Interpreting The Different Types Of Editing In Film Jaws

Continuing on from last with the film Jaws, this week discussed different types of editing. Jaws is a great example to use when examining distinct editing styles because it uses a wide variety. The way a movie is edited can have a major effect on the viewing experience. To understand film, we must understand how they work. It is not difficult to grasp the concept of movies after viewing a few, but as Christian Metz wrote, “A film is difficult to explain because it is so easy to understand.” Viewing a movie is not the hard part, it is breaking it down to understand its meaning. As viewers, we must realize that there is a structure in industrial cinema beginning with the idea of the invisible style. With invisible style, actors do not address the camera by looking at it. They act as if the camera is not there. This gives a film a “natural look”, making the audience member feel as if they are partaking in the scene.

This does not mean a film is limited to one style of editing. In fact, it is common for a movie to use more than one. First, and probably the most common type of editing, is continuity editing. Continuity editing is meant to allow the viewer to engage themselves fully in the image, making the cuts seem to part of the diegesis. It is also used when the viewer is aware of the spatial and temporal location to create a smooth sequence keeping the audience’s attention on the storyline. When done correctly, like in Jaws, continuity editing shouldn’t be noticed by the audience, but when it is off, it is easy to notice. For example, in the clip from L'eclisse, it was difficult to watch because the transitions felt unnatural and forced due to flaws in continuity