Task 3- Be Able to Edit Moving Image Material:

Task 3- Be Able to Edit Moving Image Material:

Introduction: In this Blog I am going to demonstrate to you that I know how to edit moving pictures, I am going to be giving you examples from my Music Video and my Advert for Vita Heat.

My Productions:

Music Video:

Advert:

Editing Technology:

Software Applications:
There are many different editing software that I could have used some being basic and others that experts use. For example for basic editing software is Windows Movie Maker, you can place videos to create a sequence but they have very few tools for colour correction etc.  For my productions I used a programme that an expert uses, this is called Avid Media:

This programme has many amazing features, for example it has a brilliant colour correction tool:

Also it has so many different effects:

Hardware (Non-linear or Linear):
Linear editing is a very old method, this is what you would use to edit tape footage. This has become obsolete thanks to the introduction to computers. Even though it is rarely used in films in this generation it is still a major part of editing.

Whereas Non-Linear editing is used for digital editing, this is a method that allows an editor to access any frame in a digital video clip regardless of what sequence this clip is. There is a big freedom because they can access any frame, and they can use the cut and paste method – this is similar to cutting and pasting a piece of text into a word document. This is a great way to add fades, transitions, and any effect that is impossible in linear editing.

In my projects I had to use Non-Linear editing, this is because as previously mentioned I used a software called Avid media.

High Definition or Standard Definition:
These are the different quality of video that you can capture and display. Standard definition videos are the lowest quality you can record in and it starts from 144p to 480p the higher the number goes the more pixels are displayed and it becomes less blurry. High Definition main two resolutions are 720p and 1080p again the higher the number the crisper the image becomes – but High definition file sizes are a lot bigger and will take more space when compared to standard definition.

Both of my productions where captured and rendered in 1080p:

Data Transfer Rates:
This is the amount of digital data that is moved from one place to another in a given time. This means the DTR is viewed as the speed of travel of a given amount of data from one place to another. The greater bandwidth of the given path, the quicker the files will transfer.

In computers the data that is being transferred is mostly measured in bytes per second. The highest DTR is 14 terabits per second this is to date. All my music video footage turned out to reach 36.5 GB:

As I transferred it to my hard disk drive I managed to reach about 42mb/s. If you are using a USB 2.0 the DTR will be slower than if you are using a USB 3.0. The hard drive I was transferring it to is a USB 3.0 here is an image of the speed:

Exporting Production:
When you have finished editing this the process that will turn the sequence into a full video on your hard drive. This file will then be ready to put on a DVD, watch on different computers, upload to YouTube etc. Before you are ready to export the project you are going to want to make sure your transitions, effects etc. are rendered. To do this you must place an IN point at the start of the sequence and an OUT point at the end, then you are going to want to Clip – Render in/out:

It will come up with this box, this will tell you how many effects in your timeline needs to render. Just click ok and it will render it all out:

After clicking ok a box will come up saying what effect number they are on and at the bottom it will tell you how long it will take:

After all the effects have been rendered out this is when you can export the file, you will start by selecting the IN point at the start of the sequence and then OUT point at the end of the sequence. Then going to File – Export:

After that you want to choose what location you want to export your video into, make sure it’s a location you can remember and won’t lose the file. The folder I have chosen to export it to the Videos folder:

The next part is the most important, you want to make sure you know what you want the export settings to be. Each setting will render it out into a different format, quality some will have smaller file size whilst others will have bigger. I have chosen a render setting I created and to make sure the settings are correct I will go into the options:

When I am in the options I will be putting In the dimensions of the video, this will need to be the thing that determines the quality of the video, for my file I have chosen to export it at 1080p using the dimensions 1920x1080, next I will want to click the custom button and go into format options:

When I am in there a movie settings box will open I will then go into the settings:

This is the final part this is where I will chose the compression type (this is another thing that determines file size and what it can be played on), the frame rate I want to render it (Again use the same frame rate as the videos source) and the quality of the compressor (This will determine the quality of the video and the file size) The settings I have chosen are H.264 for my compression type, my source footage was 24 fps so that’s what I am exporting it as and I am choosing the best quality:

When you are done click OK on everything and click Save on the Export settings, this then makes all the settings you have chosen saved and can use them again when you render the next file:

Then the last step is naming the file and clicking the save button:

When you have clicked the Save button Avid will then export the file into your settings and a box telling you how long it is taking and an estimated time till completion:

Editing Process:

Use of Appropriate Techniques:
I believe that in my finished production I have made it all seem Seamless, Doesn't break continuity (besides once), there are montages in my Advert.

