The history of editing is vast, from the Lumiére brothers, D.W Griffiths and lots more! This contains important figures in editing, important key terms and vast clips and detailed information.

1. Unit 16: Film
and Video
Editing
Techniques
Jacob Fryer

2. The role of the Editor

3. Editing
 The Editor is one of the most important roles
in film making. Without the editor, the film is
nothing more than pieces of a jigsaw.
 Film Editing involves selecting shots,
arranging and modifying them. This is done to
clarify an reform their form and content.
 To construct a sequence, moving images and
sounds are selected. They are trimmed or
expanded to a curtain length and positioned in
the correct order to. Each stage of continuity is
important, therefore must be maintained.
What’s an
editor?

4. Of course, we know
that editing has not
always been so high
tech. Editing was
extremely primitive
Arguably the oldest
motion pictures
around:
Roundhay Garden
Scene (1888)
The world's earliest
surviving motion-
picture film, showing
actual consecutive
action is called
Roundhay Garden
Scene. It's a short film
directed by French
inventor Louis Le
Prince.
Primitive
editing

5. AnalogueandDigitalEditing
 Analogue editing was used before editing
on a computer. The film, when completed
was cut down and pasted into order. It then
went through a machine called a moviola or
K.E.M.
Digital editing involves using a
computer. This is a much faster process and
more efficient for film. Many programs can
be used. Footage is put on what is called a
timeline and is then cut and pasted into an
order and then the effects are added.
A moviola K.E.M machine
As you’ve guessed…A modern day computer
The movie
‘Hollywood
Harry’ was the
first movie
made using
digital editing.

6. FilmEditing
Technology
 Non Linear Editing systems- In digital
video editing, non-linear editing is a
method that allows you to access any
frame in a digital video clip. This enables
the editor to easily include fades,
transitions, and other effects that cannot
be achieved with linear editing.
 Moviola- Invented by Iwan Serruriere
in 1924. It is a device that allows the
editor to view film during the editing
process. It was the first machine used in
motion picture editing.
 Flat beds- A type of machine used in
motion picture. The picture and sound
rolls are loaded onto separated motorized
disks called ‘plates’. Each set of plates
moves forwards and backwards, locked
together to maintain synchronization
between the picture and the sound.

7. The180Degreerule
The 180 Degree Rule states that two
characters in a scene should always have
the same left/right relationship to each
other. If you don't follow the 180 Degree
Rule, or break it intentionally, it disrupts
the scene disorients the audience. When
you break the 180 line, a person who was
originally facing left in a scene is all of the
sudden facing right.

8. A timeline of editing
technology

9. Key Techniques of editing

10. Timelineof Editing
 Of course, computers have not been in
existence for a long time and therefore editing
has not always been so ‘easy’.
 Back in the late 19th century, early motion
picture was shown to be one locked-down shot.
 You could say that this is not editing as such
which is completely correct. There was no story.
 Footage of everyday movement was shown.
People walking, horses and cart passing etc.
 However, in 1898, British film pioneer
Robert W. Paul released a film called ‘Come
Along Do!’ which was one of the first films ever
to have more than one shot. Believe it or not,
Robert was an electrician!

11. MontageEditing
 Sergei Eisenstein was the inventor of montage
editing.
 Montage editing is the use of short shots that
are edited into a narrative sequence.
 This is an extremely popular use of editing still
used today in order to advance the narrative of a
story.
 The picture shows the same person, same facial
expression but three different shots of narrative.
One being a bowl of soup meaning he is hungry.
The second image is showing a young girl in a
coffin; He is sad. The third image is of a lady
laying on a chair; he looks at her lustfully.
 It is clever what Sergei has done here.

12. Development in
Continuity editing
 Continuity, a style of editing developed during
the early period of the European and American
movie business.
 For example, ‘The birth of a nation’ by D.W
Griffiths contained extensive use of continuity
editing. There was more of a story which became a
hit in the movie world. A narrative in a film,
different camera angles used, mise en scene…
 Continuity editing is a style constructed as a
continuous or advanced flow of action and
emotions in a film.
 It denotes the camera movement of 180 degree
rule, shot reverse shot and establishing shots.

