2.4 Evolution of editing styles and theories

Film editing has evolved dramatically, shaping how we experience movies. From continuity editing's seamless storytelling to Soviet montage's intellectual juxtapositions, each style impacts narrative flow and audience engagement differently.

French New Wave broke conventions, introducing jump cuts and spontaneity. MTV-style editing brought rapid cuts and visual flair. These approaches expanded film language, influencing modern editing techniques and pushing creative boundaries in storytelling.

Editing Styles and Theories

Continuity Editing and Soviet Montage Theory

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• Continuity editing, also known as invisible editing, prioritizes a smooth and coherent narrative flow, maintaining spatial and temporal continuity between shots to minimize the viewer's awareness of the editing process
• Soviet montage theory, developed by filmmakers like Sergei Eisenstein and Lev Kuleshov, emphasizes the juxtaposition of shots to create intellectual and emotional associations, often prioritizing the collision of ideas over narrative continuity
  • The Kuleshov Effect demonstrates how the meaning of a shot can be altered by the context provided by the shots that precede and follow it (a neutral face juxtaposed with a bowl of soup, a child in a coffin, or a woman on a divan)
  • Eisenstein's concept of intellectual montage involves the use of contrasting or conflicting shots to create new ideas and meanings in the viewer's mind (a shot of a worker's face followed by a shot of a factory machine to suggest the dehumanizing effects of industrialization)

French New Wave and MTV Style Editing

• The French New Wave in the 1950s and 1960s introduced a more experimental and unconventional approach to editing, often breaking the rules of continuity editing to create a sense of spontaneity and realism
  • Jump cuts, which disrupt the temporal and spatial continuity of a scene, were frequently employed by New Wave filmmakers like Jean-Luc Godard to create a sense of discontinuity and fragmentation (the famous jump cuts in "Breathless" that compress time and space)
• The MTV style of editing, which emerged in the 1980s, is characterized by rapid cuts, non-linear storytelling, and a focus on visual style over narrative coherence, influencing music videos, commercials, and certain genres of film (the quick-cut editing in "Top Gun" or "Flashdance")

Editing Styles: Impact on Narrative

Continuity vs. Montage and New Wave Styles

• Continuity editing prioritizes a smooth, unobtrusive narrative flow, allowing the audience to focus on the story and characters without being distracted by the editing process, while Soviet montage and French New Wave styles often draw attention to the editing itself, encouraging the audience to actively engage with the film's construction and meaning
• Soviet montage theory emphasizes the creation of new ideas and emotions through the juxtaposition of shots, often at the expense of narrative continuity, leading to a more intellectually and emotionally challenging viewing experience compared to the seamless narrative flow of continuity editing
• The French New Wave's use of jump cuts and other unconventional editing techniques can create a sense of realism and spontaneity, as if the audience is experiencing events in real-time, contrasting with the carefully constructed and polished nature of continuity editing

MTV Style: Sensory Engagement vs. Narrative Coherence

• The MTV style of editing, with its rapid cuts and emphasis on visual style, can create a sense of energy and excitement but may also lead to a fragmented and disorienting narrative experience for the audience, prioritizing sensory engagement over narrative coherence
• This style has influenced the editing of action sequences, music videos, and commercials, expanding the boundaries of what is possible in film editing (the frenetic editing in "The Bourne Identity" or "Scott Pilgrim vs. the World")

Editing Theories and Film Language

Continuity Editing and Fundamental Principles

• The development of continuity editing in the early 20th century established many of the fundamental principles of film language, such as the 180-degree rule, shot-reverse-shot, and the use of establishing shots, helping to create a coherent and easily understandable narrative structure
  • The 180-degree rule ensures that the camera stays on one side of an imaginary line connecting two characters in a scene, maintaining spatial continuity
  • Shot-reverse-shot is a technique used to depict a conversation between two characters, alternating between shots of each character from over the shoulder of the other
  • Establishing shots provide a wide view of a location, orienting the audience and setting the scene for the action to follow

Montage Theory, French New Wave, and Expanding Film Language

• Soviet montage theory expanded the expressive possibilities of film language by demonstrating how the juxtaposition of shots could create new meanings and emotions, influencing the development of more abstract and symbolic forms of cinematic expression
• The French New Wave's experimental approach to editing challenged the established conventions of film language, paving the way for greater creative freedom and innovation in film editing and demonstrating that breaking the rules of continuity editing could be a powerful tool for artistic expression
  • The use of jump cuts in films like "Breathless" and "The 400 Blows" disrupted traditional notions of temporal and spatial continuity, creating a new cinematic language that emphasized spontaneity and subjectivity
• The MTV style of editing, with its rapid cuts and emphasis on visual style, has contributed to the evolution of film language by prioritizing sensory engagement and non-linear storytelling, expanding the boundaries of what is possible in film editing

Historical Editing: Influence on Contemporary Practices

Enduring Influence of Continuity Editing

• Many contemporary films still rely on the principles of continuity editing to create a smooth and coherent narrative flow, demonstrating the enduring influence of this style on modern filmmaking
  • Films like "The Shawshank Redemption" and "Forrest Gump" employ continuity editing techniques to create a seamless and emotionally engaging narrative experience

Montage, French New Wave, and MTV Style in Contemporary Cinema

• The use of montage sequences in contemporary films, often to convey the passage of time or to create symbolic associations, can be traced back to the influence of Soviet montage theory (the training montage in "Rocky" or the "Life in a Day" sequence in "Up")
• The unconventional and experimental approach of the French New Wave has inspired many contemporary filmmakers to push the boundaries of traditional editing techniques and to use editing as a tool for artistic expression (the fragmented, non-linear narrative of "Pulp Fiction" or the jump cuts in "Snatch")
• The rapid cuts and visually-driven style of MTV editing have had a significant impact on contemporary film editing, particularly in action films, music videos, and commercials, with many modern filmmakers incorporating elements of this style to create a sense of energy and excitement (the high-octane editing in "Mad Max: Fury Road" or "John Wick")

Eclecticism in Contemporary Film Editing

• Contemporary film editors often draw upon a wide range of historical editing styles and theories, combining and adapting them to suit the specific needs of their projects, reflecting the ongoing influence and relevance of these diverse approaches to film editing
  • A film like "Inception" combines elements of continuity editing, montage, and unconventional editing techniques to create a complex, multi-layered narrative that engages the audience on both an emotional and intellectual level