Basics

Question 1

What is an assembly cut?

Answer 1

The first draft of a film’s edit, where all the footage is organized in the order it will appear in the final film

Question 2

What are Walter Murch’s six rules of editing?

Answer 2

Murch’s six rules on editing consist of Emotion, Story, Rhythm, Eye trace, Two- dimensional Plane of Screen, and Three-dimensional Space of Action

Question 3

What is cross cutting?

Answer 3

The switching back and forth between scenes, often giving the impression that the action occurring in different locations is unfolding at the same moment

Question 4

What is an example of when cross cutting is used?

Answer 4

Cross-cutting is often used during phone-conversation sequences so that viewers see both characters’ facial expressions in response to what is said.

Question 5

What is destructive editing or a destructive assembly?

Answer 5

Destructive editing, also known as linear editing, is a film editing technique that involves cutting physical film in sequence, shot by shot. The editor chooses cut points as they go, irreparably altering the film with each transition.

Question 6

Why was the 1930s the golden age of Hollywood?

Answer 6

During the 1930s, the entire film industry transformed and “Hollywood” became synonymous with big studio pictures and became the standard for movies around the world.

Question 7

How many films were released in 1939 and what kind of impact did it have on ticket sales?

Answer 7

1939 : It was the greatest year in Hollywood history: 365 films were released and moviegoers were buying tickets at the rate of 80 million a week!

Question 8

Why was 1939 considered the high water mark of movie making?

Answer 8

1939 has long been considered the greatest single year, as it saw the release of Wizard of Oz,''Gone with the Wind,’’ ``Wuthering Heights,’’ and many other great films.

Question 9

What makes Saving Private Ryan notable from an editing perspective? (1998)

Answer 9

It was the only film since
1996 to be edited manually.

Question 10

Why is 1995 considered to be a watershed year in terms of film editing?

Answer 10

It was the last time that the number of films edited mechanically equal the number of films edited digitally.

Question 11

In the film Apocalypse Now what was the ratio of edited film to minutes of film in the final cut?

Answer 11

95:1

Question 12

How many feet of raw film was shot for Apocalypse now?

Answer 12

1,250,000

Question 13

Which scene an apocalypse now required eight cameras each with 1000 feet of film loaded?

Answer 13

Charlie’s point the helicopter scene with the Wagner soundtrack.

Question 14

In America film editing is referred to the film being cut how is this referenced in Australia and the UK?

Answer 14

They refer to film being joined.

Question 15

What does Murch say in regards to suggestion?

Answer 15

It is more effective than exposition.

Question 16

Always try to do the most with…

Answer 16

the least.

Question 17

When Murch talks about emotion and shots what is he asking?

Answer 17

Is the shot that is being used true to the emotion of the moment?

Question 18

When Murch talks about shots and story what is he really asking?

Answer 18

Does that particular shot advance the story?

Question 19

When Murch talks about the rhythm of a shot he’s really asking?

Answer 19

If the shot occurs at the moment that is rhythmically interesting and right.

Question 20

What is Murch referring to when he talks about eye trace?

Answer 20

He is acknowledging the concern with the location and movement of the audience focus of interest within the frame.

Question 21

What is stage line?

Answer 21

On set, as a scene is rehearsed and blocked for shooting a continuity line—often referred to as the line, imaginary line, director’s line, stage line —is decided upon and the camera will then remain on one side of that line; that is, within a 180-degree arc.

Question 22

What is Murch referring to when he talks about two dimensional plane of screen?

Answer 22

He’s talking about a foundational concept in film editing and visual storytelling: the idea that, although movies depict three-dimensional worlds, everything ultimately appears to the viewer flattened onto the flat, rectangular surface of the movie screen (or monitor, etc.). This plane has height and width but no depth — it’s two-dimensional.

Question 23

What is Murch talking about when he refers to three-dimensional space of action?

Answer 23

He’s talking about three-dimensional continuity of the actual space where people are in the room and in relation to one another. The editor’s challenge is to preserve the audience’s sense of that 3D space even though they’re watching it unfold on a flat screen. If cuts are made without regard for the underlying geometry — for example, ignoring spatial relationships between characters or flipping perspectives — the audience can lose their orientation. That causes confusion or discomfort.

Question 24

True or false, the first three elements of emotion, story, and rhythm are much more tightly connected than eye trace, two dimensional plane, and three dimensional space?

Answer 24

True first three are much more important and therefore much more tightly connected.

Question 25

Based on the six elements what does Murch consider to be the central preoccupation of the film editor?

