The Technique of Film and Video Editing: History, Theory, and Practice

Year 2002

ISBN No. 9780240804200

No.of pages 520

Subject Arts and Creativity, Film

Reviews 0

"The Technique of Film & Video Editing" is the best training for aspiring directors, providing a detailed, precise look at the artistic and aesthetic principles and practices of editing for both picture and sound. Analysis of photographs from dozens of classic and contemporary films and videos provide a sound basis for the professional filmmaker and student editor. Practical skills are grounded by an exposition of the ideas and styles of editing through which the director can understand the visual tools at his or her disposal. This book puts into context the storytelling choices an editor will have to make against a background of theory, history, and practice. The current edition brought this book to the cutting edge with such topics as new technology and its influence on the art of editing, MTV style, psychoanalytic ideas, and the appropriation of style over content. The new edition furthers these discussions by highlighting the 'stylistic extremes' brought about by the clash of imitative style and innovative film making. It continues the examination of MTV style via a study of the full spectrum of its uses in recent years. Additionally, it examines the editing characteristics of nonlinear storytelling as evidenced in such recent films as "The Ice Storm" and "Thin Red Line". A new chapter addresses new trends in documentary. This book offers a deeper discussion of MTV style editing. It includes more on the appropriation of style. It examines innovations in documentary.

Table of contents

Part 1: History of Film Editing; The Silent Period; The Early Sound Film; The Influence of the Documentary; The Influence of Popular Arts; Editors Who Became Directors; Experiments in Editing: Alfred Hitchcock; New Technologies; International Advances; The Influence of Television and Theatre; New Challenges to Filmic Narrative Conventions; The MTV Influence on Editing I; The MTV Influence on Editing II; The Influence of Psychoanalytic Ideas On Editing; The Appropriation of Style I: Imitation and Innovation; THe Appropriation of Style II: Limitation and Inovation; Part 2: Editing for the Genre; Action; Dialogue; Comedy; Documentary; Imaginative Documentary; Innovation in Documentary; Ideas and Sound; Part 3: Principles of Editing; The Picture Edit and Continuity; The Picture Edit and Pace; The Sound Edit and Clarity; The Sound Edit and Creative Sound; Nonlinear Editing and Digital Technology; Nonlinear and Digital Technology II; Conclusion; Appendix A: Cutting Room Procedures; Appendix B: Filmography; Glossary; Selected Bibliography; Index