Seamless:
I believe that I made my footage as seamless as it can be, for the start of my music video I used a pan of the white cliffs and then a transition to another pan on the top of the white cliffs. This is an example of being seamless because the footage just carries on it could have had a moment where is stops and then starts another pan, but then it wouldn't faze together as well this is the scene I mean:

 

Another example of Seamless is when I changed camera angle from a faraway shot to a closer up shot of the bully pushing the lead into a tree then pulling him to the ground, again I chose to make it one quick motion so that it doesn't look like a cut. This is what I mean:

Continuity:

Most of my productions have not broken continuity, besides the very first thing we shot which is the bully scene at college in the music video. When we changed camera angles from one shot to a closer shot a man suddenly appears this is what I mean:

But the rest of the production was fine and looked like it could make the audience think they are in the world while they are watching it.

Montage:

In the first 15 seconds of my advert it is a massive montage of the actor doing his exercise, this routine should have taken him 10 or 20 minutes to complete but with the power of editing I was able to show him from the start, getting more tired and till he can’t run any more in 15 seconds. Here is the clip I am talking about: 

                                        

Use Appropriate Transitions:
Throughout my music video I think I used appropriate transitions, but some aspects it might have been better to cut instead of using the dissolve transition. The most used transition was the dissolve and I used the fade transition at the end of the productions. If I was to complete these productions again I would just cut when the camera changes to a different angle. I also used a different transition, this was one I needed to create for my music video and this being a flash of light for a flashback effect.

Here are a few dissolve transitions:

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   

Here are the fade transitions:

Flashback transitions:

Pace Effectively:

I think the pace of my music video and Advert was perfect, because the music video had very sad scenes I chose to have a slow edit, this is so the audience can get a feel of how the main actor was feeling. On the other hand when there was a bit of action in one scene when the actor gets up from his bed and starts messing up his room I sped the editing up.

For my advert I had both fast and slow pacing, when the actor was exercising I chose to have faster cuts between camera angles and as the time progressed and he got more and more tired the cuts sped up more. Until the exercise is finished and then I slowed the cuts down this is to show that the actor is tired and the pace is to show his emotion.

Use Sound to Create Impact and Synchronise Sound and Vision:
I have decided to write about this together because in my advert during the running scene I used a soundtrack to create impact and it sync the sound with the vision. At the start it was a quite scene with no background music this is to show the audience it was peaceful, then when the actor first runs into shot this is when the music starts to play – This sound creates impact because it grabs their attention, it is also syncing the sound with vision because as the actor runs on screen that’s when the music starts:

Another example of this in my Advert is when the music changed the beat that’s when I cut, again this is both creating impact and syncing the sound with vision – this is because the audience is aware when the beat is getting faster that’s when the actor is getting faster until the end of the workout where the music just stops:

Task 2 – Be Able to Prepare Moving Image Material for Editing

Task 2 – Be Able to Prepare Moving Image Material for Editing

Introduction:
In this Blog I will be explaining how an editor will prepare their material for editing. I will explain preparation techniques and how they will prepare to edit.

Preparation Techniques:

Checking Material for Faults:
There are three stages when you are checking your material for faults these are:

1. Checking the footage to make sure the scene works, the colour balance, white balance, it is in focus, exposure and overall framing are correct.
2. Using Log Sheets – when you have a log sheet you must make sure you have logged the footage in detail. You will want to make sure you have specific notes of the shots description, noting down if the shot and scene worked and if it didn't. If you create a log sheet it can reduce production costs, this is because it will speed up the editing process. Here is a link to another blog article where is demonstrate how a log sheet works:
   http://porkypinehd1.blogspot.co.uk/2014/10/clapperboard-videos-for-zoran-30092014.html
3. Logging and Capturing, this is when the editor will capture the footage. In this stage any faults in the footage such as framing alignment the editor will spot it. This means the bad footage can be spotted before entering it for the final cut.