Answer 25

To put themselves into the place of the audience understanding what they’re going to be thinking about, what they’re going to be looking for and what you want them to feel.

Question 26

If you were to ask Murch about the concept of sunk cost in relation to an expensive shot you put a lot of effort into what might he say?

Answer 26

You worked like hell to get that shot and you are convinced that what you got was what you wanted, but there’s a possibility that you may be forcing yourself to see it that way because it cost so much.

Question 27

What is the proper relationship between the Director and the editor?

Answer 27

Murch believes that it is a responsibility of the editor to advise and counsel on what may or may not be in the final cut but at the end of the day it is the Director that makes the decision.

Question 28

What does he feel is the danger of having a single editor on a film?

Answer 28

Over time, the editor becomes too familiar with the material, which can dull their ability to see what’s actually working—or not working—on screen. The danger is that you can become emotionally or intellectually attached to footage just because you’ve lived with it so long.

Question 29

What does he believe that you should take from every camera position of each scene?

Answer 29

Each shot should be strong enough in its visual and emotional content that a single frame from it tells you something essential. When viewed together, these frames form a kind of retrospective storyboard of the scene—not planned in advance, but revealed through the edit.

Question 30

What are additional advantages of creating still photograph from each camera position?

Answer 30

They are also a great resource for the publicity department or anyone else coming into the film at a later date.

Question 31

What does Murch believe a still photo can show in regards to specific emotion?

Answer 31

He believes they can express an emotion such as a concept of ironic anger tinged with melancholy that does not simply have one word for it but can be represented in a photo.

Question 32

What is one of the things that he likes about working with a Moviola?

Answer 32

He likes that you’re able to stand up While editing.

Question 33

If he were to try an analogy he referred to editing with a Moviola being the same as…

Answer 33

Dancing.

Question 34

Murch draws what analogy to what things being related to editing?

Answer 34

He feels editing is similar to surgery, cooking and dancing.

Question 35

All of the analogies that he draws in relation to editing which one does he feel is the strongest and why?

Answer 35

He believes that it is most closely associated with dancing and that the finish film is a kind of crystallized dance. He says you have never seen a dancer sitting down.

Question 36

Other than sitting vs standing, when he refers to the differences between the Moviola and the KEM system what else does he feel is different?

Answer 36

The "sculptural" approach.

Question 37

What does he say is the sculptor approach with the Moviola?

Answer 37

In the context of the sculptural approach, he’s talking about how the editor works with the raw film material. The process on a Moviola is akin to a sculptor working with a block of marble: you begin with all of the material and remove or cut away parts of it. The film editor physically cuts and splices the film, shaping the story by eliminating what isn't needed.

Question 38

What does he say is the sculpture approach with KEM?

Answer 38

You start with nothing and add or assemble pieces of the film together to create the whole. You are essentially "building" the film by adding elements, which is the opposite of the Moviola’s subtractive process. The editor assembles shots, rather than cutting them away, almost like a sculptor adding material to create the final form.

Question 39

What does computerized digital editing and the good old-fashioned Moviola editing with an assistant have in common?

Answer 39

Both are random access nonlinear systems.

Question 40

What does he say is a drawback to a non-linear system?

Answer 40

Your choices can only be as good as your requests.

Question 41

What does he say about the re-editing process?

Answer 41

Re-evaluating Material: During the initial editing process, an editor may discard certain scenes, shots, or sequences because they seem out of place, not fitting the flow of the narrative, or not meeting expectations. These pieces might feel "unuseable" at first glance. However, as the re-editing process unfolds and the editor gains more perspective on the overall film, these discarded elements may find new life. What initially seemed like a mistake or unnecessary might later reveal its value in a different context or serve an unexpected purpose in the final edit.

Question 42

What is the disadvantage to a system that is too linear according to him?

Answer 42

This is just too much material to watch and you might become bored before you find what you need.

Question 43

True or false; much of Murch’s ethereal explanation of the editing process really comes down to an attempt to academically define what is talent.

Answer 43

True

Question 44

Murch recommends what, to collectively keep certain obsessions from becoming corrosive, and to point out blind spots that may have developed through over familiarity with the material.

Answer 44

The participation of audiences in test screening.

Question 45

True or false Francis Ford Coppola was an enthusiastic supporter of screening his films at almost any stage no matter how unfinished they were?

Answer 45

True

Question 46

Explain his analogy related to medical pain and test screening in front of an audience.

Answer 46

He draws a compelling analogy between test screenings and the concept of “referred pain” in medicine. In medical terms, referred pain is discomfort felt in a part of the body that isn’t the actual source of the problem—like feeling arm pain during a heart attack. Similarly, Murch suggests that negative reactions from test audiences—such as confusion, boredom, or disengagement—might not pinpoint the exact issue in a film but indicate that something isn’t working as intended.