13. ClassicHollywood
MontageEditing
 The editing process was
familiarized to the extent that the
general viewing public did not
notice any editing sequences at
all.
 The 180 degree rule meant that
the first character is on the left
facing right and the second
character is on the right facing
left; you should keep the camera
positioned so the characters stay
facing the same direction.
Classic Hollywood Montage Editing

14. Developmentof
Alternative
Editingmethods
 The French New wave( Or French Novelle Vague), the
style of a number of highly individualistic French film
directors of the late 1950s to 1960s. New wave directors
included Louis Malle, Alain Resnais and Jean-Luc Godard.
 Most of these directors were associated with film
magazine, ‘Cahiers du cinema’ which was made popular in
the 50s.
 Films by new wave directors were the first movies to
feature ‘jump cats’, a cut in film editing where two shots two
shots in a sequence are taken from camera positions that
differ very slightly.
 This form of editing allows the audience to feel the effect of
jumping forwards in time.
 One example of this is in the film Breathless made in
1960. These jump cuts used in his film allow a jerky and
disconnected effect.
Louis Malle Alain Resnais
The French Movement

15. Important people in the
history of editing

16. Developmentin
Continuity
editing
Soviet Montage Editing
Lev Kuleshov, a large influence in the world of
editing.
The soviet Montage movement began in 1924. A
total of 29 films were made in this style.
Lev Kuleshov was a director an film theorist who
discovered an effect, (now named in honour of him)
whilst making a movie(s).
The picture shows the same person, same facial
expression but three different shots of narrative.
One being a bowl of soup meaning he is hungry.
The second image is showing a young girl in a
coffin; He is sad. The third image is of a lady
laying on a chair; he looks at her lustfully.
The audience who watched the film believed each
of his facial expressions were different each time
the man appeared.
A movie called ‘Battleship Potemkin’
revolutionised film displaying propaganda based
upon sailors who were rebellious. The audience
felt a great emotional response feeling hatred to
the overlords of the sailors. Sergei Eisenstein
edited the film in such a way, he could control the
thoughts of his viewers. He successfully
manipulated his audience through the power of

17. TheLumière
Brothers
 The Lumière brothers had
invented their own device
combining camera with
printer an projector. The
name Auguste and Louise
came up with is
Cinematographe. This in
contrast to Edison’s
‘peepshow’ kinetoscope
allowed simultaneous viewing
by multiple groups.
 They were granted a
Patent for their invention on
the date of February 13, 1895.
 The device used a film
speed of 16 frames per second
meaning the clatter and
grinding sounds were
reduced. Also, the amount of
film used was reduced.
 The device was much
lighter at a weight of 5kg and
was hand cranked.
The Lumière Brothers

18. EdwinS.Porter
 Edwin S. Porter began his career at the Vitascope
marketing company in 1895. He worked there as an
electrical engineer. He showed great interest in film
making through the talent of Georges Melies and he
even attempted to create his own camera
 Edwin returned to Edison’s company in 1900.
Instead of continuing with his engineering, he started
work as a producer and director at Edison's 21st Street
Skylight studio.

19. TheLumière
Brothers
D. W Griffiths
In 1908 D.W Griffiths created the
film “For Love of Gold” which
featured the first ever continuity cut
when a scene cut.
Griffiths discovered the emotions
through different camera angles and
pace of editing and that it wasn’t all
down to the actors. Griffiths was
given credit for the narrative of a
film has came to be today.
Griffiths produced the first American
feature film where the close up
technique is used.
In 1915, Griffiths released “The
Birth of a Nation” which is based on
the novel “The Clansman”. The film
included a variety of camera
techniques such as long shots, still
shots, cross cutting and panning
shots. These techniques are widely
used today to create films.
He was the first individual to use
the close-up.

20. Eric Von Stroheim Henry Ephron
In 1924, Editing had allowed colour to be
introduced. This was done by colouring the
individual shots by hand. This was only shown in
some scenes in motion picture.
By 1950s, film was in full colour. Advanced
features like parallel editing (A.K.A cross
cutting)and flashbacks were used frequently
in movies.
The first film in colour was called, ‘Cupid Angling’,
released in 1918.
The wizard of OZ, released
in 1939 was popular as it
was based upon a dream.
It showed high advanced
parallel editing.
The arguably best edited film is
the movie raging Bull (1980).
The movie was edited by Thelma
Schoonmaker

21. Nolo Mashita, a
famous editor who
attended South and
City college
Birmingham, England.

22. Old Movie Clips In the
following
slides, a few
motion pictures
are going to be
shown