JCM412512/Editing (Discussion)

Continuity editing

1. All groups: What is "continuity editing"? In what sense is it "continuous"?
2. Group 1: Where does the 180-degree system get its name?
   • What is its purpose? More specifically, what does it "ensure" and "maintain", according to Television?
3. What are each of the following editing conventions? Describe an example of each.
   • Group 2: Establishing shot and re-establishing shot
   • Group 3: Shot/reverse-shot (sometimes called "shot/counter-shot")
     • For example, see Grey's Anatomy scene.
   • Group 4: Match cuts, specifically:
     • Eyeline match
     • Match on action
     • And their opposite, the jump cut

Scene découpage

All groups, each student individually:

1. Film Art's CD-ROM discusses the editing of a scene from Steven Soderbergh's Out of Sight, featuring Jack Foley (George Clooney) and Karen Sisco (Jennifer Lopez). Using this scene decoupage, draw an overhead diagram of the camera positions of all eight shots--similar to the diagram in Television. (Draw just one diagram that shows all the camera and actor positions.)
   • Does this scene use the editing conventions listed above? Be specific. Hint: be sure to look closely at the first shot. Even Bordwell and Thompson incorrectly describe it on the CD-ROM.

Bibliography

1. Jeremy G. Butler, Television: Critical Methods and Applications (Routledge)
2. David Bordwell and Kristin Thompson, Film Art: An Introduction (McGraw-Hill).

External links

1. Classical Hollywood editing examples
2. Film Art examples
3. Grey's Anatomy scene
4. Out of Sight découpage