Question 47

What does he believe in regards to film and human thought process?

Answer 47

He believes the film is the closest thing to the human thought process in any art.

Question 48

Why does he believe that editors accept a cut?

Answer 48

He believes we accept the cut because it resembles the way images are juxtaposed in our dreams.

Question 49

Murch believes that film is the closest to the human thought process than any other art. Where did this concept originate for him?

Answer 49

John Huston from the August 1973 edition of the Christian Science Monitor.

Question 50

What pysiological mechanism does Huston say interrupts our apparent visual continuity of our perceptions?

Answer 50

The blink

Question 51

There is a telling phrase from cowboy standoffs. What is it and what does it signify.

Answer 51

“He blinked” It signifies the moment he relinquished his primary thought.

Question 52

It seems that the rate of blinking is geared more to our emotional state and to the nature and frequency of our thoughts than (BLANK)

Answer 52

The atmospheric environment we happen to find ourselves in.

Question 53

We are bringing a moment or an idea to an end and starting something new when we say what ?

Answer 53

Cut

Question 54

What is a good idea if you are trying to create maximum visual discontinuity with the cuts?

Answer 54

You can move from something like a dark interior to bright exterior to create a stronger effect of punctuation

Question 55

With a bad actor his blinks seem to be coming at the wrong times. They don't match the rhythm of thoughts you would expect from the character he is playing. Instead he is thinking about (BLANK)

Answer 55

Anything other than what the character would be thinking. The bad actor is thinking about the directors take on his work or perhaps his next line. 

Question 56

If an actor is successful at projecting himself into the emotions and thoughts of a character his blinks will naturally and spontaneously occur at the point the characters blink would have occurred in (BLANK)

Answer 56

Real life 

Question 57

True or false Murch believes that one of the tasks for an editor is to sensitize themselves to the rhythm that a good actor produces finding ways to extend that rhythm so that the pacing of the film is tied consciously or unconsciously to where the actor blinks?

Answer 57

True

Question 58

How does Murch define the dragnet system of editing?

Answer 58

He uses the term “dragnet system of editing” to describe a method where everything is brought into the editing room—much like the TV show Dragnet, where the police would haul in every possible suspect and piece of evidence. In this approach, the editor brings in all the footage, ideas, angles, and possibilities, and then gradually sifts through them to discover the best version of the film.

Question 59

The Rule of Six: Murch proposes six criteria for a good cut, ranked by importance. What are they?

Answer 59

1 Emotion (51%) – Is it true to the emotion of the moment? 2 Story (23%) – Does it advance the story? 3 Rhythm (10%) – Is the cut at a point that feels rhythmically correct? 4 Eye-trace (7%) – Does it respect the movement of the viewer’s eye? 5 Two-dimensional plane of screen (5%) – Is the cut compositionally coherent? 6 Three-dimensional space of action (4%) – Is the spatial continuity preserved?

Question 60

What is a Moviola?

Answer 60

A Moviola is a type of film editing machine that was first introduced in the 1920s. It allowed film editors to view and edit motion picture film by running it mechanically past a viewing screen, frame by frame or at variable speeds. The machine became a staple of the film industry for decades.

Question 61

After a failed entry into the industry in the 20s the Moviola was offered to the general public as a way of doing what?

Answer 61

Watching home movies.

Question 62

Without the advent of (BLANK) in 1927 the Moviola would have become a footnote in film history.

Answer 62

Sound

Question 63

Murch states that many directors such as Steven Spielberg still prefer to film and edit using Moviola's; given his book was published 25 years ago what is the likelihood this is still true?

Answer 63

Very unlikely. While many directors still preferred to shoot in 35 mm, that film is typically digitized to be able to use with modern editing software. 

Question 64

What is The Paillard-Bolex H-16 ?

Answer 64

The Paillard-Bolex H-16 is a renowned 16mm film camera, celebrated for its robust Swiss engineering and widespread use in educational and independent filmmaking. Introduced in the 1930s, it has been a staple for generations of filmmakers.

Question 65

How is The Paillard-Bolex H-16 powered?

Answer 65

Most Bolex H-16 models are mechanically driven and do not require batteries to operate. These cameras utilize a spring-wound motor: you wind a crank to tension an internal spring, which then powers the film transport mechanism during shooting. This design ensures reliability without dependence on electrical power. 

Question 66

What does NLE system stand for?

