Timeline:
Life of an American Fireman (1903)
Directed by: Edwin S. Porter and George S. Fleming
Edwin S. Porter Directed many films produced in the 19th/20th Century, alongside him George S. Fleming also directed. Life of an American Fireman is a short (Lasting 6:46 minutes long), silent film. This film is recognised for the numerous filming and editing techniques used. Edwin builds up his films by creating a continuous narrative over the many scenes. The film is simple to understand where a Woman and her Child was saved from a burning building. Porter made a break through with this film as it was amongst the first that had a plot, action and close up shots of actions.
The way Porter edited and directed his film was classed as one of the first to use cross-cutting editing, which is to show a simultaneous action happening in a different location for example the travelling of the firemen to the situation.
The first scene presents a fireman asleeep with what appears to be the Fire House, with a second focal point of the shot of his dreams about his Wife Daughter back at home. At the end her wakes up and leaves.
In the second scene Porter uses cross-cutting showing a close up of a hand action where it is opening a fire alarm box and pulling the handle.
The third scene shows the Fire alarm ringing, this consists of three shots. Which are: The Firemen walking up in the sleeping quarters, getting into their gear and sliding down the pole. Then the firemen arriving on the ground floor (linking back to the last shot) and then climbing on the fire engines. The final shot is them leaving the Fire Station.
The fourth scene Porter uses two diagonal shots of all the firemen rushing through the streets . The camera is placed at the end of the second shot the follow the final fire engine.
Finally in the last scene it shows the firemen tackling the fire and saving a woman and a child from the burning. During creating this film Porter didn’t have any knowledge of cross-cutting, where he would merge shots from inside and outside. So that it is easier for the audience to follow the sequance. In 1903, while filming The Great Train Robbery he used cross-cut edititng.
The Great Train Robbery (1903)
Directed by: Edwin S. Porter
The Great Train Robbery is a Short (only lasting 12 minutes long), Silent Western American Film. It was Directed by Edwin s. Porter. The production of The Great Train Robbery is important due to the nature of the editing, Edwin used many different editing techniques, some of these were composite editing – this is where he will include two or more separate images together on screen. Due to technology not being advanced during the 20th Century, editing was a lot simpler. Edwin used cross-cutting which was were two scenes are presented to be occurring one after another but in different locations. Here are many examples of the camera shots that Edwin photographed. He used on-location shooting and constantly moved the camera to the locations he was shooting at.
Cross-cutting was a big breakthrough for Edwin from his film Life of an American Fireman.
The Great Train Robbery was a massive breakthrough in the history of films, being the first narrative film. Edwin used numerous editing techniques, for example cross-cutting and jump-cuts was introduced during Edwin’s editing. It is showing two separate actions, movement or events happening at the same time but in different places. For example, in scene one when the bandits appear to be beating up the Telegraph operator, then cutting to the Daughter discovering her Father.
The Birth of a Nation (1915)
Directed by: D. W. Griffith
The Birth of a Nation was directed and produced by D. W. Griffith. It was based of the novel and play The Clansman.
When realised it was screened in the White House for President Wilson on February 18th, 1915. The film is a lot longer than many other realised lasting 3 hours long.
Battleship Potemkin (1925)
Directed by: Sergei Eisenstein
Battleship Potemkin was directed by Sergei Eisenstein, it is a silent film where the story is closely based on a real-life event from the Russian Battleship Potemkin.
Eisenstein created a strong political message by using an emotional, touched cast which improved their performances. Eisenstein used montage way of editing, this helped progress editing techniques as it was used by many.
The ‘Odessa Staircase’ scene which creates a powerful
A Bout de Soufle (1960)
Directed by: Jean-Luc Godard
Explain why the above films are important. What impact did they have on the development of editing?
Many films created in the 19th and 20th Century have had many impacts on the development of editing and how we film today.
This section should include a clear description of each film. You will need images form each film to help illustrate your point.
Conventions and techniques of Editing:
Continuity editing
Explain what continuity editing is.
Continuity editing is a continuous action presented in a sequence. It’s where the editing creates actions that flow smoothly across shots and scenes within a sequence. The editors aim is to create a smooth transition without it creating visual inconsistencies that may not be pleasing to the audience’s eyes.
What techniques does it use?
Provide examples of where continuity editing (two) is used and where continuity is broken (two). You need to explain why these examples fully illustrate the points given.
Montage Editing
Explain what montage editing is
Montage is a series of images that is unrelated shots that the audience will work to see the connection. The scenes show emotional impact and visual design re achieved through the editing together if many brief, quick shots.
What are different types of montage?
Give examples for each. You need to explain why these examples fully illustrate the points given.