Continuity Editing

Continuity editing is a system of cutting between shots to maintain continuous and clear narrative action within the scene. Screen direction, position and temporal relations from shot to shot must match so that the effect is seamless. The 180 degree rule is essential, this is also known as the axis of action. It is how the audience sees the event and anything that moves around them will seem out of place. Below is a video I created in Final Cut Pro which uses a variety of camera shot from different angles, yet it flows continuously and the timing is perfect between the shots.

Sight Sound Motion - Herbert Zettl

CHAPTER 12 - TIME

• You need to achieve spatial/temporal order
• Efficiency is a measurement of how fast we do something
• Time is an essential factor in measuring the worth of work
• Time measured by a clock is known as 'clock time' or 'objective time'
• The time we experience is known as psychological time or 'subjective time'
• Four dimensional field is measured using objective and subjective
• Live television can capture, clarify, intensify, and distribute an event as it happens
• Real time is the time of the actual event
• When an event is handled in post production, the screen event is independent of the objective and subjective time

Sight Sound Motion - Herbert Zettl

CHAPTER 17 - THE SYNTAX OF CONTINUITY EDITING

• The task of editing is to show continuity from shot to shot
• Editing is selecting scenes that contribute most effectively to build a scene
• Instantaneous editing refers to selecting and combining shots while the event is televised live
• Postproduction is selecting scenes to put in order
• Visual syntax suggests rules for this particular ordering so they tell an intended story. This creates a visual narrative
• Graphic vector continuity refers to being aware of the prominent lines and having them continue between the different shots
• For over the shoulder shots to make sense, two cameras must be placed on the same side of the vector lines
• A smooth cut requires you cut during and not after the action 
• Cuts from extreme long shots to close ups should be avoided unless it is clear that the character is the same

THE DIGITAL PHOTOGRAPHY BOOK - SCOTT KELBY

Whilst in the library, I came across a book which I really enjoyed reading. Kelby gives you tips and tricks on how to use your SLR camera. Below are some of the main points I feel were really interesting and useful:

