mini doc prep

Edwin S porter

Porter was one of the most earliest film editors that ever lived. His work had influenced most editors after him. Without his discovery editing would be a whole different story. Porter had discovered the importance of cutting sections of footage to bring life to the film. The cuts were done accurately so that he could change the angle in which the camera was facing and how the story would continue.

D.W Griffiths

Griffiths was American film director that wanted to enhance Porters techniques by adding more than just cuts. He wanted to add more methods of editing; he was known for his powerful skills in film and had changed the way film had been executed. He had invented the used of the close up, scenic long shot, and crosscutting, and he collaborated with cinematographer Billy Bitzer to create fade-out, fade-in, and soft-focus shots. Furthermore without his work film today would not be the same without these fundamental editing methods.

Thelma Schoonmaker

A american female film Editor. Known for being the main editor for Martin Scorsese

One of my favourite films is a Scorsese ,'Gangs Of New York' . The film was well cut and edited to perfection.

In this clip 'Jenny Everdeen' ( Cameron Diaz) is being suspected by the 'Butcher' (Daniel Day lewis). And continues his show but a whole lost riskier than before. You can see the fear in Jennys eyes when she does realise this is no longer just a show this is now very dangerous. The butcher continues to throw the knives at her and then were are exposed to a reaction shot of the audience and the main character 'Amsterdam Vallon' (Leonardo DiCaprio) . The whole scene has a shot reverse shot between 'Jenny' and 'The Butcher' . There is one shot in particular that stood out the most which was when 'the butcher' asks 'jenny' to take of her neck lace and he threw a knife at it. The camera dropped to the floor where the necklace was and went straight up to 'Jennys' face to show her reaction.

Thelma Schoonmaker had won awards for her hard efforts as she was well know for her great work in editing , she had won the Best Film Editing Academy Award, Best Editing British Academy Award, Best Edited Feature Film American Cinema Editors Eddie, for Raging Bull , 1980; Best Editing British Academy Award, for GoodFellas, 1990.

She had worked for Scorsese for over 40 years, she shows true dedication to her work and her director.She had said "You help the director bring all the hard work of those who made the film to fruition. You give their work rhythm and pace and sometimes adjust the structure to make the film work ‑- to make it start to flow up there on the screen. And then it's very rewarding after a year's work to see people react to what you've done in the theater." The quote is very inspirational as she shows she is committed to her work and tells us the importance and the fundamental need to the editor. Scorsese had also said that he needed her in his films “Thelma,is the woman I trust.”

The films she was most famous for were 'Raging bull','Taxi Driver','Goodfellas' and 'The Departed'. As they are still very popular films and most of them have been nominated or have won many awards.She was know for her techniques such as her innovative manipulation of time and radical use of freeze frames, juxtapositions, jump cuts, and vari-speed. These were used in most of Scorsese's films to make his dark films very edgy and bloodthirsty.

Schoonmaker had been influenced to do film as her husband was in-fact a director Michael Powell (Peeping Tom ,The red shoes). At the age of 72 Thelma is still editing films and still at the side of Martin Scorsese.