Elliptical Editing Research

Elliptical Editing 

Definition:

Elliptical editing -  is a technique used in film editing that allows an event's duration on-screen to be shorter than its duration in the story.

In more Detail:

In film and TV elliptical editing is used to significantly cut the time of a film down. When elliptical editing is not used - it's called 'natural time'. Recording in natural time would require the film to record every moment of a sequence, most of what happens in real time is boring and excessive. Unless needed, recording in real time causes the audience to loose interest as it's long and drawn out.

For example;  In a scenario where a person needs to get dressed and go to work, it would usually take an average person about half an hour to complete. They would need to eat, get dressed and then travel. This sequence could be cut down significantly by using elliptical editing. The editors cut out all of the unnecessary actions such as putting shoes on, locking the door etc. This basic technique allows the film narrative to span large special and temporal distances without the need to follow the dull actions. 

In editing terms, it is extremely easy. The scenes can be divided by a cut, fade or dissolve (all meaning different amounts of time passing).  A cut is a stark difference between the two shots this has no transition, this normally indicates that only a small amount of time has been skipped. Dissolves and fades typically are 1 to 2 seconds in duration, this can also be called 24 - 48 frames. The duration of these transitions do accord to the preference of the director hence there being no set time for a fade/dissolve. A short dissolve or fade which could be as short as 6 -12 frames or 1/4 of a second may be used to soften hard cuts. This is so that its not fully noticeable however doesn't startle the viewer by being turned into a jump cut. 

Elliptical editing in my film:

This shows Alice getting into the life, skipping the doors closing and the fist floor, going straight to the second floor. This cut off two minutes waiting for the lift. 

In the final we chose to add in a fade to black instead of a dissolve.