For this week’s task, we continued to study Editing, particularly focussing on continuity in the editing process. We also continued to use the Editing software, Avid, to create our short videos. Continuity Editing is the process of editing a sequence of video clips so that they appear uninterrupted and seamless. This includes not making the finished video seem jumpy or unnatural.
Following on from last weeks editing task, this week, we were asked to film a new sequence of video clips and focus mainly on continuity when editing. This task is relevant to my studies because should I wish to study editing further in the future, it is important to be able to know at what points to cut videos and where on the timeline to place them together. Alongside focussing on continuity editing, we were also asked to include a vary of different shot types and angles which we learnt in Week 1. I have included a copy of our finished video for this week below.
Before recording our short video, as a group, we needed to devise a simple storyline that our video would follow and decide on the shot types we wished to use. As the task asked us to portray a simple greeting in our video, we felt it appropriate for one of the actors to move to another a location (this would help us when wanting to demonstrate continuity) and to have a short conversation, where we would use over the shoulder shots. We had to use the following techniques in our video; 180 Degree Rule, Shot Reverse Shot, Over the Shoulder shot, Match on Action, and a variety of shot types and angles. I feel that we were able to demonstrate each of these techniques successfully throughout our video. I have included some example screenshots below.
180 Degree Rule
When filming this shot, we made sure that we stuck to the 180 Degree Rule by keeping the camera and the actor on separate sides of the 180 Degree ‘line’. We used this technique further during the conversation scene when using our over the shoulder shots.
Shot Reverse Shot
When filming the conversation scene, I made sure that when editing, I used shot reverse shots. I did this because it makes it easier for the viewer to understand what is happening in the scene without using an establishing shot, or wide shot. It also gives the scene a more natural feel.
Over The Shoulder Shot
To further create a natural feel to the video, we used over the shoulder shots to allow the viewer to understand clearly the conversation happening between the two characters.
Match on Action
To further allow us to show continuity in our edits, we filmed this short exchange of a fist-bump using two different shots. We also used different shot types, a medium shot and a close-up shot.
Shot Types
Establishing Long Shot
Medium Close Up into Medium Shot
Medium Close Up
Close Up
Compared to last weeks 180 Degree Rule edit, I made sure to focus more on Continuity in my edit this week. A change that we made this week, compared to our last task, was that we didn’t call cut quickly. We let the scene play out so that we had enough footage to play with when finding the right point to cut the video in editing. This was definitely an improvement as it made editing the video together easier, therefore making the finalised video smoother to watch. Overall, I think that the majority of the project went well, and I was able to demonstrate Continuity in my edit. However, there were a few minor things that I would change. For example, during one part of the video, one of the actors has their face resting on their hand, and then in the next shot, their hand has moved. This minor movement made that moment look slightly jumpy where it could have been smoother. I also feel like there were several other minor moments where we could have added additional scenes that would have made a transition seem smoother and natural. This being said, I think that I was able to make these moments seem continuous when editing the video together. In the future, I think I will need to work on thinking ahead to how I will edit the video, whilst filming the shots. I now know the importance of overlapping each video clip. In the future, I would ask the actors to act the scene a few moments before the point at which I intend to cut it. This allows an element of safety when creating continuity. I will apply this knowledge in my work in the future when editing any video clips together as I am now very aware of the importance of Continuity Editing.
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