Task 7 - Understanding Continuity Editing

Continuity editing is what became known as the popular 'classical Hollywood' style of editing. It was developed by early European and American directors, in particular D.W. Griffin in his films such as The Birth of a Nation. The classical style ensures temporal (time) and special (space) continuity as a way of advancing narrative, using such techniques as the 180 degree rule, Match on Action and Shot, Reverse Shot. It's important because it helps retain a sense of realistic chronology and generates the feeling that time is moving forward. It doesn't mean you can't use flashbacks or flash forwards, as long as the narrative will still be seen to be progressing forward in an expected or realistic way.

Eye-line Match - This technique links two shots together. We see a character looking at something off screen and then we cut to a shot of what they are looking at. This allows the audience to experience an event in the film just as the character is experiencing it.

Match on Action - This technique links two shots together. We see a character start an action in one shot, the camera then cuts to a different angle and we see the character finish the action in the second shot. This technique ensures that the action seems like one natural and realistic movement even when the actor may have really performed it twice.

Shot, Reverse Shot - This technique links two shots together. The first shot reveals one character and then the second shot reveals the second character. This allows the audience to connect the two characters and realize that they are interacting with each other.

180 Degree Rule - The 180 degree rule is a basic guideline that states that two characters (or other elements) in the same scene should always have the same left/right relationship to each other. If the camera passes over the imaginary axis connecting the two subjects, it is called crossing the line.