Synchronising Rushes:
This is a very old technique that is still used in modern day editing. This is basically checking that the shots and scenes work well together in transitions.

A modern way of this is doing a live shoot with two or more cameras that both need editing in the final cut. You can do this by putting the first cameras footage on the first track and the second camera on the second track and then you can choose to mix or select.

Here is a video example of how it works:

Producing a rushes log:

This is used to produce a log for every frame in your footage. This allows the editor to identify where all the scenes are, and to know what tape to use for the scene. This also allows the editor to determine what footage they want to use and gives them a reason why. This means the editing process is more organised. Here is an example of a Rushes Log:

Marking up a Script:
This is when the editor is looking at the script the writers and producers have produced for the scene numbers, the shot descriptions so they know if they need to reshoot that scene again. When completed it will be given to the editor and this will help him know how the editing needs to be done.

This is an example of how you can mark up a script:

Labelling Tapes:

This is a very important stage, this needs to be done to secure the footage that has been recorded – which allows the director to know that they don’t reshoot the same scene or film over the footage. Another reason you would want to label the footage is so you know what date the footage was shoot. This allows you when filming to know how much footage you have and how much footage you still need to gather.

Storing Film:
This is basically how the editor and director chooses what they want to store their footage on.
In the modern days we will use many different types of devices to help us store the footage, we have external hard drives, memory sticks, SD cards and internal hard drives. We would store it correctly because it will allow the editor to find the footage quite easily.

This is how I choose to store my Music video footage:

I created different folders for each different type of SD card I used to capture the footage on, the then created a Keep folder which is where I placed the footage that is useable for my edit.

Producing an Edit Decision List:
This is a much more detailed and also more organised when compared to a tape log. This will have all your shots in the order that the director and editor wants the final production to look like. This allows the production to be edited in the correct order if the edit decision list is made correctly it should look like your storyboard. It should tell the editor what frame the clip needs to start and end, gives a description of what the scene and some might tell the editor what transition they want to change to the next scene/clip.

Here is an example:

Preparing to Edit:

Importing Clips:
This is how you get your recorded footage from your computer into the software you are using.

To import footage on Avid Media first you are going to need to highlight what bin you want to import the file to, then you are going to want to click File – Import:

This box will then pop up:

You are going to want to find the location you have stored your footage and highlight every clip you want to import and then click Open:

This Box will then pop up, this means the files are being imported:

This is what it looks like when your files are imported:

Bins:
This is one of the best tools in editing to keep the production you want to edit organized, for example if you have audio and video you want to create two separate bins one for audio and the other for video. Another thing you can do is if you have footage from two different cameras you can create a bin for Camera A or 1 and another bin for Camera B or 2.

This is what a bin in Avid looks like:

To create a second bin you will want to click the New Bin Button:

This is what a bin for video and a bin for Audio will look like:

Timelines:
The timeline is used to place you clips onto to create a sequence, to join one video to another you are going to want to cut the sections and then add them onto the timeline to make it seamless. After you have placed the video clips or audio you can then create a transition from one clip to another. This is what a timeline looks like with a completed project:

Storage and Folder Management:
It is very important when you are creating an editing project that you store and manage your video files correctly. It is very important that you know where you have stored your clips, you don’t want to have to waste time looking for them. Another important thing to do when storing your files is backing up the clips, you never know when your hard drive might fail, need to restore your computer or your files becoming corrupt. When you are backing up your footage try and use a different storage device.

Online and Offline Editing:
Offline editing is when they could be editing with reduced quality (also known as a rough cut) you will do this before you start the master clips (known as On-Line Editing.) Of-line editing allows you to save space on hard drives and can help if you are editing on a low end PC with worse performance, offline editing can last from a few days to years this will depend on the size of the project and the amount of footage.

