Film editing technique is one of the most essential parts of the filmmaking process. They say that there are three storytellers in making and shaping every film. The first is Writer, the second is Director and the third is Editor. The editor can make or break any story. Therefore, a good editor is not just technically sound but aesthetically sharp too. There are certain principles of editing that all aspiring editors and filmmakers must know. However, these rules are not the gospel truth but yet important to the storytelling process. One of the most famous and celebrated editors of all time Walter Murch talks about ‘The Rule of Six’ in his book In The Blink of an Eye. But before we jump on to those rules, let’s briefly understand the job of an editor.
Editor’s Job:
A film is a story told with moving visuals. After the film is shot and rushes (raw footage) come to the editor, his primary job is to go through each shot carefully. He must be well-versed in the script and the director’s vision. The decisions the editor makes now for the film will decide the film’s fate at the box office. Hence, the editor must know the emotional outcome of the story to keep the audience hooked. The pace and style in which the film will be edited and how the narrative builds through the screen time are the crucial creative choices the editor makes.
The editor can choose the editing software as per his or her comfort. The most popular professional editing software for beginners is Adobe Premiere Pro but Final Cut Pro is also highly popular for its user-friendliness.
After the editor chooses his software and goes through the rushes, he/she should start assembling the footage on a timeline. The editor must be clear with the intended purpose, narrative flow, tone, and emotion of the story by now. The editor has the freedom to hit and try and experiment with the rushes to make the best possible story outcome. It is important to know that knowledge and hands-on experience with editing software do not make any editor a good storyteller. The editor has to know the aesthetics of storytelling alongside video editing techniques. The following rule of six can help to learn the best film editing required for cinema.
The Rule of Six:
In Walter Murch’s book In The Blink of an Eye, he talks about the “The Rule of Six.” This chapter tells how to create the best cut. Murch mentions the six elements crucial to make the cuts work in the film. He breaks them down in the order of their importance:
- Emotion– 51% – It is true to the emotion of the moment.
- Story– 23% – It advances the story.
- Rhythm– 10% – %) – it occurs at a moment that is rhythmically interesting and “right.”
- Eye trace– 7 % – it acknowledges what you may call “eye-trace”- the concern with the location and movement of the audience’s focus interest within the frame.
- Two Dimensional Plane of Screen– 5% – it respects “planarity”- the grammar of three dimensions transposed by photography to two (the question of stage-line etc.)
- Three Dimensional Space– 4% – it respects the three dimensional continuity of the actual space (where people are in the room and in relation to one another)
He further says in his book;“ if you have to give up something, don’t ever give up emotion before the story. Don’t give up story before rhythm, don’t give up rhythm before eye-trace, don’t give up eye-trace before planarity, and don’t give up planarity before spatial continuity.”
However, the theory helps you understand film editing techniques but practice teaches you to break those rules.
Conclusion:
Editing is indeed a challenging job. You can master the video editing process by reading books, assisting editors, and practicing it yourself on beginner’s software. However, to properly learn and practice the principle of editing requires patience & determination, relentless zeal to experiment, and ceaseless passion to make the story impactful. The editor must know all types of film editing and practice the rule of six while editing so that he/she can bring the best story out of the rushes.
Note: I highly recommend ‘In the blink of an eye’, a book by Walter Murch to learn and understand the editing process in depth.
