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Media Manuals
Grammar of the Edit
Tell more effective visual stories by learning the "grammar" of cinematic language with this elegant, accessible reference. The fourth edition of Grammar of the Edit gives you the answers to the all-important questions of when to cut and why, and teaches readers the principles behind transitions, editing for continuity, selecting the best shots, editing sound, color correction, and more. Designed as an easy-to-use guide, Grammar of the Edit presents each topic succinctly with clear photographs and diagrams illustrating key concepts, practical exercises and quiz questions, and is a staple of any filmmaker’s library.
New to the fourth
An expanded companion website offering downloadable and editable raw footage so that students can practice the techniques described in the book, and instructional videos showcasing examples of different editing choices and types of shot transitions.
New and expanded quiz questions and practical exercises at the end of each chapter help test readers on their knowledge using real-world scenarios.
Updated topic discussions, explanations, illustrations and visual examples.
An all-new chapter on Sound resources in filmmaking and Audio Editing guidelines.
Together with its companion volume, Grammar of the Shot, the core concepts discussed in these books offer concise and practical resources for both experienced and aspiring filmmakers.
New to the fourth
An expanded companion website offering downloadable and editable raw footage so that students can practice the techniques described in the book, and instructional videos showcasing examples of different editing choices and types of shot transitions.
New and expanded quiz questions and practical exercises at the end of each chapter help test readers on their knowledge using real-world scenarios.
Updated topic discussions, explanations, illustrations and visual examples.
An all-new chapter on Sound resources in filmmaking and Audio Editing guidelines.
Together with its companion volume, Grammar of the Shot, the core concepts discussed in these books offer concise and practical resources for both experienced and aspiring filmmakers.
- GenresFilmNonfictionArt
298 pages, Kindle Edition
First published March 8, 1993
36 people are currently reading
408 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 17 of 18 reviews
September 1, 2013
This is a very good book for the beginners in the art of video editing.
It's very well structured and begins with the basics of the footage. It is very important for an editor to know this stuff (like shot description, framing and composition, exposure, etc) because you need to have technical knowledge, you must master the film "language" in order to make a fine product that tells a story, gives information and entertains.
After that you are introduced in the basics of editing (why is good to cut here and why is not good to cut there, when is best to use a transition and why to use wipe and not dissolve, which are the major categories of edit types, etc).
The book ends with a glossary that will answer all of your questions about the terms from the pages.
I liked the book because it doesn't have an academic language and you can understand very well what the autor tries to tell you, each definition comes with examples and pictures and at the end of each chapter you have a review which helps you to put in an order all the new notions.
The book also contains working practices that are good tips for you to think about during the process of editing. Some offer specific rules to follow, while others simply suggest some good habits you may consider as you work. Each working practice (the most common with whom you will surely meet in your career as an editor) is explained with reasons, solutions and exceptions of use (and pictures for a better understanding).
I find this caption from the introduction fitted for describing the book.
The goal of this text is to inform a person new to editing about the most generic basics of accepted editing practices, the reasoning behind them, and their common interpreted meanings. Good technique and not so good technique may be discussed and illustrated, but in the end there is no right and there is no wrong, there is only what works and what does not work — and why.
It's very well structured and begins with the basics of the footage. It is very important for an editor to know this stuff (like shot description, framing and composition, exposure, etc) because you need to have technical knowledge, you must master the film "language" in order to make a fine product that tells a story, gives information and entertains.
After that you are introduced in the basics of editing (why is good to cut here and why is not good to cut there, when is best to use a transition and why to use wipe and not dissolve, which are the major categories of edit types, etc).
The book ends with a glossary that will answer all of your questions about the terms from the pages.
I liked the book because it doesn't have an academic language and you can understand very well what the autor tries to tell you, each definition comes with examples and pictures and at the end of each chapter you have a review which helps you to put in an order all the new notions.
The book also contains working practices that are good tips for you to think about during the process of editing. Some offer specific rules to follow, while others simply suggest some good habits you may consider as you work. Each working practice (the most common with whom you will surely meet in your career as an editor) is explained with reasons, solutions and exceptions of use (and pictures for a better understanding).
I find this caption from the introduction fitted for describing the book.
The goal of this text is to inform a person new to editing about the most generic basics of accepted editing practices, the reasoning behind them, and their common interpreted meanings. Good technique and not so good technique may be discussed and illustrated, but in the end there is no right and there is no wrong, there is only what works and what does not work — and why.
December 20, 2024
Forced to buy and read at uni. Waste of time and money
December 7, 2012
If you're engaged in any amount of video editing, I would consider this book to be mandatory reading.
The 46 'Working Practices' listed on pages 158 - 160 are, by themselves, worth the price of the book.
The detailed explanations and graphic examples are icing on the cake.
The 46 'Working Practices' listed on pages 158 - 160 are, by themselves, worth the price of the book.
The detailed explanations and graphic examples are icing on the cake.
February 24, 2023
Read this as a required text for my post 3 class. Great for review over basic editing principles. Pretty easy to read and understand, uses language that makes sense. Can be a bit boring, but it is sort of like a textbook and goes over basics, so that's fine.
November 25, 2023
Good overview of film editing. A lot of the content was somewhat simple and repetitive, but clear. I liked learning more about workflows, jump cuts (making sure you don't cut to a shot that's too similar / less than 30 deg off), and continuous action edits in the middle of motion.
January 1, 2023
Book we worked out of in College. Really helpful to understanding story telling through video editing
August 2, 2022
Non male per chi vuole conoscere le principali tecniche di montaggio. Contenuti approfonditi in modo chiaro e completo, seppur nella loro elementarità. Ottimo il capitolo dedicato ai consigli pratici.
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June 17, 2010good
June 7, 2012
This is a great book. Defenitely the "bible" for editors or producers
September 22, 2014
VERY GREAT BOOK! I really liked it, for beginners as well. Easy read, to understand, and very informative.
August 15, 2016
کتابی مناسب برای مبتدیانی که هیچ چیزی درباره ی تدوین نمیدانند.
January 13, 2018
My friends and I have recently taken up short-film making. We just jumped into it. This book has been amazing in helping us understand what we are doing. Love it.
January 9, 2021
Useful tool for learning basics and getting an understanding of the how and why of editing.
February 25, 2021
Excellent!
October 15, 2021
отличное практическое пособие
January 19, 2022
Semplice schematico e interessante
July 23, 2016
the book is interesting
Displaying 1 - 17 of 18 reviews