QUESTIONS FOR REVIEW 385
✔Look for the different types of match cuts in the
film. What sort of visual or narrative information
is each match cut conveying?
✔Are there any moments in the movie in which
the traditional conventions of Hollywood conti-
nuity editing—including use of the master shot,
the 180-degree system, shot/reverse shot,
match cuts, and parallel editing—are violated in
some way? Describe how these moments appear
on-screen. What do you think is the significance
of these moments in the film?
✔Does the editing seem to indicate what the film-
makers want the audience to feel? What is that
intended feeling? Do you feel it? Is it an appro-
priate feeling for the narrative and themes of
the movie?
✔Does the editing overall seem to create continu-
ity or discontinuity? If the editing is mostly cre-
ating continuity, are there nonetheless moments
when the editing creates discontinuity? What is
the significance of those moments?
✔As each shot cuts to the next shot in the movie
or clip, tap your finger on a tabletop or other
surface to get a feeling for the rhythm of the
editing. How would you describe that rhythm?
Does it stay constant, or does it speed up or
slow down? How does the rhythm affect your
emotional response to the movie?
✔Keep track of the types of transitions from shot
to shot. Does the editor use one transitional
effect more than others? Are the transitions
seamless and nearly unnoticeable, or do they
call attention to themselves?
Screening Checklist: Editing
Questions for Review
- What is editing? Why is it regarded as a lan-
guage?
- What is the basic building block of film edit-
ing? What is film editing’s fundamental tool?
DVDThe tutorials for this chapter demonstrate
the techniques and importance of editing, discuss
the major historical innovations in early cinematic
editing, and illustrate two key concepts: the so-called
“Kuleshov effect” and the 180-degree system.
- What are the film editor’s principal creative
and technical responsibilities?
- What is continuity editing? What does it con-
tribute to a movie?
- What is the purpose of the 180-degree sys-
tem? How does it work?
- What is discontinuity editing? Given the domi-
nance of continuity editing in mainstream
filmmaking, what role does discontinuity edit-
ing usually play?
- Name and describe the various types of match
cuts.
StudyspaceGo to wwnorton.com/movies
to test and expand your knowledge of the key con-
cepts in this chapter.