Answer 66

Non Linear Editing system

Question 67

What is The LaserEdit Droid?

Answer 67

The LaserEdit Droid (or more formally, the EditDroid) was an early non-linear video editing system developed by Lucasfilm in the 1980s. It was pioneering for its time, designed to streamline the process of film and video editing using digital tools—decades before systems like Final Cut Pro or Adobe Premiere became common.

Question 68

Who designed The LaserEdit Droid?

Answer 68

George Lucas and his team.

Question 69

Why did George Lucas design The LaserEdit Droid?

Answer 69

To assist in the post production of films like Star Wars. 

Question 70

What was The Avid Film Composer?

Answer 70

The Avid Film Composer, introduced in 1992, was a groundbreaking non-linear editing (NLE) system specifically designed for film editing—a major leap forward from physical film cutting and early video-based systems like the EditDroid.

Question 71

What year is recognized as the high watermark for the American film industry?

Answer 71

1939

Question 72

Why is 1939 recognizes the high watermark for  the American film industry?

Answer 72

1939 is widely regarded as a high watermark (or “Golden Year”) of American cinema because of the exceptional concentration of landmark films released that year, the maturity of the studio system, and the technical and narrative breakthroughs that helped define classical Hollywood filmmaking.

Question 73

What is a Steenbeck?

Answer 73

A Steenbeck is a brand of flatbed film editing machine used primarily for editing 16mm and 35mm motion picture film. Invented in Germany by Wilhelm Steenbeck in the 1930s, it became an industry standard for decades and is still used in some archival and educational settings today.

Question 74

According to Murch what are the two perceptual issues that the editor has control over in the editing room?

Answer 74

How much detail is in the image and the size of the image itself.

Question 75

Why is detail relevant to digital editing?

Answer 75

Because the film has to be digitally compressed to get it to fit economically on the hard drive of the computer and this can significantly reduce the amount of visual information in any frame.

Question 76

What does Murch say are things that can be done to mitigate issues with detail and image size?

Answer 76

To be aware that image detail and pace are intimately related and digitized to the highest resolution that your production can afford so you get the most detail possible.

Question 77

What does he say in regards to the difference between small screen and big screen in the editing process?

Answer 77

You tend to look at a small screen but into a big screen if you're looking at an image taking it in all at once your tendency will be to cut away to the next shot sooner. 

Question 78

True or false feature editing has to be paced differently than music video or commercial editing?

Answer 78

True

Question 79

As a final personal solution what does he recommend to help mitigate screen size?

Answer 79

He cuts out two little paper figures and places them on either side of the monitoring screen making them look correct in size as real human beings will be when the film is projected in the theater.

Question 80

What is OMF?

Answer 80

1997 open media framework software became available. Allowing sound in picture editing systems to talk to each other. 

Question 81

So what is Gesamtkunstkino?

Answer 81

It’s a film theory or aesthetic ideal (not a widely codified doctrine, but an evocative idea) that applies the Gesamtkunstwerk philosophy to cinema. It suggests that a film should be a total artwork—a synthesis of: • Image (cinematography, production design, color, visual motifs) • Sound (music, ambient sound, sound design) • Narrative (screenwriting, structure) • Performance (acting, physicality) • Editing (rhythm, pacing, spatial cohesion) • Emotional and sensory experience

Question 82

True or false? In the summer of 2000 George Lucas dispensed with film entirely and shot the next Star Wars film with Sony high definition digital cameras?

Answer 82

True

Question 83

Murch states that the paradox of cinema is that it is most effective when it seems to fuse what to contradictory elements into a kind of mass intimacy?

Answer 83

The general and the personal

Question 84

In the 1960s TV series Batman when the on screen announcer would say "meanwhile back at Wayne Manor" what editing technique is this an example of?

Answer 84

Cross cutting or a parallel edit.

Question 85

Who is John Huston?

Answer 85

John Huston was a legendary American film director, screenwriter, and actor, widely regarded as one of the greatest filmmakers in cinema history.

Question 86

What did John Huston believe in regard to film?

Answer 86

He believed film was more than just entertainment; it was a way to explore the complexities of human nature and consciousness. Huston viewed filmmaking as a process that captures the subconscious and conscious mind—how people think, feel, and react—through visual storytelling. He felt that great films reveal deeper truths about the human condition, often by showing rather than telling, tapping into the viewers’ own thoughts and emotions.

Question 87

Why did the advent of sound save the moviola.

Answer 87

The advent of sound in film saved the Moviola because it transformed the editing process from a relatively loose, silent-era workflow into one that demanded extreme precision—something the Moviola was uniquely suited to provide.