Natural Transitions P.1

What is a natural transition? What are three different techniques that this video mentions? What would each of them add to a scene?

Natural transitions are transitions intended to have a smooth flow to disguise the cut. These can easily cut between time and/or location.

1. Use similar objects or shapes

For example, since a clock and the moon both have similar circular shapes, they can be used to as a natural transition. This can also be applied to similar textures of the same color, such as the wall.

2. Use similar colors

Much like the wall example in #1, similar colors can be effective as natural transitions. This color can also be black, which can be created by covering the lens at the end of one shot and at the beginning of another shot. The blue sky is also a great example of utilizing similar colors.

3. Use similar camera movement

Camera movement can be effectively used as natural transition by utilizing the same techniques in two consecutive shots. For example, if a tilt from top to bottom is used in the first shot, it may look interesting to cut in the middle to another shot tilting from top to bottom. Swish pans are also natural transitions that create continuity through camera movement by disguising the cut through a blur.

What is an editor?

Drawing from what you've learned and experienced so far, what is the editors role in a movie? Out of all of these responsibilities, what are three that you could give examples of?

Editors create a natural flow in between shots by cutting, arranging, and correcting. 

Cutting: Editors must have the ability to cut parts of the shots which are uninteresting or otherwise unnecessary. This is an important skill to have, because the editors cannot choose the shots which are simply beautiful. A scene may be the most beautiful shot ever taken, yet editors must cut out the shot if it is unhelpful for the story.

Arranging: The editors must know how to arrange the scenes correctly to enhance the flow of the edit. This means the editors must choose which scenes are necessary at what moment in order to tell the story in the most effective manner. Some stories will not make sense if it is ordered incorrectly. The better the continuity of the edit, the harder it is the recognize the editor's job.

Correcting: Fixing the mistakes made in the raw footage is another job the editors must be able to do. No matter how cautious one is on set, some mistakes cannot be found unless the scene is carefully viewed by the editor. It is the editor's job to correct these mistakes by cutting them out or using special effects.

Cutting On Action

What is cutting on action? How does it seamlessly blend two shots together? What are two things that you must keep in mind when cutting on action in your films?

Cutting on action is an editing technique which means to add a cut when there is motion occurring on screen. It seamlessly blends two shots together by forcing the audience to focus more on the action rather than the cut by cutting on an action frame. When cutting on action, the editor must keep in mind that the action of the scene must flow together. For example, if the preceding shot cuts right when the character touches the door knob, the next shot must show the door opening immediately. This way, the flow of time and action are not disturbed by the cut. Another thing the editor must keep in mind when utilizing this technique is to storyboard before shooting. Not only would this make the editing process easier, but it also helps when shooting the film to have a preplanned list of shots.

Mise-en-scene

What is mise-en-scene? How is the term used in the film industry? What are two reasons that it is so important?
Mise-en-scene is "the arrangement of everything that appears in the framing " In other words, it is the entirety of what appears on screen including the set, lighting, and costumes. The term is commonly used in the film industry to describe the result of the collaboration of people who create on screen what is asked of them from the director. Academically speaking, this term is most often used to describe the overall feel of the movie. Mise-en-scene is important because it communicates a certain emotion to the audience. The sets and costumes, as color of the screen can evoke different types of emotion. Mise-en-scene is also important because it communicates the context of the story or character. For example, if a character is wearing a scrub, the audience can make a reasonable conclusion that the character is a nurse.

What is Timecode?

In your own words, explain what timecode is to someone who has no idea. What is it? Why is it so important for editing video?

A video is a cumulation of multiple photos displayed in sequential order. Time code allows the editor to define the frame in a sequence indicated by the CTI, or current time indicator. The CTI will most often be seen as a long vertical line on the timeline panel. The four groups of numbers are hours, minutes, seconds, and frames. Time codes are important to editing a video because it helps pin point a certain frame at a specific time. For example, time codes can be specifically typed in the editing software to reach an accurate frame. A full length movie will require more attention to time code in order to differentiate from good shots and bad shots. Professional videos require more attention to detail of frames in order to maintain continuity between shots or tell the story more effectively.

Premiere Pro Surprises

How are you getting used to editing on Premiere Pro? What surprises you about it? What challenges are you having?

I am starting to learn a couple new keyboard shortcuts, mastering the use of c,v, i, o, and '. I understand sequence types to a certain degree and I am starting to understand basic color effects. I was surprised that the audio file is always separated into two, and I have yet to figure out why that is. I was also surprised that logging is an important part of editing, because it seemed like a long and unnecessary task when dealing with short films. I am still challenged by management of files. Everything because very confusing when a shot is identified incorrectly. I am still trying to learn new keyboard shortcuts, because I accidentally press an unknown button at times which causes unknown effects on the timeline. I continues to struggle with time controls; I am still trying to find where the speed curve is located.

Guide to Montage Editing

What are three concepts from this article that you can incorporate into your montage edit? Why did you pick these three? How can you apply them in the edit?

Use Symbols: I chose the use of symbolism because incorporating this tip in a montage edit helps the audience create a story within the seemingly disoriented and unrelated clips. It provides a way for the clips to connect with each other without having it be the same location or time. I can apply this tip into my edit by first looking for a thread in between the shots. Once I have found a theme within the multiple shots, I can create the edit to emphasize the symbolism.

Mix Close-ups and Deep Shots:

I chose mixing close-ups and deep shots because I understand that variation in shots make the film much more interesting compared to a bland film with similar shots all around. This helps with the overall idea that a montage edit must make the audience "lose control". Having unusual shots in unusual locations keeps messing with the normal expectation of what's to come. I can apply this into my edit by allowing a variation of shots side by side; they do not require to be in completely different locations.

Use Color and Tone:

I chose this clip because I understand myself how odd a montage can look when the overall atmosphere differs between shots unintentionally. By making sure a montage has a similar color sequence, it can create a constant mood throughout the montage. I can apply this into my edit by using the color grading feature on Premiere Pro or by using look up tables to have a constant color. I can also make sure there is a specific color for most of the shots.