This blog post contains the work I did in my lesson on how to successfully edit. My teacher filmed the footage but my classmate Lamiya and I edited it together. My teacher also provided the template for the blog post.
Why is continuity editing important?
Continuity editing includes making sure that items like props or costumes stay consistent from scene to scene. But the more important work lies in editing shots together in a way that leaves viewers thoroughly grounded in both time and space.
Different types of continuity edit
Straight cut (cut)
Eyeline match
Shot /reverse shot
Cutaway / Insert
Match cut
Footage
Here is the footage that my teacher shot which utilizes a variety of camera angles and movements. The scene is very simple, it involves a student standing up and leaving the classroom. A single shot here might be quite boring for the audience, by editing and combining the shots together we can make the scene feel more dynamic.
My editing process
Here is my first attempt with some errors. Here is how I fixed the errors…
My classmate Lamiya and I worked on this using CapCut.
Here is my final scene. Editing multiple clips together made the scene better because…
Reflection: My biggest problem today was having Wi-Fi problems, it took a long time for things to load so I completed my editing with my classmate, Lamiya. If it were different, I think I would've done a good job editing because I enjoy it and I'm familiar with CapCut. I think this lesson will be helpful for future projects because I didn't realize how many factors there are to making a scene come together. It's very easy to put the wrong clips together and confuse the audience, so that is something I will now take into consideration.
This post contains a mini project that Kristine, Maisie and I completed in class (Lamiya was absent). Maisie and I were in charge of editing and Kristine was in charge of making the blog.
Lesson description
For this mini project, Mr. Nick instructed us to recreate a scene from a movie based on the genre that we picked for our big project (found-footage horror). The movie that we picked was Paranormal Activity 3. Here is our final product, edited by Maisie and I.
Editing process
In this step, Maisie was trying to put the two clips side by side. At first we didn't know how to do it, but then Kristine told us. Turns out, it was pretty simple.
In this step, Maisie and I were trying our best to time the two clips identically. We realized that in some moments, the two clips don't align with each other. This was really challenging, but we managed to pull through.
In this step, we tried to put on a filter on our original video so that it looks more orange, like the original video. But, it wasn't possible because then it'd affect the clip from the movie as well, making it too orange.
In addition to that, at the same time, we also tried to add a timestamp to our video to make it more realistic. We had some difficulties in searching for the template on CapCut, so we had to search online. This video really helped us:
Storyboard
This is the storyboard that we worked on together. Maisie was in charge of drawing it.
Problems and solutions
Camera
Problems:
1. We had problems with the steadiness of the camera since we used Maisie's hands (the cameraman) to film instead of a tripod.
2. When filming, my legs were accidentally shown in frame.
Solutions:
1. The "HRD" feature on the camera app in iPhone cancels out the shakiness, which creates a smoother and clean finish.
2. We decided to just crop the top portion of the video to cut out my legs.
Next time:
1. We will make sure to bring a tripod for more stable filming.
2. Before filming, we'll make sure to double check the locations of everything to prevent unwanted things to be captured by the camera.
Mise-en-scene
Problems:
1. Controlling the props was a little challenging because we had to make sure the props disappear and appear properly in just one whole take.
2. The location we filmed at didn't look much like the original so we had to make modifications.
Solutions:
1. We asked help from Mr. Nick to remove all the props in time.
2. We gained permission to borrow some props from the janitor's closet.
Next time:
1. Working with incomplete members was quite difficult, so we'll try to get everyone involved next time.
2. We'll look for a more accurate environment in better circumstances next time.
Edit
Problems:
1. Timing the two clips together so that the objects fall at the same time was challenging to do.
2. The internet was slow at the time so exporting took longer than expected.
Solutions:
1. We used cuts and slow motion to adjust the clips so that they both happen at the same time.
2. We used our own personal hotspot through our phones to speed the process up.
Next time:
1. We will make sure to memorize the timing to minimize editing in the future.
2. We hope our school wifi gets better in the future.
Sound
Problems:
1. The wind was pretty strong so it was difficult to communicate/give signals to each other during filming.
2. There was another group in the same area who were being loud while filming.
Solution:
1. We decided to use the original scene's audio and mute our original video.
Next time:
1. We'll try to film somewhere suitable indoors to reduce excessive sounds.
2. We'll try to film somewhere more private where there's no one expect us.
Behind the scenes
Reflection
Although we only had three people in our group, this project was really fun and easy to do. Kristine created most of this blog work and Maisie and I enjoyed editing together. All the problems we faced, we found solutions to pretty quickly and we've noted them down for next time. I think this was a good exercise to get us ready for our big project that is coming up.
Here is me and my teams prop research development for our genre. We all did this individually.
- Cursed book
A big part of our story is the fact that the teenagers in our script will find a cursed book, to make it, we'll need to find an old vintage book online and craft some creepy looking art on a few pages that will be shown in the clips.
Reflection:
I enjoyed doing this, it's fun looking into different ways we can make our props and where we could possibly buy them. It wasn't time consuming so I was able to do it quite quickly.
Here is my teams filming schedule. Kristine completed it on Google docs.
Scene
Date/Time
Location
People
Props
Equipment
Other
Sunday, 19 January 2025
Kristine (Jimbaran)
Kris, Maisie, Lamiya, Kellie
Cardboard boxes, books, candles, lighters
Camera, tripod, one laptop, chargers, flashlight
-
Reflection:
Completing this was a bit confusing at first because we weren't sure about our filming location and date, but Kristine helped and found a place for our project. Since we decided on everything in a day, our filming schedule table is very short.
