Aesthetics, Theories and Practice of Film Editing*
The editing of film and television content is often compared to screenwriting – and referred to as a “third writing”. In this class we will examine the history, aesthetic and theory of film editing, discuss editing techniques and apply them in several take-home exercises. The class focuses on editing’s importance in storytelling and on the strategies that editors use to create tension, relationships, emotion and meaning. We will also explore filmmaking techniques that conceptually relate to editing such as long takes, staging, lighting design, camera movement. Some of the films we will study: The Conversation, Do the right thing, Stories we tell, The Nile Hilton incident. While the class is only marginally touching on technology, access to a computer with certain technical capabilities and to editing software is necessary; if you are on campus, they are provided to you by the department (software also provided remotely). For class screenings, you also need access to an internet connection with video streaming capability. Familiarity with Adobe Premiere editing software recommended. (FMMC 0101 or FMMC 0105 or instructor approval)