Online Editing is known as finishing, this will start with an offline project, and you will turn it into full quality. In a traditional sense Online editing does not have anything to do with editing. When you are working with timing, storytelling, and fine-tuning your project this needs to be completed in the Off-line editing stage. This means On-line editing focuses on image quality, colour correction, maintaining broadcast video specifications, detailed effects work, titles, audio levels etc. This stage will be completed quite quickly when compared to Off-line editing.

Resolution:
The resolution is what frame size you recorded the footage on, the higher you chose the resolution the bigger the file size will become. The two main resolutions you will see are 1280x720 (720p) and 1920x1080 (1080p). If you have forgotten what resolution your video file was recorded at you can right click the video file and click properties and moving to the details tab:

This file is 1080p because you can see the frame width is 1920 and the frame height is 1080.

Task 1 – Understand the Development and Principles of Editing

Task 1 – Understand the Development and Principles of Editing

Introduction:
In this blog I am going to give explanations and examples of the Development of Editing, Purpose of Editing, and the conventions and techniques.

Development of Editing:

In Camera Editing
In camera editing is a technique where the camera operator/editor will not use editing software to place their shots into a sequence, they director of the film/video will make sure the shots are filmed in order shot-by-shot. This means the edit will already be completed when the film is getting developed.

This technique is used less and less now due to Digital video. When the director needed to buy film for the video to be recorded on, this would cost them a lot of money so the film makers would use the In Camera Editing technique so they can maximize the film usage.

Here is an example on what an In camera editing film would look like:

As you can see in this video every cut could be cut in the camera, all it is, someone is moving the camera from one position to another either pausing the recording and moving the camera and then restarting the filming. There are also no transitions in the scenes which is a sign of Software Editing.

Following the Action:
This is when the camera operator will keep focused on a subject. The reason why people will do this is because this allows the audience to understand what is happening.

There are many ways to do this; you can do this by Panning, Zooming in and following the actor with the camera.

Panning is when the cameraman will move the camera horizontally (Left to right or Right to Left).  This technique will allow you to track an object or it allows you to follow any type of movement. When you are doing this you must make sure there is no jerky movements/action. You can do this technique without a Tripod, but it might look jerkier and might take more tries to get it looking smooth.

Here is an example of Panning: 

As you can see the camera is moving from left to right and its main focus is the white cliffs of 

Dover. 

Zooming is a camera movement that a lot of people are most familiar with. This is when the camera 

operator or editor changes the focal length of the lens, this will give of the effect that the subject is closer than it really is. They can also zoom out; this then gives the effect that the subject is further away. Most modern day cameras will have built-in zoom features. Some of these cameras will also have manual zooms as well, and a lot will have zoom speeds. This is one of the most used camera moves and one of the most overused.

Here is an example of zooming:

As you can see this is zooming in closer to the main actor to make him look bigger and you can see the subject clearer. As you can see the closer it got blurrier.

Multiple Points of View:
This is when we see an action or something happening from more than one characters perspective, this could either be the same or a different location.

They will use this so the viewers are able to see two or more different characters perspectives and this allows us to get a perspective to what both characters can see.

Here is an example: 

This scene shows 6 characters point of view of what has just happened. In the scene they all start hearing and seeing frogs falling from the sky. They showed it six times to show where all 6 characters was and their different reactions. Some look scared, others look shocked, some people it has caused them to crash their cars and ambulances.

Shot Variation:
This is a technique where the camera operator/editor will use different types of shots; these shots might include a wide shot (Extreme long shot) – which is a type of shot that is usually at the start of a scene to allow the audience to grasp an understanding of the scene. You also have long shots- these can be used to allow the audience to focus on a certain character, which can be used to introduce the main character. Another shot variation is Medium shot – These are mostly used in dialogue scenes or action sequences this will allow the audience to follow the narrative. Finally you have the close up scenes- These are mostly used when the camera is focusing on a certain character, item or expression.

Here is a blog that I previously created that gives examples of different shot variation and how it can be used to create a story:
http://porkypinehd1.blogspot.co.uk/2014/09/still-photos-camera-shots-for-zoran.html

Manipulation of Diegetic Time and Space:
This is a technique where the editor will change the speed of the film to show the audience, this allows the audience to see what would have happened in a long period of time in a short period of time. This allows films to skip through hours, days, weeks or months.

