Bordwell and Thompsons Categories of Editing

Focuses on Hollywood or Continuity Editing

They

identified 4 different relations between shots in the editing:

Graphic Spatial Temporal Rhythmic

Graphic

Graphic Match: Linkage of shots by Graphic Similarities Graphic Continuity: Centre of interest is constant through out cuts, maintaining lighting level, avoiding strong colour clashes. Graphic Discontinuity: Contrasts colour and footage types, movement and stillness, placement/shape of focus figures.

Rhythmic

Duration of shots the length of each in relation and its pattern involving accent, beat and tempo.

All shots are about the same length = Steady metrical beat. Steadily lengthening shots = Gradually slowing tempo ( leads to resolution or can build tension) Successively shorter shots = Accelerating tempo ( builds excitement) Longer shots = Greater time for audience reflection. Rapid series of shots = Little time for thought.

Spatial
Space

(setting, location)- how this relates to shots following itsimilarities & differences.

Continuity editing we see the same time and location via an establishing shot (extreme/long shot) followed by smaller range (mid) shots. The Kuleshov effect (no establishing shot ) again we want logic so we assume the location and space are the same Crosscutting (parallel editing) can emphasis action taking place in separate places

Temporal

Time of action & contributes to the plots manipulation of story time order, duration & frequency. frequency use of Ellipsis (presents action in less screen time than within the story) Ellipsis: removing the shots we dont want to see.

Punctuation shot change e.g. dissolve, wipe & fade signals omission of time. Empty frames e.g. figure of interest seen moving out of a frame, cuts to empty frame where figure moves into it. Cutaway e.g. a shot of another event Cutaway elsewhere that does not last as long as the omitted action.