How Does an Editor Control the Rhythm of a Film?

The Role of a Film Editor

What do editors do in film?

The role of a film editor has evolved from the early days. When cinema was first born, editing could be as simple as cutting between one scene and the next. Then, as filmmakers figured out the close-up, eyeline matching and insert shots, the job became much more complicated.

Most scenes are shot with coverage — footage taken from multiple camera angles of the same scene. The editor now has to decide the duration of each shot and their arrangement. The most obvious way to edit a simple dialogue scene is to cut to whoever is talking.

But that method prioritizes dialogue over everything else. And there are many more opportunities to turn that simple scene into something special.

For example, what happens if you cut to someone listening instead? Character A speaks while Character B listens. Is the scene really about what Character A is saying or is actually about what that dialogue means to Character B? 

Now that we've established what this scene is really about, let's talk about other dimensions of film editing like rhythm.

Do we cut between Character A talking and Character B listening to create a "back and forth" tension? Or what happens if we hold entirely on Character B in a single shot? Both iterations would create entirely different moods and rhythms, and each would tell a different story to the audience.

Let's dive into other ways and other reasons why rhythm in film editing is such a key ingredient in the role of a film editor.

How Does an Editor Control the Rhythm of a Film?

Control the shot’s duration

One of the most effective ways to control the rhythm of a film is by controlling the duration of each shot. Establishing an average shot length inherently gives the audience an expectation.

For example, many modern films have an average shot length of 4-6 seconds. This establishes a baseline of the film’s neutral pace for the audience.

The role of a film editor is to control the rhythm by deviating from this baseline in post-production. Cutting shots shorter can ramp up the intensity of a scene. Cutting them longer can create moments of necessary relief and calm.

One of the best scenes to analyze this effect is the iconic shower sequence from Alfred Hitchcock’s Psycho. This video essay explains how the contrast between longer shots and shorter shots in one scene contributed to the effect that terrified audiences around the world.

This sequence is one of the most studied scenes in cinema history. It also propelled Psycho to becoming not only one of Hitchcock’s best films, but one of the best thrillers of all time.

How does the editor control the rhythm of a film without showing any actual on screen violence? Through brilliant rhythmic editing. 

Benefits of rhythmic editing

Support the emotion and tone 

Rhythm in film editing is not always as jarring as it is in Psycho. Sometimes, a film’s rhythm is much more subtle, but just as effective. The key to these more subtle moments is to cut with intention. 

This does not mean to cut to whoever is talking, but rather to harmonize with the emotions of the story. Emotions take time. Allowing shots to breathe can actually be more effective at eliciting emotions in an audience.

As famed editor Walter Murch explains, emotion is the number one priority when editing. In this video, we break down his fascinating theories on editing.

Murch explains how editing relies on feeling. This feeling helps editors create a rhythm in film editing. The role of a film editor is to use their instincts to cut with the most emotional impact. And sometimes this means letting a shot run a little longer than what seems necessary. 

How does the editor control the rhythm of a film

Create the pace of the scene

In Paul Thomas Anderson’s There Will Be Blood, the average shot length is a whopping 13.3 seconds. How does this affect the rhythm in film editing? It makes it slower paced, but does not make it any less engaging. 

PTA does this by focusing on the composition and camera movement of longer shots. Even though a shot may be 12 seconds, it could have two or three different frames. This allows him to establish a slower pace without compromising the quality of the film.

Nerdwriter1 dissects how PT Anderson and his editor Dylan Tichenor capitalize on longer shots in There Will Be Blood in the video essay below.