A good example of this is in action films when they have training montages, here is one from "Rocky 1":

As you can see in this clip Rocky is training to get stronger for a fight, this training would have taken days or weeks but the editor has created a montage of clips showing him from the start to end of his training which allows the audience to see a few days’ worth of training in just under 3 minutes. 

Film:
You are working with raw footage when you are editing with film, you will be selecting shots and then you can combine them to create a finished motion picture. This type of editing is considered an art form or a skill, this is the only art that is unique to cinema – this separates film making from other art forms.

Video:
This editing is the process of editing different segments of motion video production footage, special effects and sound recordings in post-production. This type of editing is cheaper than editing with film.

Digital:
This is a new way of editing film and Digital is now used more than Analogue filming now. This type of editing is when you use a computer to edit the footage. You will use editing software – for example Avid Media, Adobe Premier, Final Cut Pro etc. This allows you to add more than analogue editing, for example you can add special effects and text etc.

Analogue:
This was a type of editing that was mostly used before the introduction of Digital editing – they had to physically edit the footage to create a sequence. This type of editing is when the editor will cut the film using a splicer and then they would have to physically place them pieces of film together in the sequence you would want and glue them together.

Purpose of Editing:

Engaging the Viewer (Storytelling):
Every film and TV show made will need to be able to tell a story, this is so the audience can become interested on what they are watching. This is essential to keep the audience interested throughout the whole running time of the film or TV show. Storytelling will go hand-in-hand with editing – if the edit is poor then telling the story will become difficult, this is because some shots that are placed out of order might make the audience confused to what has just happened.  

Development of Drama:
If you are creating a film with a lot of dramatic elements, the methods the editor will use can create or establish intensity. The camera shots will also play a large part of development of drama. A good shot that is used a lot in film that causes drama is the reaction shot, this might signify how the character might behave in a certain situation. Long winded shots are another popular shots because they are used to generate a feeling of tension or danger. The main factor of developing drama is obviously emotion. This is mainly because there is no drama without emotion. Here is an example:

In this scene when something happens to Nancy the editor will change to a cut with the actors face, this lets the audience know her reaction to what has just happened. In one part of this scene they used a long winded shot to show a dead body being dragged along the floor, this shows danger.

Relationship to Genre:
When it comes to editing the different genres of films, you have to remember they will have different conventions, techniques and styles. Let’s look at two very different genres these being Horror and Comedy.

Horror will need to have dark scenes – low-key lighting, colours that are featured are black and red (this is for blood). The horror locations will need to be isolated or small, they will mostly be set in places that have been abandoned. They might have unnatural camera movements, this is so they can create fear when the audience are witnessing jerky or jump-out moments. POV shots – these will either be from the protagonist hiding from the antagonist, or the other way round. This will need to have disturbing sounds, this tells the audience that something bad may happen. A lot of horror films will never tie up the storyline in hopes in generates enough to get a sequel. The film will usually have a lonely or psychotic villain, a lead who will generally become the strongest in the group, there is a hopeless who will scream and make mistakes at everything, a couple, strong and tough character who is cocky and will die early etc. Here is an example from Jeepers Creepers:

As you can see they have used the dark lighting - shadows for characters to build suspense. The location is in a isolated police station which has lost its power. POV shots when someone is looking outside for an escape, disturbing music which is a screeching noise. 

Whereas comedies will have brighter scenes, cities or other well populated areas, natural moving cameras – sometimes they will have high cameras to capture the environment. They will also have props they use for comedic effect – food, sports equipment etc. Usually set during the day time. The characters they will have are an accident prone/idiotic, the love interest, the sarcastic etc. Here is an example from the TV show Friends:

They are living in a apartment in New York, it is set during the day. In one part Joey came out of the room wearing stupid clothing. 

Creating motivation: 

A very good way of holding the interest of the audience in a film or TV show is by creating motivation. To figure out who the audience will feel and affect them in a positive way, the team of editors should look for motivation in their cuts.

You must cut at the most appropriate time this is so the narrative can develop and progress further.

They need to make sure they have created the correct pace - this depending on the genre of film – of the cuts is important.

