The Development of Editing

Before Editing

This is when editing was not introduces to clips or video and the audience would not have known what it was because it never did exist at this period of time. During the year 1897 the first film was made by the Lumiere Brothers they are the ones that invented film to the audience. There was only one shot within their film and it was quite a long shot, lasting around 45 seconds. The reason why they used a single shot is because they did not have much money and also the equipment was extremely pricey. Therefore the only things that the Lumiere Brothers could do is to gather the shot that they got and make it into a film. Also during this year  Geogre Albert Smith became the first ever director. The only properties that the Lumiere Brothers and the director did use: was an analogue cinematographic camera because that was the only thing that they could afford including an analogue film tape.

An example of the first film that was made was called La Sortie de l'Usine Lumière à Lyon. The reason why this is a great example is because this film was made before editing could be produced. You can tell for the first time in that they had use the long shot this is done the 6 seconds of the film. It shows a bunch a crowd walking which may confused the audience as it quite short and hat they are not use to seeing films on screen.



This was the first film to be ever screen to an audience. The audience had no idea of what the film was about and the audience felt unsure about the story line because they had no clue as it was the first time that they were seeing something on screen. The audience sat and watched the film in a theatre. The film had not capture any sound or editing techniques such as cuts because it did not exist. The only development of editing within that year was that they were able to tell some stories to the audience. However it may have caused some stressed to the audience as they did not have any idea on what was going on and they thought everything single bit of action was happening in real life and the graphics did not look very clear.

In Camera Editing

This is when the director learned about using multiple shots. The director used the clip that they he gathered together and he basically cut the shot using scissors. It was the first time that films had used multiple shots within the film. It was the fist time that editing existed. This was done during the year of 1898. There was man who had invented this multiple shot and editing whose name, called Robert W.Paul. He is also the first person to created still shot within his film and merely created continuity editing and stop motion whilst using still stop motion.

An example of a film that Robert W.Paul  made was called 'Come along, do! - 1898'. In this film they use the technique called multiple of shots for the first time in film. The first shot start as usual one long shot which last for 28 seconds, the second shot is where continuity editing, still shot and also stop motion. The first shows a discussion is happening and second and third shot illustrate what is going on in the museum.

This clip create an impact toward the audience. As you can see from the time of 44 seconds the audience would feel very confuse as the shot jumps to another frame. the reason why they would feel like this is because they are seeing this for the first time. Another thing that audience would not have expected is transition, such as cut which is what the editor merely got to understand on how to use in film during these period. However a cut was shown in this example which I used, this would make the audience feel confused because they thought they were missing a bit of action. The development that has been put on this example are such as: more shot, clip is longer and editing technique which had been seen for the first time.

Following the action

It is a type of clip which illustrate different shots to follow the action that is happening within the scenes of the film. During the 1899 Robert Paul.W came up with an idea which was called cutting between different shots, he did this by putting the shots together that he had available even though some were different shot. Paul then cut the shot by using scissor to cut the tape and also glue to stick the different tape together. The reason why the he did this is so that the audience could follow the action that was happening around the subject. He also wanted to create for the first time Cut between shots so that the audience would not be missing any action that was happening within the scene. he was also the pioneer of cross cutting.

An example of a film that Robert W.Paul made to illustrate this technique is called 'As Seen Through a Telescope (1900) - 1st Telescoped PoV Close-Up - George Albert Smith'. During the film you can see that he created different shot that no other film had been able to make during this time period. You can tell this at the time of 0:13 an extreme close up is introduce for the audience. Extreme close up uses of editing technique of the telescope, which makes the audience realise what the man is looking at and also made the audience think that it was quite sexual. It also made the audience feel like that they part of the action or quite guilty of watching it.

The audience may have started to understand what was going on within film. This is may be because of the new shots that was put together and created ongoing, such as extreme close up, close up and extreme long shot which is what has been produced for the first time in any film during these period. An editing technique such as image mask is use for the first time which allow the audience see what is going on within the scene. The development would be that there is more shot and that more significant technique is used also he clip last longer

Multiple points of view

(0 seconds to 1:09)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FqtwzZETRsg

It is where the audience would see from a shot that it quite far of the subjects perspective or it is where the edit cut to lots of different position to reveal what is happening around the subject. In the 20th century exactly, a man called James Williamson created a technique called Multiple point of view. he was also the first person to another editing technique called Match on Action. The reason why he chose to use this type of editing within his film is to give the audience a hint on what the next shot would look like.

