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Cutting Rhythms: Intuitive Film Editing

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There are many books on the technical aspects of film and video editing. Much rarer are books on how editors think and make creative decisions.

Filled with timeless principles and thought-provoking examples from a variety of international films, the second edition of Karen Pearlman’s Cutting Rhythms offers an in-depth study of the film editor’s rhythmic creativity and intuition, the processes and tools editors use to shape rhythms, and how rhythm works to engage audiences in film. While respecting the importance of intuitive flow in the cutting room, this book offers processes for understanding what editing intuition is and how to develop it. This fully revised and updated edition



New chapters on collaboration and "editing thinking";

Advice on making onscreen drafts before finalizing your story

Tips on how to create and sustain audience empathy and engagement;

Explanations of how rhythm is perceived, learned, practiced and applied in editing;

Updated discussions of intuition, structure and dynamics;

An all-new companion website (www.focalpress.com/cw/pearlman) with video examples and links for expanding and illustrating the principles of key chapters in the book.

278 pages, Kindle Edition

Published December 7, 2015

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About the author

Karen Pearlman

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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
Profile Image for Jonah Howell.
43 reviews
December 2, 2023
A great accomplice to your editing project that explains and explores the process beautifully! I love how Pearlman demystifies the editing process - a process so often reduced to ‘feeling when it works’ or raw intuition - and provides insight on how to develop that intuition in a practical sense. It thus extends beyond filmmaking in some regards, and acts as a manual to inviting story and rhythm into your everyday thinking.

Great stuff! Is helping me immensely with my first short film!
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