This is so they can help the audience to determine how they feel about the scene or character, the editors will need to get it right between cutting from one scene to another or from one character to another. Here is an example from the movie Election:

In this scene the editor has cut from different clips, this means the audience feels the scene is a little more dramatic and they will keep enough interest to keep watching. It shows them cutting to people face for different reactions, and as the scene went on the music picked up and the cuts got faster.

Sound is also used to create motivation. For example a character might hear a loud crash in the background they will turn around, the editor should then cut to what they are looking at to keep the interest of the audience. Here is an example from Supernatural:

There is that eerie music in the background that might suggest something bad is going to happen like a ghost or a killer, and as one of the characters is about to open the place they heard a noise from the music got more intense. After they found out it was just a cat the music turned into a happier sounding music and became more upbeat.  

Combining shots into sequences:
This is the most used and basic technique in video editing. This is just when an editor will place several shots one after another, this will create a seamless flow between the previous and next shot to create a full sequence. They class the edit as ‘invisible’ this is because it is almost as if you can’t tell that an edit has taken place. Here is an example from Doctor Who:

In this scene you can see the cuts from one cut to another but it is so seamless that we don't notice it, the actor is in the same position with the same facial expressions as well.

Creating Pace:
This is basically when the editor will create an emotion though the camera shots and movements, as well as the music. It is almost useless having a slow camera movements and a sad soundtrack in the middle of a car chase scene. The audience will expect lots of quick movements and fast, up beat soundtrack.

The music in the scene has to be appropriate when playing it behind a scene. It is really unlikely to hear a heavy metal song in the background of a romantic scene, the same for a classical song in the background of a fight scene.

Conventions and Techniques of Editing:

Seamless:
This is when you place two film clips together and it creates a neat and smooth piece of film, it will also runs into each piece easily. This can be taking two different shots that was from a different time, but if two different characters are walking into a building by walking down the same street you will want to mirror it.

Here is an example of seamless editing from (00:00->1:35):

As you can see in this scene there is a lot of action and camera cuts, but they have made it seamless meaning that after every time a new cut starts, it is when the last cut ends. This means while the audience is watching it they fill like they are there and not missing any action.

Continuity:
This is when an editor will arrange the sequence of shots and it will suggest to the audience a progression of events. This will then need to flow in a consistent, orderly, smooth, sequential manner.

Here is an example of breaking continuity, in this scene of Django Unchained they are taking about buying a new costume and at 0:17 you can see a blue hat on the edge:

and at 0:46 you can see the hat has disappeared and nobody in the scene has picked it up or moved it:

:Here is an example of good continuity: 

In this video all the graphics match, the eye lines match and so does the time on his watch match as he was waiting.

Motivated:
This is a way the editor can suspend the audience’s disbelief when they are watching a Film or TV show. This is where some shots are chosen carefully to push a story along and makes the audience believe what is going on. A good example of this is if someone is walking on a beach and they turn around, it is best to cut to a point of view of what the actor can see. This is so the audience can see what the actor sees and it makes them more interested in the storyline. This is a great way to make the audience feel involved in the Film or TV show and might make them less likely to notice all the different cuts and the fact that they are just watching different video shots placed together.

Montage:
This is a technique when you are editing film where there is a series of short shots and they are edited into a sequence. This is to condense the space, time and information given by the scene showed.

Some productions are just one huge montage, this means they will have no narrative. Some directors will use short montages in their films.

For an example of montage editing I have given an example from the start of the film Hot Fuzz:

In this scene you can see how a police officer starting his training. They showed clips of him before he started, running though punching bags, running with riot shields though fire, doing his theory test and then his graduation. They then showed different clips of him talking to different people about crimes, him teaching and then training in driving and advanced cycling. He then done extra activates like fencing, taekwondo, chess and running. This is an amazing example of montage editing because all of this would have taken months and possibly years and they shortened it down to make it just under 2 minutes.  

Jump-Cutting:
This is a transition between two shots, this transition will make it look like it has just jumped from one camera to another, and this is due to the way the different shots are framed in relation to another. Jump cutting is usually caused by framing that are similar for an example these two:

Here is an example of jump cutting in film:

As you can see in this shot the camera is jumping around a lot, mostly when he is walking towards a new door or looking into a different door. It is jumping from one clip to another clip.

