How to become a film editor

Excellent editors have the following four common characteristics:

1. End the last shot in the right place.

2. Start the next shot in the right place.

3. Appropriate transition between two transition lenses (can play a bridge role)

4. The clear development of the story.

In fact, a perfect editor is difficult to define and discuss, because often all kinds of editing theories will lead editors to think too much. If you blindly follow the script, everyone's mind will be full of concepts, and often even the simplest and most direct shots will think too much about how to edit them.

For example, a dialogue scene above the shoulder takes a lot of time to think about how to edit it in line with the development of the story. Theoretically, it is really necessary to ensure that the cutting positions of the front and rear shots are appropriate, so it is easy to overthink simple editing and even try to add meaning to each shot. Editing needs to achieve maximum balance, and we need to transition from point A to point B most effectively.

The key skill of editing is to determine the editing point and maximize the use of this point to enrich the story. There are many classic film editing skills worth learning, as well as the editors' thinking (why this classic film is edited like this and how such editing serves the story).

Extended data:

Film editing skills:

1, the clip should be compact.

The best way is to edit the tense scene, but don't cut it too short. This means that unnecessary pauses in the actor's dialogue need to be cut out. Shorten the space in the middle of each sentence, or even subtract the long and unimportant dialogue. But before you delete the dialogue, please consult the director first.

Generally speaking, the method is to cut out an accurate version from the beginning, instead of cutting out a longer movie and then reducing it. The attention of most movie viewers is generally less than 90 minutes, which is equivalent to the length of a general movie.

If the length of the film is about 100 minutes after the initial editing, it basically takes 90 minutes to make the film more compact. If the film is edited for two hours or more after the first time, "major surgery" is needed.

2. Temporary music

Many editors like to edit movies with temporary background music and use temporary music as a placeholder. Here I put forward two reasons not to advocate this practice. First, once people like temporary music, it is difficult to find a suitable soundtrack that feels good. Second, impromptu concerts become your "spiritual pillar".

Boring scenes with interesting music will make you more tolerant. I prefer to edit a powerful movie scene and make it perfect through proper editing. If a scene can be unique, the soundtrack will be icing on the cake. The only exception is the music setting of montage lens. So, I can do better when editing.

3. Don't open the editing method in French.

The original French Open TV series used a specific dialogue editing method: the sound and the picture were completely synchronized, and there was no overlap. Common methods are: cut a picture-A cut out the dialogue-cut out B picture-B cut out-cut out a picture, and so on.

Walter murch, the master editor, named this editing method French open editing method. But in fact, the audience reacts better to the fact that the sound and the picture clips are not coincident.

This editing method of separating audio and video is called split editing, L-cuts or J-cuts. This editing method is closer to real life. First, you hear someone start talking, and then you look up. Or when a person is talking, we will see the reaction of our friends. This editing method is closer to people's natural reaction and will make the film smoother.

4. Coordination of actions

Using gestures, props, eyes or walking of actors is one of the editing methods. However, walter murch said, the best way is to let the emotions show naturally, or cut out a smooth narrative rhythm, and technical editing is the last thing to consider. But it must not be ignored, because the uncoordinated movements will make it difficult for the audience to enter the show.

Step 5 move the camera lens

Moving lens is the main way to shoot action movies, which can be track camera, rotary arm camera, camera stabilizer or hand-held camera. Action movies usually present a tense atmosphere.

6. Don't always edit from the same angle.

If the director takes a lot of shots from different angles, don't always switch back to the same angle mechanically, or reread the same lens position used not long ago. Of course, there are only two angles in a dialogue scene, so it is difficult to avoid repeated editing. However, if the director shoots with different lens frames according to different needs, he might as well show the director's intention through editing.

7. Three sets of lenses

When you need to switch scenes, it is usually a group of three. Hold for at least 1.5 to 2 seconds or more. For example, when the protagonist enters the room and looks around, editing the viewpoint lens in groups of three can intuitively show the audience the whole scene seen by the protagonist, imitate our real world and let the audience be there.

8. Focus on editing the actor's eyes

Actors attract attention with their faces on TV, in movies and on the stage, but the most important thing is the actors' eyes. I always pay attention to the actors' eyes when editing intense dialogue scenes. Do they convey the right emotions? How do you react to the actors in the play? The actor's performance determines my editing. This principle allows me to focus more on the main actors who convey the dialogue and cut off the reactions of others.

9. Eliminate the "air" in the actor's performance

Note that most actors exaggerate more than they should. Actors will emphasize pause, add more mistakes than the script requires, stutter more and glance longer, but the responsibility of editing is to restore the performance to normal through appropriate editing. Delete lengthy actions and dialogues to make the film real and unpretentious.

10, forming a story.

It is said that there are three kinds of movies in the world: script, shooting and editing. No matter what type you edit, you should pay great attention to the context of the story. Don't be afraid to change the script or shoot the content, as long as it is meaningful. Many editors present stories intuitively by recording scripts on the screen. This can help you ensure that the story is presented to the audience with the most fluent logic.

1 1, using digital auxiliary equipment

Digital media, such as modern nonlinear editing and sorting technology, provide many auxiliary tools for producers. For example, digital images can be magnified many times. You can use these tools to zoom photographers to shoot wide scenes or close-ups in enlarger lens, which will be easy if you use a red digital camera with 35mm film.

12, make your own choices and consider others.

The duty of editing is to form a story and grasp the rhythm of the film. The most important thing is to help the director achieve creative visual effects. But you should also have your own ideas. Most editors finish the initial editing independently. This is the first time you have a chance to put a distinct personal brand on the film. After the original editing is completed, the director and the editor will work together to turn the editing into the version that the director wants.