Unit 2 brief 1 - Extracting information from written sources

Historical Development of Film Editing

In 1895, the Lumiere brothers (Auguste and Louis) invented a device that combined a camera with printer and projector, and called it the Cinematographe (1). However, though what the Lumiere Brothers had invented was great, a man called Edwin S. Porter decided to create multiple scenes in a film instead of one long still in 1901 (2).  "The Life of An American Fireman" was the first film to ever feature any editing (3).  In 1915, D.W Griffith, an American film director, writer and producer (4), was the first person to ever use a range of different shots in a movie in his film "Birth of A Nation", where he used shots like close up shots. By 1924, editing had gone on to colour, which was done by colouring each shot by hand individually (5).

Before people began editing films on a computer (Digital Editing), Analogue Editing was used. Analogue editing is tape-based video postproduction, and was all done by hand. It was done by literally cutting and pasting different pieces of film by using a splicer, and then was put through either a Moviola or K.E.M (6). These are devices that allow a film editor to view a film while editing (7). Digital Editing is a software on a computer that allows you to edit video and audio (8).

Key Practitioners

The Lumiere Brothers
Auguste Marie Louis Nicolas (19 October 1862 - 10 April 1954) and Louis Jean (5 October 1864 - 6 June 1948) (9) were the first film makers in history.

Edwin S. Porter
Edwin S. Porter (21 April 1870 - 3 April 1941) was an American filmmaker who invented the Simplex camera and pioneered new techniques in films like The Great Train Robbery (17).

D.W. Griffith
D.W. Griffith (22 January 1875 - 23 July 1948) worked as an actor and playwright before he created highly innovative filmmaking techniques when he turned to cinema. He was one of cinema's first directors and producers and was known for his innovations and for directing the 1915 film Birth of a Nation (16).

Thomas Edison
Thomas Edison ( 11 February 1847 - 18 October 1931)

Video Editing Techniques

180 Degree Rule
The 180 degree rule is a basic rule of the on-screen spacing between two characters. It means that the camera should always be on a particular side of the invisible line of shot (the 180 degree line) with two people filmed in sequence. If the camera crosses the 180 degree line, it confuses the viewer as it looks like the characters have switched places (10).

Close Up
In a close up shot, a certain feature takes up most of the frame. A close up of a person usually means a close up of their face. Close ups are good for showing detail, and are often used to emphasise someone's emotions (11).

Long Shot
A long shot has the whole figure of the subject, from head to toe, in the frame. It makes the character become more part of the environment around them, and it shows more action rather than emotion (12).

Parallel Editing
Parallel Editing is alternating two or more scenes that happen in different places but happen simultaneously. It is also known as cross cutting (13).

Straight Cut
A cut happens when one shot instantly goes to another. It is the most basic and common type of transition and is used so much in movies they usually count thousands of them (14).

Dissolve
A dissolve is a gradual transition from one shot to another. A dissolve is usually used at the end of one scene and the beginning of the next (15).

Magazine Reference

Book reference 1



Book reference 2


Bibliography/Reference

(1) Earlycinema.com. (2016). EarlyCinema.com. [online] Available at: http://www.earlycinema.com/pioneers/lumiere_bio.html [Accessed 13 Sep. 2016].

(2) katierothery, (2012). History of editing. [online] Slideshare.net. Available at: http://www.slideshare.net/katierothery/history-of-editing [Accessed 15 Sep. 2016].

(3) prezi.com. (2016). History Of Film Editing And Techniques. [online] Available at: https://prezi.com/b5amqqxqjh1o/history-of-film-editing-and-techniques/ [Accessed 15 Sep. 2016].


(4) "David W. Griffith, Film Pioneer, Dies; Producer Of 'Birth Of Nation,' 'Intolerance' And 'America' Made Nearly 500 Pictures Set, Screen Standards Co-Founder Of United Artists Gave Mary Pickford And Fairbanks Their Starts.". The New York Times. July 24, 1948.

(5)  js1productionstm, (2012). The history of editing. [online] Slideshare.net. Available at: http://www.slideshare.net/js1productionstm/the-history-of-editing [Accessed 15 Sep. 2016].

(6) profile, V. (2011). Analogue Editing SM. [online] Sokamahe.blogspot.co.uk. Available at: http://sokamahe.blogspot.co.uk/2011/09/analogue-editing-sm.html [Accessed 15 Sep. 2016].


(7) Wikipedia. (2016). Moviola. [online] Available at: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moviola#cite_note-2 [Accessed 15 Sep. 2016].

(8) Signvideo.com. (2016). What is Digital Video Editing Software?. [online] Available at: http://www.signvideo.com/dig-ed-softwr-rtcl.htm [Accessed 15 Sep. 2016].

(9) "Louis Lumière, 83, A Screen Pioneer. Credited in France With The Invention of Motion Picture.". New York Times. 7 June 1948. Retrieved 2008-04-29.

(10) Creativeglossary.com. (2016). 180 Degree Rule Definition - Creative Glossary. [online] Available at: http://www.creativeglossary.com/film/180-degree-rule.html [Accessed 28 Sep. 2016].

(11) Mediacollege.com. (2016). CU - Close Up Shot. [online] Available at: http://www.mediacollege.com/video/shots/closeup.html [Accessed 28 Sep. 2016].

(12) Asu.edu. (2016). Video-Types Of Shot Sizes > Long Shot. [online] Available at: https://www.asu.edu/alti/ltlab/tutorials/video/basics/type2_ls.htm [Accessed 28 Sep. 2016].

(13) Moura, G. (2014). Parallel Editing. [online] Elementsofcinema.com. Available at: http://www.elementsofcinema.com/editing/parallel-editing/ [Accessed 28 Sep. 2016].

(14) Moura, G., Moura, G., Moura, G. and Moura, G. (2014). Types of Transitions. [online] Elementsofcinema.com. Available at: http://www.elementsofcinema.com/editing/types-of-transitions/ [Accessed 28 Sep. 2016].

(15) Wikipedia. (2016). Dissolve (filmmaking). [online] Available at: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dissolve_(filmmaking) [Accessed 1 Oct. 2016].

(16) Biography.com. (2016). [online] Available at: http://www.biography.com/people/dw-griffith-9321016 [Accessed 2 Oct. 2016].

(17) Biography.com. (2016). [online] Available at: http://www.biography.com/people/edwin-s-porter-21194085 [Accessed 2 Oct. 2016].

McDougall, J. (2008). OCR media studies for AS. London: Hodder Arnold.