• HOW TO GET THE SHARPEST PICTURES:
  1. Use a tripod
  2. Buy a cable release
  3. Use self timer
  4. Enable Exposure Delay Mode on a Nikon and Mirror Lock up on Canon
  5. Turn off vibration reduction when using a tripod! This is because if there is no vibration and you have this mode on, the camera will try to look for it and therefore cause a slight vibration within the camera
  6. Shoot at the camera's sharpest aperture
  7. Use a lens with good clear glass
  8. Always zoom in to check sharpness as the small LCD screen can be misleading at first
  9. "The Death Grip" is a way of holding you camera strap around your arm and wrist for complete control
• HOW TO SHOOT FLOWERS:
  1. Don't shoot downwards at them because this is normally how everyone looks at them. Try new angles such as getting down on eye level
  2. Use your zoom lens to achieve a depth of field
  3. Shoot them after it has just rained, or if not, just take a spray with you and spray them yourself
  4. Try shooting on a black background, especially white lillies
  5. Do not buy an extensive lighting rig, use natural light as the petals absorb this better
  6. Buy flowers from a florist! Don't try and find them as you won't be able to find a "perfect" flower outside on the streets
• HOW TO SHOOT LANDSCAPES:
  1. Use a tripod!!!
  2. You can only shoot at two times in the day. This is known as the GOLDEN RULE. The first time is as dawn, 15 to 30 minutes before sunrise then 30 minutes to an hour after that. The other time is dusk, again 15 to 30 minutes before sunset and up to 30 mins afterwards. This is so you get the warmest and softest light and shadows.
  3. Have a background, middle ground and foreground = DEPTH IS INTERESTING
  4. Leave your shutter open longer when taking a picture of waterfalls etc. This will create that mystical effect of the water
  5. Don't include the ground when shooting forests, and shoot when it overcast
  6. Don't just put your horizon line in the middle. Focus on what you want to emphasise, i.e if it is the sky, put the horizon line two thirds at the bottom
  7. Turn on HIGHLIGHT WARNINGS. This means that when you look at the LCD screen, any 'blown out' or completely white areas will start blinking. For example if you have clouds that start blinking, you can adjust the exposure settings
  8. Don't put your tripod down and stay there. Keep walking! You may come across the shot you wanted, but the chances you find this in the first few minutes is slim
  9. Experiment with Polarizing filters which cut down reflections
  10. Shoot just before a storm, or JUST after
  11. Use fog - it's atmospheric
  12. When shooting animals, focus on their eyes. Don't crop the image too close to the animal, give them some space. 
• HOW TO SHOOT PEOPLE:
  1. Use a short zoom lens, with a focal length of 85-100mm (this reduced facial distortion you get with wide lens) Use the aperture f/11
  2. Use seamless or muslin backgrounds, or when shooting outdoors make sure the background is simple
  3. Focus on the eyes
  4. Position at eye level - don't shoot down on children
  5. Stand 6 to 10 feet away
  6. When taking pictures outside, find a shady area as the shadows will be softer
  7. For great light indoors, stand by a window for natural light
  8. To get great shots outside of people when there is a sunset, turn off your flash and aim at the sky. Hold your shutter halfway to it focuses on the sky then while still holding the shutter button, point your camera towards your subject, turn your flash on and take the picture!
  9. Balance sunlight with reflectors when shooting outside
• HOW TO NOT RUN INTO PROBLEMS!
  1. ALWAYS white balance inside when using fluorescent lighting to avoid a yellowish tint
  2. When the weather is cold, the batteries don't last as long
  3. Don't change lenses in dusty weather!!
  4. Always apply for permits to shoot at a public location!!
  5. Use a UV filter to protect your lens
  6. To avoid red eye, detach your flash from the camera and hold it a couple of feet away from the lens. Bounce the flash off the ceiling
• TAKING CITY SHOTS:
  1. Hire a model!
  2. Shoot at dawn: the golden rule and also streets will tend to be empty
  3. Look for bright and vivid colours
  4. wheretheprosshoot.com
  5. Shoot the details
  6. Take a picture of the sign! This can be of the building, church, cathedral, whatever you're taking a picture of!
  7. Shoot pictures of fireworks on a tripod! Shoot in full manual mode: shutter speed=4secs, aperture=f/11

Sight Sound Motion - Herbert Zettl

CHAPTER 7 -  THE TWO DIMENSIONAL FIELD:FORCES WITHIN THE SCREEN

• Normality is seeing things horizontally, vertical lines will create power and be much more dynamic
• Due to our strong perceptions as to what is horizontal or vertical, we can easily judge when something is hanging crooked for example
• EXAMPLES OF HORIZONTAL: a lake, renaissance building...
• EXAMPLES OF VERTICAL: trees, sky rise building, cathedrals
• By titling the horizon, you can create dynamism. It suggests stress, power, speed, energy..
• MAGNETISM OF THE FRAME - edges of a frame act like magnets and attract objects to them
• HEADROOM: no headroom makes it look as though the top of the screen is pulling the head too high and firmly pressing against the top edge. Proper headroom counteracts this, looks normal. Too much headroom makes the image look bottom heavy as if the model is being pulled down too much.
• When filming interviews, it is good to have space at either sides of the edges; cutting out this space by zooming in will make the people look even further apart
• DIAGONALS are read from left to right; can cause asymmetry in a frame

Sight Sound Motion - Herbert Zettl

CHAPTER 4 - THE EXTENDED FIRST FIELD: COLOUR
It is important to look into colour especially, as mentioned in an earlier post, when working with lighting; these two work alongside each other. Colour has the ability to provoke different emotions and so it is a conscious decision that has to be made.

Lab Session 23/11/2011

In today's lab, we experimented with different forms of lighting that isn't the standard three point, and also with coloured and diffusion gels. It was interesting to see the effects of each one, and how you have to learn to counterbalance colours to achieve a certain effect.

This is a colour wheel which shows the transition of colours. It also shows which are complementary and the effect it has when two colours are put either next to or opposite each other. This will come in handy when I need to counterbalance colours, especially if I do not have a certain coloured gel.

http://www.tigercolor.com/color-lab/color-theory/color-theory-intro.htm