxed pace may better serve the story.
Another editing technique introduced in previous modules is the “Match Cut,” which matches the action between Shots to create one fluid motion. Here is the original, unedited, footage of the Shots used to create a Match Cut.
When the action in the first Shot seamlessly aligns with the motion in the second, the edit is a Match Cut. The following edits are all Match Cuts. But if the action between Shots does not match, as in these edits, the transitions call attention to themselves and the fluid continuity is broken. Here are the edits again with the Match Cuts.
Another technique for concealing transitions is called “Eye Trace,” which makes use of the fact that we only look at one part of the frame at a time. If the focal point of the frame is in the same area across two Shots, we’re less likely to notice the cut or any inconsistencies between the Shots.
Here, both Shots feature action in the same area of the frame. The cut works, even though the arm and content don’t match. Let’s watch it again in slow motion. In these two Shots, the content is related but the actions differ. Since we’re looking at the same area of the frame, the cut still feels fluid.
Here, Eye Trace works effectively between these two Shots, creating the illusion of continuous action. However, if we select a similar first Shot but with the action in a different area of the frame, the eye jumps across the frame between the Shots and the cut becomes more noticeable.
These are just a few of the techniques that editors use to achieve smooth continuity and mask transitions between Shots. With practice, these, and many more techniques, will become second nature.
“Home Sweet Home, Louisiana,” by Michael Sheridan for U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development
“Behind the Scenes at the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum,” by Michael Sheridan for the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum
“Benoît Rolland – Master Bow Maker,” by Michael Sheridan for Benoît Rolland
“Barbara Lynch, Artist-in-Residence,” by Michael Sheridan for the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum