Video Editing

Basics of Video Editing
CEC-NME-ICT Project 2014
BASICS OF VIDEO EDITING

Hi, friends I am Nipunika Shahid and the subject expert for today
is Mr. Shahid Sayeed. He has put in almost 20 years in journalism
with a good exposure of 8 years in print media and nearly 12
years in electronic media.
Video editing is an art form. Editing is arguably the most

important element of film or video production. It is in the editing,
the art of arranging pictures and dialogue and sounds, that a
finished film product is able to communicate.
People outside the film industry have little or no idea about "post
production" and the crucial part it plays in the production of a film
or video work.
Definition
Edit means “the systematic arrangement of shot is a story form

keeping the time in mind and having a certain pace”.
This edit definition is simple & is meant for a student or a lay man
to understand.
To understand the edit system deeply we have to understand the

aesthetic, imaginative creative & Technical aspects of the word
“edit”.
The History of Editing
The history of editing is as old as the history of cinema. The

earliest films in 1895 do not have editing techniques as these
were very short films.
AJK-Mass Communication Research Centre

Jamia Millia Islamia
Then in 1896 a film called”KISS” got the popularity & encouraged

more films in similar styles.
George Melies started making “created stories”. In fact it was the

birth of fiction & George Melies is the Father of Fiction. But the
editing was non-existing to minimal ‘Cinderella’ was made in
1899.
In the next 30 yrs. principles of classic editing were developed.
Continuity, screen direction & dramatics were emphasized

through editing.
In 1903 Edwin S. Porter started using usual continuity which

made the films more dynamic. He used the continuity in his films
which comprises 20 shots.
In his film he showed a simple shot with incomplete action. The

second shot showed the same action starts from where the first
shot ends. When these two shots are joined a slick, interesting &
complete action is seen thereby established the basic principle of
editing. That is the film continuity.
In his next film the great train robbery in 1903, he introduced the
location change & time change through cuts. The indoor &
outdoor shots were matched. Although match cutting was not
there. His contribution “The arrangement of shots to present a
narrative continuity”.
As we know in the beginning there was no video format. It was

only celluloid films which were manually edited.
Virtually by cutting the film strips & joining them by hand.

D.W Griffith is the acknowledged father of Film editing. His

contribution covers the full range of dramatic construction.
Now the question is what are those shots or visuals which are
joined together and give dramatic emphasis. To understand it
better first we should know what kind of visuals or shots we can
join together.
When camera starts and takes some picture and then stops, this
starts to stop shooting in the continuous manner is called a shot.
The shots are divided into various compositions & these different
compositions give birth to different forms of shots. There are:
Extreme Long Shot
Long Shot
Medium Long Shot
Medium Close Up
Close Up
Extreme Close Up
Every Single shot cited above gives a separate feel. These

feelings are described as the explanation of shots. For e.g.
Extreme Long Shot
Extreme Long shots give the feeling of relationship of

environment with the character or subject. The shot is very
noticeable because of the amount of space around the subject.
Position of subject, frame right or left, top or bottom is of critical

importance for editor. This shot is basically used in opening

sequences. Western filmmakers use this shot frequently. Where
the subjects rides from the horizontal in extreme long shot to the
foreground.
Long Shot
Long shot is normally used when the subject makes the complete
movement within the frame. It comprises the entire body and is
framed below the fact. Head room is considerable. Here the
subject is closed enough to be recognized and far enough away to
give some geography to a secure.
Medium Long Shot
Medium long shot is generally taken as movement shot. The

framing of M.L.S is slightly above or slightly below the knee, but
never on the knee. This kind of shot also provides ample head
room and space on each side for a rim movement.
M.L.S can be made of a group of people & it is especially useful in

a complex or developing shot when there is more camera
movement or attachment movement. i.e. trolley, crane, jimmy jip
etc.
Medium Close Up
Medium close up shots are usually used in T.V format in one or

two forms. Either facing the camera, known as’ Direct to camera’
or three quarter profile in first form it is composed with adequate
head room and is framed above the person’s elbow & below the
armpit.

In its second form it makes perfect looking room. If the nose of

the first character in first shot is towards right side, the looking
room is on the right then the next shot of other character would
be on looking room on left side. Otherwise the two shots when
joined together, it gives the impression that both characters are
looking on one side they are not looking to each other.
Head room is very important & is the distance between the top of
hair & the upper frame edge.
Close Up
Close up is a dramatic shot which magnifies facial expressions or

draws particular attentions to a specific thing. It is usually a full
face shot & composed from below chin. Sometimes it includes the
shoulder line. Area of the face covers the most part of the screen.
The movement is not easy. If movement is there then the
composition of the shot may alter which affects the editing. In
shot it is used for the detailing of the subject.
Extreme Close Up
Extreme close up gives the minutest detail of the subject, for

example his shot could be of the details of eyes, mouth or
perhaps ear. Most of the detailed films enter frame. This shot is
least used shot in the range of simple shots.
These are the shots which earlier D.W.Griffth combined to form

some extra ordinary dramatic construction. He played with the
emotions of the audience by using the shots where ever required
& gives same dynamic formation to film i.e. he edited sequences
with logical framing of shots.

The Styles of Editing:
STYLE
Continuity editing is the predominant style of film

editing and video editing in the post-production process of film-
making of narrative films and television programs. The purpose of
continuity editing is to smooth over the inherent discontinuity of
the editing process and to establish a logical coherence between
shots. In most films, logical coherence is achieved by cutting to
continuity, which emphasizes smooth transition of time and
space. Technically, continuity is the responsibility of the script
supervisor and film director, who are together responsible for
preserving continuity and preventing errors from take to take and
shot to shot. The script supervisor, who sits next to the director
during shooting, keeps the physical continuity of the edit in mind
as shots are set up. He is the editor’s watchman. If shots are
taken out of sequence, as is often the case, he will be alert to
make sure that beer glass is in the appropriate state. The editor
utilizes the script supervisor’s notes during post-production to log
and keep track of the vast amounts of footage and takes that a
director might shoot.
METHODS
There are several different ways to edit video and each method
has its pros and cons. Although most editors opt for digital non-
linear editing for most projects, it makes sense to have an
understanding of how each method works.

FILM SPLICING
Technically this isn’t video editing, it is film editing. But it is worth

a mention as it was the first way to edit moving pictures and
conceptually it forms the basis of all video editing.
Traditionally, film is edited by cutting sections of the film and

rearranging or discarding them. The process is very
straightforward and mechanical. In theory a film could be edited
with a pair of scissors and some splicing tape, although in reality
a splicing machine is the only practical solution. A splicing
machine allows film footage to be lined up and held in place while
it is cut or spliced together.
Tape to Tape (Linear)
Linear editing was the original method of editing electronic video

tapes, before editing computers became available in the 1990s.
Although it is no longer the preferred option for most serious
work, it still has a place and remains the better option in some
cases. It is likely that linear editing will be a useful skill for a long
time to come.
In linear editing, video is selectively copied from one tape to

another. It requires at least two video machines connected
together — one acts as the source and the other is the recorder.
The basic procedure is quite simple:
1. Place the video to be edited in the source machine and a

blank tape in the recorder.
2. Press play on the source machine and record on the

recorder.
The idea is to record only those parts of the source tape you want
to keep. In this way desired footage is copied in the correct order

from the original tape to a new tape. The new tape becomes the
edited version.
This method of editing is called “linear” because it must be done

in a linear fashion; that is, starting with the first shot and working
through to the last shot. If the editor changes their mind or
notices a mistake, it is almost impossible to go back and re-edit
an earlier part of the video.
However, with a little practice, linear editing is relatively simple

and trouble-free.
Digital/Computer (Non-linear)
In this method, video footage is recorded (captured) onto a

computer hard drive and then edited using specialized software.
Once the editing is complete, the finished product is recorded
back to tape or optical disk.

Non-linear editing has many significant advantages over linear

editing. Most notably, it is a very flexible method which allows
you to make changes to any part of the video at any time. This is
why it’s called “non-linear” — because you don’t have to edit in a
linear fashion.
One of the most difficult aspects of non-linear digital video is the

array of hardware and software options available. There are also
several common video standards which are incompatible with
each other, and setting up a robust editing system can be a
challenge.
The effort is worth it. Although non-linear editing is more difficult

to learn than linear, once you have mastered the basics you will
be able to do much more, much faster.

Live Editing
In some situations multiple cameras and other video sources are

routed through a central mixing console and edited in real time.
Live television coverage is an example of live editing.
Live editing is a fairly specialist topic and won’t concern most
people.
To understand the cuts we should understand the edit first.
In a simple way edit is the transition between two shots, it has

three elements through which a transition takes place. This chart
will explain you in a better way.

EDIT is a transition between two shots. Transition can be in a

sound or visual but this Transition can be used in three different
types. As you can see in the chart on your screen it can be faded
or mixed.
Edit in cut is so fast that the transition between one shot to the
other cannot be seen through naked eye whereas fade and mix
can be perceived by the viewer fade is transition which gradually
changes the image e.g. black to nay visual or visual to complete
black.
In the very common language we can say that there are six
elements of edit which gives a logical meaning of change of
shots. They are:
1. Motivation
2. Information
3. Composition
4. Sound
5. Camera Angle
6. Continuity
1) Motivation
There should always be a good reason or motivation to cut

either is the form of visual sound.
It can be a cut, mix or fade.

• In visual terms it could be any action, even of the smallest

kind. May it be a body or facial movement.
• Its sound on any small pitch of sound could have become

the reason for cut. May it be a sound of knocking door, or it
can be the sound of screen.
Motivation could also be a combination of both vision & sound.
2) Information
This element is the base of all edits. It usually gives

information; this means every new shot gives new information.
So we can say that every new shot gives different information
to the viewer. More & more information keeps the interest alive
and the viewer gets more involved in the program or film. Now
it is entirely the editor’s job to put as much visual information
into the program as he or she can.
3) Shot Composition
Though normally it is not the job of editor to create shot

composition but it is the job of editor to ensure that a
reasonable shot composition should be there.
E.g. you cannot cut form a XLS to an O.SS. Shot if there is

only one character in the previous shot.
4) Sound
This element of editing is also an important part of editing.

Sound can be advanced or delayed to create atmosphere of
tension or emotion. Sound can also prepare the audience for a
change in scene in location or even the history. Lack of correct

& appropriate sound can devalue the edited shot. Advance
sound is also there, which is called over lapping.
5) Camera Angle
It is one of the most important elements of an edit. It works on

the principles that each time when you cut or mix form one
shot to the other, the camera angle should be changed with
respect to the previous shot.
6) Continuity
While performing any movement the person who is facing the

camera should perform the movement or action in the same
manner as he or she performed in previous shot.
a) Continuity of Content: Picking up a cup from a left in the

previous shot expects that the character in the next shot will
be having the cup in his left hand only not in the right hand.
b) Continuity of Position: This is also important in the position

of the actor or performer or a subject on screen. This shows
that it is on the right side of screen in one shot he or she
should remain in the frame in the whole scene. Unless this
has been a change of any kind of movement of character A
or camera on shot.
c) Continuity of Sound: Accordingly continuity of sound & its

perspective is of critical importance. If my action is
happening at the same place & at the same time then the
sound will continue from one shot to the next till that sound

finishes on screen or the location is changed due to the

movement of camera or character.
In addition to it the background sound which is normally

called ambience sound should also be there in all the cuts of
the edit of the scene.
As we have discussed earlier that these three types of edit

have certain elements which are to be taken care of. Now
the question is where these three types are used.
Technology Takes You Beyond Cuts
In addition to cuts, many special effects generators (SEGs) and

switchers let you create more elaborate visual transitions to get
from one scene to the next in a video. The dissolve is the most
popular electronic transition. It's a gradual blending of two
images as they transition from one to the other. In visual
storytelling, dissolves most often mark the passage of time, or a
change of location. The duration of a dissolve will affect how the
audience reacts to it. Longer dissolves will slow the pace of the
video, shorter ones will keep it moving quickly. The choice for you
depends on the mood and pace of your project.
Fades are a type of dissolve that typically mark the beginning or

end of a scene. The fade has roots in theater, where stage lights
slowly turn on and off to signal the start and end of acts in a play.
In a video, fading "up" from black to a title or moving image

often signals the beginning of a sequence. Fading "down" from a

scene to black commonly ends one.
Wipes, which are animated geometric patterns that work as visual

transitions, give you a creative way to get from scene to scene.
Instead of blending images together, like dissolves or fades,
wipes use moving shapes and geometric patterns to reveal new
images.
The patterns may be simple, such as horizontal, vertical and

diagonal lines. On better switchers or SEGs, you’ll find more
complex wipes. Venetian-blind wipes and circular clock wipes are
good examples. Some SEGs may also let you use shapes like
stars, hearts or other objects as wipe shapes.
Digital special effects encompass an incredible array of

transitions, including slides, squeezes, zooms, page turns, strobe
and mosaic, to name just a few. Each can have a pronounced
visual impact on your story. If you choose a digital transition that
fits the mood and pace of your story, it can add just the right
amount of spice.
If you choose an effect simply because it looks neat, you’ll

probably wind up confusing the audience. And be careful not to
overuse digital effects in a program. Too many squeezes or
strobes can completely distract the audience from your story. In
most programs, a handful of digital transitions are all you need to
add some sizzle and move the story along.

Start With the Cut
Since the cut is the one type of edit almost all of you can make,
it's the transition you should start with when trying to improve
your videos.
But beware of the jump cut. A jump cut is a cut from one scene
to another that is very similar. It is very distracting. You can
cause a jump cut by cutting from a scene at one camera angle to
another shot of the same scene from a similar camera angle, or
by cutting from a shot where the subject moves in one direction,
to a shot where the subject moves in the opposite direction. In
either case, the effect of the cut is that the subject seems to
"jump around" inside the frame, hence the name. Jump cuts
leave viewers confused and unsettled. Make it your editing goal
to avoid them.
The easiest way to fix jump-cut problems is with cutaways.

Cutaways visually move away from the main storyline for an
instant to show details about a different but related part of the
story. They give you a great way to "hide" or eliminate jump cuts.
Although a cutaway interrupts the flow of the main visual story
on screen, it leaves the story intact in the viewer's mind.
As long as the cutaway itself is short, usually a few seconds or

less, a viewer will perceive that whatever happens in the cutaway
appears to happen simultaneously with the main story. You can
use that effect to your advantage to show the audience extra
details about your story while avoiding jump cuts.

Another way to solve a jump-cut problem is with a neutral cut.

Instead of cutting away from the action with a cutaway, use a
neutral cut to diffuse the edit's jolt, yet stay with the main action.
In a neutral cut, also called a z-axis cut, you cut from a shot
where the subject moves across the screen, to a shot where the
subject moves either toward or away from the camera.
Aesthetically, the neutral cut diffuses the jolt of a directional

jump cut. It lets you cut scenes with action moving in different
directions without disrupting the action or confusing the viewers.
If you sandwich a two- or three-second shot of a group of runners
heading away from the camera between two shots of them taken
from different directions, the action will appear continuous,
moving in the same direction.
Hiding the Cut Edits
A trick called a split edit can help make your cut edits even more
transparent.
In split edits, the sound from a scene cuts in either just before or
just after the picture. Edits with sound first are called audio-lead-
video splits. Those with picture first are called video-lead-audio.
You may recognize the split-edit technique from news programs

and documentaries on television. In them, you often hear the
voice of an interviewee a moment before you see him. Hearing
his voice first smoothes the visual transition to the interview
segment. It's almost as if you lure the audience's attention to the
sound of the interviewee's voice, and then sneak in the visual cut
when they’re not looking. It's a slick technique, and documentary

