Continuity Editing

In Class, we have recently learned about Continuity Editing and the different types of editing that are used in film making.


Shot Reverse Shot



This video shows an example of a shot reverse shot. This type of continuity editing is usually used when people are having conversations. This editing uses the same two over the shoulder shots and are used to show when people are speaking and are alternately changed depending on who is speaking. For example, in the video above, when the woman is speaking, the camera is placed over the shoulder of the man. When the man is speaking, the camera is placed over the shoulder of the woman.


Eyeline Match





This video shows an example of an eyeline match. An eyeline match is when you see one shot of a character where you see they are looking at something, and then in the next shot, you get to see what they are looking at. For example, in the video we see that the woman is looking at something and the next shot is a shot of the people in the white suits which prove that, that was what she was looking at.


Graphic Match





A graphic match is two shots which provide a transition from one object to another. For this to work, the two objects must be similar in size, shape and colour. In the example video above, the graphic match is when the bone transitions into the spaceship as they are the similar shape. This graphic match shows the passing of time.


Match on action




Match on action shot is when there are two shots and we see a character perform the same task in both shots but from different examples. For example, in the video above, we see the people running into the building with the camera on the outside. The next shot shows the people running into the building but this time with the camera inside the building.



180 Degree Rule




The 180 degree rule is a rule in which once a shot has been made, the positioning of the characters within the scene should not change. For example, in the above scene, the woman is on the left and the man is on the right. Throughout the whole scene, this relationship must be the same as the camera isn't allowed to "cross the line". If the rule was broken, the man and woman would swap sides which would cause confusing for the viewers.