Cutting rhythms: intuitive film editing

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 contains: 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. 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.

Preface to the second edition -- Preface to the first edition -- Rhythmic intuition. Intuitive thinking ; Movement and intuition ; Rhythm is made of movement ; Noticing movement as rhythm ; Feeling movement's rhythmic potential ; Empathy with movement : experience, body, and brain ; Being rhythm and thinking rhythmically ; Summary -- Editing as choreography. Shifting the discussion from music to movement ; Pulse ; Movement phrases ; Why bother with phrasing? ; Phrasing considerations ; Summary -- Timing, pacing, and trajectory phrasing. Timing ; Pacing ; Trajectory phrasing ; Summary -- Tension, release, and synchronization. Tension and release ; Synchronization ; Case study in tension, release, and synchronization : Broadcast news ; Summary -- Physical, emotional, and event rhythms. Three kinds of movement -- Physical rhythm. Rechoreographing ; Physical storytelling ; Dancing edits ; Singing the rhythm ; Case study: "Now" scene from Thursday's fictions ; Summary -- Emotional rhythm. Prepare, action, rest ; The actor's actions ; Beats ; Case study: The hours ; Summary -- Event rhythm. First scenes ; Dramatic questions ; Structures as event patterns ; Energy, pace, and timing ; Cre…