'Editing: The Rhythm of Life
Video editing, just like music, is a rhythmic art. There are a lot of decisions that an editor makes when putting together a scene or a video. One of the most important decisions is something which every single one of us has an inborn sense of: Pace and rhythm. Everybody feels rhythm and everybody can sense when rhythm is off. An editor manipulates this innate awareness and cuts together scenes and moments which speak to our inner rhythmic meter.
In film or video, most of what we experience from the visuals is based around movement, whether it is movement of characters, of objects or even locations. Here’s where we remind ourselves of the old classic saying: “Actions speak louder than words”. Movement can be full of emotion and it can speak to us so personally and on such a subconscious level. Rhythm and pace is movement in motion. An editor manipulates the rhythm of movement on screen using cuts and the right takes and angles in order to speak to you through the language of movement. This works because life and everything around us has a rhythm and movement, a physical unspoken language which all of us can understand without even trying. It is effortless and an editor has to try and make it effortless for you to understand their scenes and cuts.
Being a great editor is less about picking the right take, knowing how to use After Effects or having the best graphics card. It’s about being fluent in how we understand each other and how rhythm enforces this understanding. There are a lot of decisions that an editor makes day to day when working on the infinite puzzle which is an edit. However, they’ll do well to remember that the rhythm of life is a powerful beat and it’s a beat which everyone can play to if you set the tempo right.'
Today's 1min Insight is by Sudden Black's Film Editor, Odinn Hilmarsson.