Continuity Editing

Continuity editing is a style of editing used to gain a smooth screen shot, it allow shots to be cut and edited and put back together without the audience even noticing this helps the audience gain stronger emotional empathy and to make the scene seem as realistic as possible. The are a number of techniques that come under continuity editing, first off there is the 'shot reverse shot' this is editing that is usually used to enhance characters conversation, it focuses on each character individually then reverses back and so we are fully aware of the conversation taking place. There is also the 180 degree rule, this a part of filming and editing which makes the scene seem realistic, the camera always stays on the same side of this line so the characters remain in the same position. The characters should have an eyeline match this makes it seem more realistic and even if the camera isn't on all characters we can still tell who is speaking to who. Finally there is montage editing and paralell editing. Montage editing places frames into a sequenceare which are not linked into a continous way, paralell editing is two pieces of action in different space and time yet are cut so we see different characters in different locations but still understand the link between them all.