Task 5 - continuity editing - DONE

Continuity Editing:

Continuity editing is where everything flows in a consistent, orderly, sequential manner. It is now known as a much more modern process today for filming and is used world wide. It is known as a 'Classical Hollywood' which was developed by early European and American directors, D.W Griffith in his films: Intolerance and The Birth of a Nation.

The classical style ensures temporal and spiritual continuity a sa way of advancing narrative, using such techniques as the 180 degree rule, Match on Action and Shot, Reverse Shot.

Why is CE Important?
-It helps retain a sense of realistic chronology and generates the feeling that time is moving forward
-It doesn't mean you can't use flashbacks or flash forwards, as long as the narrative will still be seem to be progressing forward in an expected or realistic way.

KEY CONTINUITY TECHNIQUES:
-Eye-line match:

• This technique links two shots together.
• We see a character looking at something off screen and then we cut to a shot of what they are looking at.
• This allows the audience to experience an event in the film just as the character is experiencing it. 

-The 180 Degree Rule:

• Is a basic guideline that states two characters (or other elements) in the same scene should always have the same left/right relationship to each other.
• If the camera passes over the imaginary axis connecting the two subjects, it is called crossed the line. 

-Match on Action:

• Links two shots together
• We see a character start an action in one shot, the camera then cuts to a different angle and we see the character finish the action in the second shot.
• This technique ensures that the action seems like one natural and realistic movement even when the actor may have really performed it twice.

-Shot, Reverse, Shot:

• Links two shots together.
• The first shot reveals the character and then the second shot reveals the second character.
• This allows the audience to connect the two characters and realises that they are interacting with each other. 

Summarisation of my Continuity Edited film:

To develop my understanding of continuity editing, I created my own film which included all the continuity editing conventions which are: Match on Action, Eye-line Match, Shot, Reverse Shot, 180 degree. The very first editing convention I began my continuity film with was a Eye-line Match. We see this  shot when Toni looks up at the direction of where the clock is then to show she is looking at something the camera shows a still shot of the clock it-self. In this scene it is effective because the audience begins to build up a basic idea of what is happening or going to happen next in the film.

Moving on from that, in the next scene there is the match on action shot. In this shot the second character runs from outside of the room and just as she opens the door the camera gets a continued shot of her running inside. This type of convention in this scene is effective because it not only makes the film come together but it makes it look very realistic for the audience.

After that scene we see the shot reverse shot. Both characters in this scene is having a rather quick and snappy conversation with each other, and whilst having the conversation the camera switches its position to the person who is talking to the opposite person. I think that this technique was done very well in this shot because the audience has a chance to see clearly of how both characters are having their conversation.

Overall I personally feel as though my continuity edited film was successful, and my first reason for this is because of how each continuity edited technique was used clearly. Each shot which had its convention was shown effectively based on the story line as well as the audience's response to the film. This film shows that I have gained an understanding of continuity editing and how each of its convention can be used in a film.