Editing and Representation

In today's lesson we looked at editing and representation. We used this knowledge to develop our analytical skills because many students including myself find it easy to talk about camera angles and mise-en-scene, but struggle with going into detail about the editing and what it tells the audience. Below is some notes on different editing techniques and how they represent meaning within a media text.

Evaluation

Before today's learning I had very limited knowledge on the different styles of editing used within the media. I now have a much better understanding and would be able to use many of these techniques in my coursework with confidence to portray meaning. I have learnt about:

• Action match - highlights parralles/ contrasts between two different characters in two different situations.
• Eyeline match - Provides an insight to a character's private thoughts.
• Final shot - The last character shown in a sequence is often the character with whom the audience is expected to identify.
• Intercutting: juxtaposition - Highlights a point of difference.
• Intercutting: tension - Creates tension and increases the audience identification witha character.
• Jump cuts - Used to suggest chaos and disorder.
• Motivation - Refers to an event outside the frame, the director is then motivated to cut to show that event.
• Pace of editing - A fast pace may suggest panic or energy, whereas a slow pace may suggest a much calmer attitude
• Prevalance - How much screen time a character receives. The more time we see them in the frame, the more important their role is.
• Selection: to show or not to show -  Where a director has to choose what and what not to show in order to create the correct atmosphere.
• Shot/reverse shot - Indicates the relationship between two characters and might exaggerate their closeness or their opposition.

Therefore, this will give me a clear reference when it comes to making my coursework as to which types of editing I might see appropriate to include, as well as what effect and representations they give to an audience.