editors use it regularly to get back and forth between interviews
and narration.
Split edits can also hide minor flaws on your raw footage. If you
bumped the camera during the first few seconds of your
interview, an audio-lead-video split can keep the audience from
seeing the bumpy footage.
All edit controllers can make cutaway- or neutral-cut edits. But

you’ll need a more advanced controller if you want to make an
automatic split edit, where the controller handles the "overlap" of
sound and picture for you.
With a standard controller, you can simulate the split edit by

making two edits. First, edit the complete interview clip into
place. Then go back and insert a video-only shot to overlap the
cut to the interview as little or as much as you need.
When to Use Different Edits
As a rule, cuts are the best edits. A fancy visual effect every now
and then can enhance the video. But keep in mind that wipes,
dissolves and other special effects leave a mark on your program,
and in the mind of your viewer. A barrage of slick edits may look
flashy, but it can also draw attention away from your story and
toward the edits themselves. Use digital effects sparingly to
accent particular moments or events.

A good way to learn more about editing aesthetics is to study

major motion pictures. Most use the basic cut to tell the entire
story, with an occasional wipe or fade to help mark major events.
You can greatly improve your projects by adopting the same
techniques.
So friends up till now we have discussed the types of edit, its

elements and where these edits are used. That’s all for today. Till
next time goodbye.


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Basics of Video Editing

CEC-NME-ICT Project 2014

BASICS OF VIDEO EDITING

Video editing is an art form. Editing is arguably the most

Edit means “the systematic arrangement of shot is a story form

To understand the edit system deeply we have to understand the

The History of Editing

The history of editing is as old as the history of cinema. The

AJK-Mass Communication Research Centre

Then in 1896 a film called”KISS” got the popularity & encouraged

George Melies started making “created stories”. In fact it was the

In the next 30 yrs. principles of classic editing were developed.

Continuity, screen direction & dramatics were emphasized

In 1903 Edwin S. Porter started using usual continuity which

In his film he showed a simple shot with incomplete action. The

As we know in the beginning there was no video format. It was

Virtually by cutting the film strips & joining them by hand.

AJK-Mass Communication Research Centre

D.W Griffith is the acknowledged father of Film editing. His

Extreme Long Shot

Medium Long Shot

Every Single shot cited above gives a separate feel. These

Extreme Long Shot

Extreme Long shots give the feeling of relationship of

AJK-Mass Communication Research Centre

importance for editor. This shot is basically used in opening

Medium Long Shot

Medium long shot is generally taken as movement shot. The

M.L.S can be made of a group of people & it is especially useful in

Medium close up shots are usually used in T.V format in one or

AJK-Mass Communication Research Centre

In its second form it makes perfect looking room. If the nose of

Close up is a dramatic shot which magnifies facial expressions or

Extreme close up gives the minutest detail of the subject, for

These are the shots which earlier D.W.Griffth combined to form

AJK-Mass Communication Research Centre

The Styles of Editing:

Continuity editing is the predominant style of film

AJK-Mass Communication Research Centre

Technically this isn’t video editing, it is film editing. But it is worth

Traditionally, film is edited by cutting sections of the film and

Tape to Tape (Linear)

Linear editing was the original method of editing electronic video

In linear editing, video is selectively copied from one tape to

1. Place the video to be edited in the source machine and a

2. Press play on the source machine and record on the

AJK-Mass Communication Research Centre

This method of editing is called “linear” because it must be done

However, with a little practice, linear editing is relatively simple

In this method, video footage is recorded (captured) onto a

AJK-Mass Communication Research Centre

Non-linear editing has many significant advantages over linear

One of the most difficult aspects of non-linear digital video is the

The effort is worth it. Although non-linear editing is more difficult

AJK-Mass Communication Research Centre

In some situations multiple cameras and other video sources are

To understand the cuts we should understand the edit first.

In a simple way edit is the transition between two shots, it has