The technique of film editing (1958)

It is important to remember that all of these factors have to be seen, judged and used in conjunction with each other, for it is the collective estimate of all these elements, of all these appeals which eventually will result in a successful juxtaposition of scenes. To show the relative importance of each factor and the complexity of reasoning between each scene, let us analyse for example the first two scenes of the introduction. Paying attention for the moment only to spatial movement : After a very slow fade in (eight feet) during which the camera panned upward slowly, the scene opens up on an enormous lotus leaf undulating lazily. Behind the leaf there is an almost imperceptible motion in the water caused by little bugs skimming the surface. In scene 2 we see an alligator swim slowly, making lazy ripples in the water-surface. Analysing only the movements in both scenes we find that the upward slow pan of the camera in the first scene coincides with the slow movement of the undulating leaf, which in turn is in accordance with the lazy movements of the alligator in shot 2. An almost imperceptible sense of direction is created because in the first shot the leaf itself cups slightly towards the right and also bends over in the same direction, which is also the direction in which the alligator is swimming. The slight rippling in the water in shot 1 is continued in shot 2. Bringing the mechanical continuity so much to the foreground without mentioning the other factors gives it a significance out of all proportion. Actually these movements may be hardly noticeable in the film ; nevertheless they are part of the general appeal of the continuity of these two shots and they are part of the atmosphere and emotional content. Examining the tonal value, we find that both shots have that silhouette-like quality, brilliant white in the reflected clouds, deep black in the reflected mudpatches. In one scene we have the black reflection of the lotus leaf, in the next the black form of the alligator. Both scenes indicate a brilliant, sunny day in beautiful surroundings. By itself this would mean nothing were it not so intimately connected with the other factors. The emotional content in turn is a composite impression created through the subject-matter, the photographic quality and composition within the frame, the slow and lazy movements, the brilliant sunlight, the reflections and silhouette-like atmosphere. Each shot by itself records no more than a fixed event, fact or movement, and has a limited association. It is only when read in their present juxtaposition that these single associations, now combined, form a new concept. All these factors create a feeling of unreality. These two shots together indicate the indolence of the sub-tropics with the aura of mystery and magic which will be developed in the following scenes. Let us go back a little to the breakdown of factors which led to the continuity of the first two scenes. Before any assembly is done, these two scenes might find themselves at widely separated places within the reels the editor is working with. The final continuity is the result of a long period of shifting scenes, now in one combination, then in another, until first some, then more, impose their own combination upon you. When in their right combination the scenes start speaking. The closer one comes to the final correct continuity the more the editor is able to read his scenes. Once the final continuity is reached one can read or analyse step by step all the factors which caused two or more images to demand to be in a certain continuity. The other way around seems to me to be impossible — unless everything, from the very first conception of the idea, is calculated beforehand. Before going on to discuss Helen van Dongen's account of the 141