Book description
This new edition of Grammar of the Edit will teach anyone who uses video as a communication tool how to show effective visual stories. This book presents traditional and cutting-edge methodologies that teaches principles behind when to cut and why, selecting the best shots, cutting for continuity, pacing, editing sound, and more.
Table of contents
- Cover Page
- Half-Title Page
- Title Page
- Copyright Page
- Contents
- Introduction
- Acknowledgments
-
Chapter One – Video Editing: An Introduction to the Process
- A Very Brief History of Film Editing
- Key Factors Affecting Editorial Choices
- Stages of the Editing Process
- Traditional Motion Picture Transitions
- Chapter One – Final Thoughts: Editing Purpose and Process
-
Chapter One – Principles in Practice
- PIP #1 Pay Careful Attention to Media and Project Organization
- PIP #2 Learn and Use Keyboard Shortcuts
- PIP #3 Organize Your Timeline Tracks and Maintain Consistency Across Projects
- PIP #4 Keep Your Rough Cut Long
- PIP #5 Review Each Edit or Series of Edits as You Make Them
- PIP #6 Seek Feedback While Editing Your Motion Picture
- PIP #7 Put Aside Your Edited Sequence for a While and Watch It Again With Fresh Eyes
- PIP #8 Duplicate Your Sequence before Making Major Changes
- Chapter One – Review
- Chapter One – Exercises
- Chapter One – Quiz Yourself
-
Chapter Two – Understanding the Visual Material
-
The Basic Shot Types
-
Shot Descriptions
- The Extreme Close-Up (XCU/ECU)
- The Big Close-Up (BCU) (UK)/“Choker” (US)
- The Close-Up (CU)
- The Medium Close-Up (MCU)/Bust Shot
- The Medium Shot (MS)/Mid-Shot
- The Medium Long Shot (MLS)/Medium Wide Shot (MWS)
- The Long Shot (LS)/Wide Shot (WS)
- The Very Long Shot (VLS)/Very Wide Shot (VWS)
- The Extreme Long Shot (XLS/ELS)/Extreme Wide Shot (XWS/EWS)
- The Two-Shot (2-Shot/2S)
- The Over-the-Shoulder Shot (OTS/OSS)
-
Shot Descriptions
- Shot Categories: The Increasing Complexity of Motion Imagery
- Chapter Two – Final Thoughts: Camera Shots Are Your Building Blocks
-
Chapter Two – Principles in Practice
- PIP #1 In a Three-Person Dialogue, Beware of Cutting from a Two-Shot to Another Two-Shot
- PIP #2 Edit in a Wide Shot as Soon as Possible after a Series of Close-Up Shots in a Group Scene
- PIP #3 Cut to a Close Shot of a New Subject as They Enter a Scene
- PIP #4 Use an Establishing Shot to Set Up a New Scene's Location
- PIP #5 Use Close-Ups of Subjects in a Scene for the Greatest Emotional Effect
- PIP #6 When Cutting to a Close-Up of an Action, Select a Version of the Close-Up Where the Action Is Slower
- PIP #7 Understand the Visual Differences between a Dolly-In and a Zoom
- PIP #8 Beware of Shots That Dolly Out Without Motivation
- PIP #9 Select the Best Version of a Pan or Crab Dolly Shot
- PIP #10 Begin and End Each Pan, Tilt, or Dolly Shot on a Static Frame
- PIP #11 Avoid Cutting Pans and Tilts That Reverse Direction at the Cut Point
- Chapter Two – Review
- Chapter Two – Exercises
- Chapter Two – Quiz Yourself
-
The Basic Shot Types
-
Chapter Three – Understanding the Audio Material
- Sound as an Element of Motion Media
- Sounds Acquired During Production
- Sounds Acquired During Post-Production
- Audio Terms You May Encounter
- Chapter Three – Final Thoughts: Sound as Emotional and Physiological Manipulation
-
Chapter Three – Principles in Practice
- PIP #1 Consider Using a Sound Element Before Active Picture at the Start of a Program
- PIP #2 Do Not Leave Holes in Your Audio Tracks
- PIP #3 When Editing Dialogue, Avoid Automatically Removing a Performer's Pauses
- PIP #4 In Documentary Programming, Edit Out “Ums” and “Ahs” in Interviewee Speech
- PIP #5 Use a Character's Cleanly Recorded Dialogue under Their Off-Screen or Over-the-Shoulder Line Delivery
- PIP #6 Do Not Allow Dialogue Delivery to Restrict Cut Point Placement
- PIP #7 Hold Off on Adding Music to Dialogue Scenes
- PIP #8 During the Audio Mix, Make Sure Music Track Levels Do Not Overpower Dialogue
- PIP #9 When Appropriate, Edit Video Tracks to the Beats of Music in Your Sequence
- PIP #10 If Appropriate for Your Story, Make a Cut at a Loud Sound on the Audio Track
- PIP #11 For the End of a Program, Use the End of the Music
- Chapter Three – Review
- Chapter Three – Exercises
- Chapter Three – Quiz Yourself
-
Chapter Four – Assessing Footage: Selecting Shots for the Edit
- Criteria for Shot Assessment
- Be Familiar with All of the Footage
- Chapter Four – Final Thoughts: Judge, Jury, and Editor
-
Chapter Four – Principles in Practice
- PIP #1 Avoid Shots Where Distracting Objects Are Too Near the Subject's Head
- PIP #2 Avoid Shots Where the Subject Gets Awkwardly Cut Off at the Edge of the Frame
- PIP #3 Cut Matched Shots in a Back-and-Forth Dialogue Scene
- PIP #4 Ensure That Subjects Talking on the Telephone Appear to Look Across the Screen at One Another
- PIP #5 With a Single Subject, Try to Avoid Cutting to the Same Camera Angle
- PIP #6 Beware of Screen Placement Issues With an Object of Interest
- PIP #7 Use Shots With Matching Headroom When Cutting a Dialogue Scene
- PIP #8 Avoid Crossing the Action Line or the Screen Direction Will Be Reversed
- PIP #9 Maintain Screen Direction Across an Action Edit
- Chapter Four – Review
- Chapter Four – Exercises
- Chapter Four – Quiz Yourself
-
Chapter Five – When to Cut and Why: Factors That Lead to Strong Edits
- Information
- Motivation
- Shot Composition
- Camera Angle
- Continuity
- Sound
- Chapter Five – Final Thoughts: Is There a Right or Wrong Reason for a Cut?
