Editing Styles and Conventions

Montage;- Dictionary Defintition

The technique of combining in a single composition pictorial elements from various sources, as parts of different photographs or fragments of printing, eihter to give the illusion that the elements belonged together originally, or to allow each element to retain its seperate identity as a means of adding interest or meaning to the composition.

Montage - In movies and TV. Juxtaposition or partial superimposition of several shots to form a single image. A technique of film editing in which this is used to present an idea or set of interconnected ideas. - This allows the film to pass time in which a character will go from young to old (Up), and all other similar reasons like going from being a rookie to a pro like in Never Back Down, here is the montage.



Continuity Editing;- This editing is the most often used in film and TV. The usage of contiuity editing is to help keep the shots flowing consistently together. This kind of editing envolves no flashbacks and no constant changes of location which are similar to the effects of montage editing.

The History and Developments of Post-Production

The editing of films began by literally cutting and pasting the films together. This method was achieved by using a machine called the moviola or another called the Steenbeck. These machines made it very easy to slice the film strips apart and then paste the new ones on together to make a smooth cutting for the film. This method was revolutionary in the film, "Life of an American Fireman" where the audience was watching the fire begin and spread and then cut to see the firemen head for the scene of the fire. Another early film similar to that one was "A Man With A Movie Camera".
Later editing methods are pretty much all computer based with programs such as Final Cut Pro and Avid, but these systems have not been around too long and may be the top of the range for a few years until some newer editing equipment is released.