Here is my teams location scout and risk assessment. Kristine and I were charge of this but other team members helped us.
Location 1
Address:
Lamiya’s Attic
Scene:
The Attic Scene
Advantages of location:
Filming in Lamiya’s attic will give us control over the environment and creative freedom as it is a private location, and we’re free to use the space however we’d like
It’s cost effective, so we don’t have to pay for filming there
Attics tend to be an unsettling and dark place, so it sets the perfect mood for our project
We have privacy filming here, so our actors won’t feel shy or hold back because of other people watching
Disadvantages of Location:
Filming in the attic means limited space for us, this might make the process more difficult and stressful
Lighting in attics are usually very dim, so if we were in need of bright lighting, this could be a problem
There are more safety hazards in this area because it’s very old and the space is not used very often
Alternatives:
Another space from Lamiya’s house
Risk Assessment
Risk:
Who is at risk:
How to avoid risk:
High, Medium, Low risk:
1. Old
There could be broken furniture or the place has weak supports.
If it cannot hold all of us inside, we would have to split apart and take turns walking in and out.
Meidum, because we don't have many people helping so it should support us well.
2. Dark
There can be issues regarding communication and would waste a lot of time.
We’ll sort things outside before we step into the attic, We’ll have flashlights and use our phones to text.
Low, we need a dark location which isn't really risky, but it would be very uncomfortable to adapt with.
3. Dirty
Since it's never been used, it might be dirty and we’ll have to clean it up to create a more safer place to film in.
Before filming, we'll have to clean up the place and help set the design.
Medium, we can ask for help and we’ll barely clean up because we also want our set to kinda be “dirty”, but it's for our own safety as well.
Location 2
Address:
Lamiya’s room
Scene:
The Attic Scene
Advantages of location:
It’s a comfortable environment for all of us, this would make the whole process much easier
We have lots of control over the lighting, we can make it dim or bright if needed
We have more noise control in this area because we will have fewer disruptions
Lots of space is provided in this area which will make it easier for the crew
It;s very convenient for everyone which gives us a more flexible filming schedule
Disadvantages of Location:
The setting won’t be as creepy and unsettling as something like an attic
There may be more distractions from other family members or pets
Lamiya may have privacy concerns because there may be personal things in her room
Alternatives:
Kristine’s house
Risk Assessment
Risk:
Who is at risk:
How to avoid risk:
High, Medium, Low risk:
1. Small
This may be too crapped up to film in and make a set design which can be risky.
We’ll try managing the space we have and try to avoid cramping up on each other with our belongings.
Medium, working with big spaces can be difficult as well.
2. Weak Furnitures
These furniture will collapse and it will mess up the set design.
We’ll have someone who isn't doing anywork standby and look after any things that might collapse.
Low, most of these furniture would be easy to clean up and there's help from the house.
3. Posters
There are many posters which make it look less like an attic, our films wouldn't look realistic.
We’ll try and cover it up using fabric or black paper to make it seem more like an attic
Meidum, because this will be time consuming and there's a high risk that they wouldnt cover properly.
Location 3
Address:
Kristine’s house
Scene:
The Attic Scene
Advantages of location:
It’s a team member's house so there's no “rules” to consider.
We can modify the place since it's not an attic, we can try using things to create a set design that looks more “creepy”.
The location is cheap meaning there's no need to pay for any parking or even rental.
Disadvantages of Location:
It's not an attic because the location does not own an attic
The location is under construction making it difficult to film.
The location has wide windows which have a lot of exposure to light.
Alternatives:
This is our initial alternative.
Risk Assessment
Risk:
Who is at risk:
How to avoid risk:
High, Medium, Low risk:
1. Noise disruption
The construction sounds can overpower our voices when filming.
Maybe we can try using microphones or noise denoising when filming.
Medium, because they don't work at night.
2. Family disruption
There are alot of relatives in the house which can be a distraction and can lead to poor acting performance.
Well try and shoot the scenes when they are absent in the location.
High, because they are often seen inside the house.
3. Distances
We might have team members who wouldn't be able to visit this place due to living too far.
We’ll try to talk to their parents about the project and ask them for consent to have them come to the location.
Low, because not all of us live far from this location.
Location 4
Address:
Love Anchor
Scene:
Buying the book scene
Advantages of location:
It’s a big place for us to film in, making it easier on all the crew
There are lot’s of prop and object possibilities
Disadvantages of Location:
We’d be exposed to a lot of natural light, which wouldn’t match the mood of our film
We’d have no control over the crowd and the noise, which will make it difficult for us to film
Permission would be needed to film in a public place
The weather is unpredictable so we have no control over the environment
Alternatives:
Find another book store.
Risk Assessment
Risk:
Who is at risk:
How to avoid risk:
High, Medium, Low risk:
1. Crowded
Canggu is very crowded which can be hard to go through spaces, the products might be sold too fast before we even have a chance to buy them.
We’ll have to visit the location in the morning or before it opens so that we get the first stocked products.
Medium, because Love Anchor is a very well known location for both tourists and locals.
2. Expensive
We are on a very low budget which can be difficult for us when the product can be too expensive.
We can split up when purchasing the product which will be fair and cheaper.
Medium, most books like these can be very expensive due to their artistic details.
3. Difficult to find
Love anchors do not really sell books, they mostly just sell wooden models and jewelries.
We'll have to make up something or we'll ask for navigation to where we can find these specific books.
High, Love Anchor doesn't sell books specifically “demon” related books
Reflection:
This was an easy task to do, Kristine gave me an example on what it should look like which really helped me do my part for the group. I didn't mind doing it and it didn't take me too long to finish.
