AS1: Task 8: Using Continuity Editing Techniques

Continuity Editing Techniques

In a group, a short film sequence was created  to demonstrate the forms of continuity editing through the use of film.

Our Task:

To create a film sequence and create a plot for it. The plot involved two friends meeting up and one of them breaking the news that they were moving back to France.

This film sequence involved having:

• A Director
• A Camera Operator 
• Two or more actors
• A Microphone Operator 

We created a storyboard to demonstrate the different scenes throughout our film sequence. We edited our own versions of the sequence and used different shots in order to film the sequence. These shots included:

• Shot, reverse shot
• Match on Action
• 180 Degree Rule
• Eye line Match
• Point of View

Plot/Idea:

The first still displayed depicts Allegria looking down at her phone and sending a text to Diana asking her to meet, however what Diana doesn't know is that Allegria is planning to tell her that she's moving to France forever. The two friends soon meet up in school when Diana wonders what's wrong with Allegria. Soon after Allegria breaks the news, the two friends part their ways.

Characters:

Allegria Luyindula

Diana Adriano

Techniques:

When filming, my group used a lot of techniques in our film sequence. Below I shall be explaining the following that we embedded into our sequence.

Shot, reverse shot: 

In our sequence, we filmed Allegria and Diana's conversation using shot, reverse shot. This consisted of filming one person speak at a time and then recording them each time. Shot, reverse shot could be recorded on separate days and it would create the illusion that the two characters are talking to each other face to face, when in reality they could be facing another way and could just give the impression that they were facing each other due to the shot, reverse shot. Shown below is an example of a shot, reverse shot.

Match on Action:

We used match on action in our sequence as we see Diana walking up the stairs to turn the corner. We later film Diana opening a door to walk through and sit next to Allegria. The camera was paused right before Diana actually walked through the door and later resumed play as she was filmed from inside of the room instead and she was shown walking through the door on the other side.

180 Degree Rule:

The 180 degree rule is special as it isn't allowed to be broken. We used this technique in our sequence to film around Diana and Allegria half way.

Eye Line Match:

Eye line match demonstrated in the film sequence shows Allegria and Diana's conversation from the angle of their eyesight. For example, Allegria was filmed speaking to Diana and the camera was angled at a certain position to present that she was talking directly to Diana. Afterwards this was filmed directly the same way with Diana speaking to Allegria.

Point of View:

This technique was used to portrayAllegria's story as well as Diana's. Here is an example of a point of view.

Final Product

Shown below is the final product of our film sequence.

AS1: Task 7: Understanding Continuity Editing

Understanding Continuity Editing

What is Continuity Editing?

Continuity Editing became the popular type of 'classical Hollywood' style of editing. Throughout the years, continuity editing was developed by both European and American directors, such as D.W. Griffith in his film 'The Birth of a Nation'. The classical style Continuity Editing consists of temporal and spatial (time and space) continuity as a way of advancing the narrative and this uses techniques such as the 180 degree rule, Match on Action and shot, reverse shot.

Importance with Continuity Editing:

Continuity Editing provides the sense of 'realistic chronology' and gives off the idea that time is in fact moving forward. The idea is to present a consistent shot when filming, although it doesn't provide a flashback shot to flash to the present, when using Continuity Editing we should be able to see the narrative between the shots.

Continuity Techniques:

Eye-line Match:

• Two shots are matched together. 
• Character is shown shown looking in the distance off screen and then a shot is cut to showing what they were looking at.
• The audience watching has the experience to view this event throughout the duration of the film in the same way the character does.

Shown opposite is an example of an eye-line match used in the film 'Kill Bill Vol 1'.

Match on Action:

Match on Action is the technique that links two shots together. The character begins the scene with one shot being filmed on camera and then the camera films the scene from another part of the room which eventually ends with the character finishing the scene in the second shot. This provides the audience with a realistic view of the scene.

Shot, Reverse Shot:

A shot, reverse shot links two shots together and it also films one character in a scene, then the second shot films the other character in the scene. This creates the thought of the two characters conversing with each other within the scene.

Taken from; 'Sin City'

The 180 Degree Rule:

 

The use of the 180 degree rule states that characters within a scene should have the exact same "left/right relationship". If by any chance this relationship is broken on screen, then it is known as "crossing the line".

Shown below is an example of breaking the 180 degree rule in a scene.

AS1: Task 6: Creating a Montage

School Life Montage

Task:

In a group, the task was to create a montage of everyday life in school. My group consisted of myself, Diana Adriano, Allegria Luyindula and Bradley Scamell. 

Plot/Idea:

A regular school day beginning at 8:45am, demonstrated school children rushing to get to their next lesson on time. The next scene is shot in the English corridor where we focus on Bradley studying for his English Literature exam. Scene three is shot at the front of the school on the field where we see myself and Diana running on the field during break time until it is time for the next lesson to commence. Finally we see Allegria and Diana saying goodbye to each other at the end of the day as they go their separate ways.

Characters:

Jasmine King

Allegria Luyindula

Diana Adriano

Bradley Scamell

Shown below is the storyboard used to create the montage and the final product.

In a group, we created the style of the Hollywood montage. After watching a few examples of montage taking place in Hollywood, my group & I believed it was best to produce a montage piece in this format.

As you can see from the montage, the idea was to create a comedic piece where we see myself and Diana running back and forth in front of the camera, just like how you'd see characters from a cartoon swapping from door to door in a corridor for example.
We hoped to gain experience from seeing montage moments in Hollywood films.

I believe the montage creates meaning as it depicts how Hollywood films can influence the media to be sarcastic/satirical and this is what this montage represents. Our sole purpose was to provide entertainment.

I believe that our montage was successful because we embedded the instructions for the task into our montage. Due to this accomplishment I can proudly say that we have created a successful montage.