An example of a film that James Williamson made is called Attack on a China Mission, 1900. The reason why this is a great example is because it cuts to a lot of different point of view within the film. During the film the audience see that a new have editing technique is being use such as match on action. This is significant within the film as it may frighten the audience because of he props that is used which is the gun. This may have made some of the audience think that they are dead because of the scenario of the film. The mach on action is used at the time of 0:37-0:52. The first shot is a long and then the next shot is set for a high angle but from a point of view of the battle that is happening around the solider.



I believe that there are quite lot of improvement within these period, there are frequency of shots within the example (Attack on a China Mission, 1900), this will therefore set a tone within the film such as suspense for the audience and also it adds tension within the film. The main difference within this film that no other had within these time period is that there are more continuity editing that has been produced and it also tell the audience a bit more about the story line of the film. Also there is also a bit more pace within the film.

Shot variation

During the 1915 it was the first time that film became featured it was also the first time that films became longer lasting up to 2 hours. It was also the first time where lots of different type camera language were used to guide the audience emotions and put into film. It was also when actors started to become known to the public as a stars/celebrities that the audience wanted to watch featured film which had particular actor. DW Griffths discovered that the paying audience actually liked watching the stars with a closeup shot. DW Griffths was also the first person to create dissolve and he put it in the scenes.

An example of a film that he made was called 1915: The Birth of a Nation - Hollywood's first motion picture. Through out most of the film DW Grffth uses an editing technique which looks like a masking technique. The reason why he uses this technique is to make the audience focus on the subject. This done at the time 25:44, which illustrate the masking technique. The only times he does not use the masking technique is during the fight scene or cross cutting scene.



There had been a lot of editing improvement within film the reason is because the duration of the film is longer. This film called The Birth of a Nation is over 3 hours. This must mean people had more money to make film and that may be one of reason why film may have improve massively. However the graphics is still not that great but there has been a slight improvement within the graphics especially in the conversation scene within this film. This is done within the film at the time of 8:25.

Manipulation of Diegetic Time and Space

During the 1925 it was the first time in films where the director edited certain scene to make it look like a montage. He use the montage technique to make his viewers feel suspense within the scene. This was most of the time shown within his film in either the fight scene or war scene. This may made the audience feel quite worried as it used lots of continuous fast pace editing although some of the audience may have been kind excited because it contained lots of cross cutting between the scene.

A director called Eisenstein was the first person to create montage but he called it 'Rythmic Montage'. One of the film he made that uses montage editing style was called Battleship Potemkin (1925). As you can tell from whole clip he use montage to create an intensive atmosphere within his scene. However he didn't just us fast pace editing to just increase tension within the scene, he uses a lot of cutaway shot to guide the audience reaction.  This is done at the time of the clip at 5:21-5:25 this clearly show a cutaway shot was use within the scene.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hESDxUnZ1fo

In this film there had been major increase in terms of frequency of shots, also there are lot more cast member within this film that no other has during these time period. Also the technique montage is being use for the first time to create tension within the scene to guide the audience. This will therefore create a good story-line for the audience to see because it will make them feel involved within the film.

Analogue (AKA linear) Editing

At 1917 an editing machine was created for the editors.it was mainly use after the film making was done.The director used this product because it allowed them to use the milestone and be able to see through videos clearer. It also made it easier the editor job a lot easier because they did not need to use scissors and glue to the clips together. This was made by Iwan Serrurier.

An example of a film that this product help a lot for is a director called Eisenstein. A film he had made was called Battleship Potemkin (1925). The reason is because he had to use a lot of editing especially throughout his montage. 

This product had brought into a major change within the filming industry. Editors had to use these equipment because it became the film industry standard for editing. It also made the film look exciting for the audience as when using the product within the film enhance the finished and it appeal to the audience.

Digital

Whereas this means that everything was completed edited through a computer. This was the first time use in 1992, the editor used the digital one to enhance the looks of the video and it was much easier to use even though computer were quite slow back then.

An example of a films that had used it was called Toy Story the reason is because they had used a lot of computer effect to make the film. This was also the first time that animation was completely edited on a computer.

This became reliable to use because it gave people opportunity to make videos. It was also because people could edit through computer which made it quite easy to edit.

Film video

This where videos were shot on phone because it showed better quality within film because it made the film look realistic. It was also the first time where the director had not use VHS, the reason is because it was quite complex to use and it was time consuming to make. This would allow them to use effect from their and edit the video easy.

An example from a film that used this type of way to film the video was called Tangerine. You can tell that it had use to develop the looks of the video. This was also the most talked film in hollywood as it was the first time that people use to film for 2 hours.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T1dJOB-uVTY

This film made a lot of audience talk to each other about the film because it created a lot of impact and also it made a lot of audience like it. By using an i-phone the editor were able to use the clips more effectively and it did not cost as much money as they thought. This equipment may be use more often in soap shows as they make lots of episodes.