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The Art of Film Editing

History of Film Editing

The History of Film Editing

The history of film editing dates back to the early 20th century when the first motion pictures were being made. In the early days, films were shot in one continuous take with no cuts or edits. This is known as a long take. These early films were often static and lacked the dynamic visual language that we see in modern cinema. The use of editing allowed for the creation of a more dynamic and visually interesting film.

Edwin S. Porter

One of the earliest pioneers of film editing was Edwin S. Porter. In 1903, he made a short film called 'The Great Train Robbery' which used editing to tell a story. The film features a number of different shots edited together to create a narrative. This was a revolutionary technique at the time and it changed the way films were made.

Sergei Eisenstein

Another important figure in the history of film editing was Sergei Eisenstein. Eisenstein was a Soviet filmmaker who is best known for his films 'Battleship Potemkin' and 'Alexander Nevsky'. He is credited with developing the concept of montage editing. Montage is a style of editing where shots are linked together to create a new idea or emotion that is not present in any one shot. This technique is still used in modern cinema.

New Hollywood Style

In the 1960s and 1970s, a new style of editing emerged known as the New Hollywood style. This style was characterized by a more fragmented and nonlinear approach to storytelling. Films like 'Bonnie and Clyde' and 'The Graduate' were some of the first films to use this style of editing. Today, this style is still used in many films and television shows.

Overall, the history of film editing is a rich and complex one. From the early days of the long take to the modern era of digital editing, film editing has played a vital role in the creation of cinema.

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