Cutting Rhythms
Intuitive Film Editing
Preview
Book Description
There are many books on the technical aspects of film and video editing. Much rarer are books on how editors think and make creative decisions.
Filled with timeless principles and thought-provoking examples from a variety of international films, the second edition of Karen Pearlman’s Cutting Rhythms offers an in-depth study of the film editor’s rhythmic creativity and intuition, the processes and tools editors use to shape rhythms, and how rhythm works to engage audiences in film. While respecting the importance of intuitive flow in the cutting room, this book offers processes for understanding what editing intuition is and how to develop it. This fully revised and updated edition contains:
- New chapters on collaboration and "editing thinking";
- Advice on making onscreen drafts before finalizing your story
- Tips on how to create and sustain audience empathy and engagement;
- Explanations of how rhythm is perceived, learned, practiced and applied in editing;
- Updated discussions of intuition, structure and dynamics;
- An all-new companion website (www.focalpress.com/cw/pearlman) with video examples and links for expanding and illustrating the principles of key chapters in the book.
Table of Contents
PREFACE TO THE SECOND EDITION
PREFACE TO THE FIRST EDITION
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
INTRODUCTION
CHAPTER 1 Rhythmic Intuition
Intuitive Thinking
Movement and Intuition
Rhythm is Made of Movement
Noticing Movement as Rhythm
Feeling Movement’s Rhythmic Potential
Empathy with Movement: Experience, Body and Brain
Being Rhythm & Thinking Rhythmically
CHAPTER 2 Editing as Choreography
Shifting the Discussion from Music to
Pulse
Movement Phrases
Why Bother with Phrasing?
Phrasing Considerations
CHAPTER 3 Timing, Pacing, and Trajectory Phrasing
Timing
Pacing
Trajectory Phrasing
CHAPTER 4 Tension, Release, and Synchronization
Tension and Release
Synchronization
Case Study in Tension, Release, and Synchronization:
Broadcast News
CHAPTER 5 Physical, Emotional, and Event Rhythms
Three Kinds of Movement
Good Editing is Not Invisible
CHAPTER 6 Physical Rhythm
Re-choreographing
Physical Storytelling
Dancing Edits
Singing the Rhythm
Case Study: "Now" Scene from Thursday’s Fictions
CHAPTER 7 Emotional Rhythm
Prepare, Action, Rest
The Actor’s Actions
Beats
Case Study: The Hours
CHAPTER 8 Event Rhythm
First Scenes
Dramatic Questions
Structures as Event Patterns
Energy, Pace and Timing
Creating Structure and Rhythm Simultaneously
Real Events v. Fictional Events
Reintegrating Rhythms
Case Study: The Godfather
Case Study: Goodfellas
CHAPTER 9 Style
Thematic Montage
Continuity Cutting
Points along the Spectrum from Thematic Montage to Continuity Cutting
Collision
Linkage
Points along the Spectrum from Collision to Linkage
Style Case Studies
Contemporary Style: After the New Wave
CHAPTER 10 Devices
Parallel Action
Parallel Action Case Studies
Slow Motion
Slow Motion Case Studies
Fast Motion
Two Quick Fast Motion Case Studies
CHAPTER 11 Editing & The Vulcan Mind Meld
The Mind Meld
Decision Making
Responsive Creativity
Power and Hierarchy
CHAPTER 12 Editing Thinking & Onscreen Drafting
Editing Thinking
What is an Onscreen Draft
Why Draft
Rapid Prototyping
Embodied Decision Making
Author(s)
Biography
Dr. Karen Pearlman is a director of the multi-award winning Physical TV Company where she directs, produces and edits drama, documentary and dance film. Currently a lecturer in Screen Production at Macquarie University, Karen is a former President of the Australian Screen Editors Guild and a four-time nominee for Best Editing at the Australian Screen Editors Guild Annual Award.
Reviews
"Karen’s insights about the flow of story, emotion, image and sound have helped me at all stages of filmmaking, from onscreen drafting to fine cutting." - Genevieve Clay-Smith, multi-award winning Director
"A great resource! Karen’s out-of–the box thinking about editing brings a new level of insight and articulation to describing what editors do and how we do it." - Jason Ballantine, ASE