Parallel Editing (Cross-cutting):
This type of editing is when the editor will alternate between two or more scenes this will often happen simultaneously but in different locations. These will occasionally culminate in a single place, sometimes the two different people or groups of people will meet.

An example of this is a scene from “Supernatural”:

In this scene a group of hunters is at a graveyard torching a corpse to stop a ghost, at the same time you see the camera switching to a scene of a man being attacked by that ghost. This is in two different locations but happening at the same time. It then shows a swat team running into the graveyard expecting the two previous characters to be there but they are at the wrong cemetery. This scene has crossed between two cemeteries and a prison but it is continuous and doesn't change time.

180° Rule:
This is a basic guideline of where the camera should be placed, the camera on-screen spatial awareness between one character and object within the scene won’t cross a certain line. This is an imaginary line which is known as the axis will connect the characters, and then you will have to keep the camera on one side of the axis for every shot in the scene.

Here is a picture that explains the rule: 

The camera that started it will be on the right side of the axis, this means the guy in the orange shirt will be on the left and the guy in the blue will be on the right. The camera can then be placed anywhere along that 180 degree line, but if it crosses that line it means the positons of the people will switch around. This will confuse the audience, and might make it harder to follow.

Transitions:
This is how the editor will change from one scene to another. Many different types of transitions have been created over the years of cinema. There are some that are outdated, while some are greatly used in film and TV today. Every different type will give a different emotion. You have the Cut, Dissolve, Fade and Wipe.

Cut:
This is a transition that has been created in editing where one shot has been replaced by another shot on screen instantaneously.

Here is an example:

As you can see in this shot the camera is jumping around a lot, there is no animation between the cuts either it is instant.

Dissolve: 

This transition is gradual. The editor will overlap the end of one scene with the beginning of the next shot.

Here is an example of the dissolve transition:

You can see when they are changing from one scene with the ducks to the next scene of the dog, and while it changes you can still slightly see the scene with the ducks until the dog scene is fully in frame. This is quite a quick dissolve, slower dissolves you can see them more clearly.

Fade:
This transition is visual, the transition will be between different shots or scenes that will appear on screen as a brief interval with no picture. The editor will fade into black in one shot and then will fade into the next shot. This type of transition will often be used to indicate there is a change in time or location.

Here is an example of Fade:

As you can see when the first scene moves into the second that there is a black screen for a second or two.

Wipe: 

This is another transition on screen that is visible on screen, it will have a bar that travels across the frame it will push one screen off and pull the next shot in place. This is rarely used in new films, but very common in films from 1930’s and the 1940’s.

Here is an example from the film “Star Wars”:

This transition is done all the time in this film, you can clearly see the previous scene being pushed away by the incoming scene. This is done when they are changing the location.

Shot-Reverse-Shot:
This technique is a continuity editing technique, this is used in conversations or simply characters looking at each other or objects. This will alternate between over-the-shoulder shots showing each character speaking or the item the character is looking at.

Here is an example of Shot-Reverse-Shot:

In this scene there are two people sitting in a diner talking, the camera will keep changing between an over the shoulder shot from Willem Dafoe and the female. This is done when someone has changed facial expressions and when the different actors are talking.

Editing Rhythm:
This is when the editor will use editing to keep the pace of the film to match the action that is going on in the film. When the editor is using slow cuts, this might be used in calming scenes bordering feel to the edit. Whereas fast cuts edits will have a lively, aggressive feel to the edit

An example of good editing rhythm is the scene in “Supernatural”:

It starts of slow because it is emotional, Dean has just told Sam he needs to kill him. Then after Sam punches Dean they get into a fight this is when the cuts get faster. It then goes back to emotional scene and the cuts get slower.  

Cutting to Soundtrack: 

When an editor is cutting to soundtrack they are changing pace and the cuts are motivated by how fast the song is. This means the editor will let the soundtrack be his guide to how he edits.

An example for this will be an edit I used for my Advert: 

As you can hear and see when you hear the different guitar strums I changed the shots.