-
Chapter Five – Principles in Practice
- PIP #1 Cut Away from Subjects Soon after Their Look Rests upon Their Object of Interest
- PIP #2 Cut to Reaction Shots during Spoken Phrases or Sentences Rather than at Their End
- PIP #3 Avoid Cutting an Action Edit from a Two-Shot to Another Two-Shot of the Same Subjects
- PIP #4 Cover Continuity, Time, or Information “Gaps” with an Insert Shot
- PIP #5 Allow a Subject to Exit the Frame Completely Prior to Showing them Entering the Next Shot
- Chapter Five – Review
- Chapter Five – Exercises
- Chapter Five – Quiz Yourself
-
Chapter Six – Video Transitions and Edit Categories
- Heads, Tails, and Handles
- The Four Major Categories of Transition Types
- The Five Major Categories of Edit Types
- Chapter Six – Final Thoughts: Apply Reasoning, Don’t Memorize It
-
Chapter Six – Principles in Practice
- PIP #1 Beware of Editing a Cut-to-Black Followed by a Cut-to-Full-Picture
- PIP #2 Take Advantage of the Transition Point That Natural Wipes Offer
- PIP #3 Take Advantage of the Transition Point That Whip Pans Offer
- PIP #4 Do Not Use Video Track Dissolves during a Dialogue Scene
- PIP #5 Use a “Soft Cut” or Mini-Dissolve to Mask a Cut in Interview Footage
- PIP #6 Use a Dissolve between Simile Shots
- PIP #7 Create Continuous Motion Action Edits by Matching Physical Movements
- Chapter Six – Review
- Chapter Six – Exercises
- Chapter Six – Quiz Yourself
-
Chapter Seven – Editing Terms, Topics, and Techniques
- Editing Terms
- Editing Topics
- Chapter Seven – Final Thoughts: Old Techniques Done With New Technologies
-
Chapter Seven – Principles in Practice
- PIP #1 Make Appropriate Typeface/Font Choices for Your Titles
- PIP #2 Be Aware of Proper On-Screen Durations for Inter-Title and Lower-Third Graphics
- PIP #3 Use Imported Digital Photographs With Appropriate Size and Resolution
- PIP #4 Use J-Cuts and L-Cuts to Smooth Over Transitions
- PIP #5 If Working for a Client, Complete Rudimentary Color Correction before Showing a Rough Cut
- PIP #6 When Color Grading, Work through Shots, Then Scenes, Then Overall Look
- Chapter Seven – Review
- Chapter Seven – Exercises
- Chapter Seven – Quiz Yourself
-
Chapter Eight – Concluding Thoughts: An Editor's Mindset
- The Better the Edit, the Less It Is Noticed
- Sound and Vision Are Partners
- A New Shot Should Contain New Information
- There Should Be a Reason for Every Edit
- Pacing Has a Purpose
- Observe the Action Line
- Select the Appropriate Form of Edit Transition
- Editing Is Manipulation
- The Role of an Assistant Editor
- Editing Is Creating
- Chapter Eight – Final Thoughts: Key Takeaways
- Chapter Eight – Review
- Chapter Eight – Exercises
- Chapter Eight – Quiz Yourself
- Appendix A – Helpful Resources for Video Content Creators
- Appendix B – Crew Positions Commonly Needed for Motion Media Production
- Appendix C – Practice Script, “Hey. Hey.”
- Glossary
- Index
Product information
- Title: Grammar of the Edit, 5th Edition
- Author(s):
- Release date: August 2023
- Publisher(s): Routledge
- ISBN: 9781000914306
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