Online: Editing for Film and Video Art

This workshop examines how filmmakers and video artists can use editing to create and clarify the meaning of the content. After watching and discussing video clips from a wide range of movies, the participants will receive assignments that will put this knowledge into immediate use.

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, this course will be facilitated online using a mixture of daily live-sessions and guided tasks to be completed.

We will discuss the four basic areas of choice and control that editing offers to the filmmakers: rhythmic, graphic, spatial, and temporal relations between the shots. We will also look at the basic continuity editing concepts and issues related to sound editing.

Participants will work in small groups to design, shoot, and edit their videos. We will discuss the pre-planning phases which include preparation of the sketches, storyboards, story outlines, etc. As these concepts and techniques are relevant to all types of film, each assignment will be flexible enough so that the participants can complete them according to their artistic interests (whether as short narratives, abstract experiments, or as something in between). The participants will receive assistance conceptualizing and planning their projects, as well as with any practical concerns. For advanced assignments, the participants will have to present their preparatory materials before the shooting.

PARTICIPANTS

This workshop is suitable for video artists, experimental filmmakers, or everyone interested in working with moving images. The focus of this workshop lies on the conceptual basics of film editing. There will be no instruction on editing programs, but extensive editing experience is not necessary. Basic familiarity with a simple smartphone app is all that is required.

REQUIREMENTS

Participants should have any type of video camera (f.e., smartphone, DSLR, etc.) and editing software (smartphone app or laptop with an editing program) that they are comfortable working with. You’ll also need a notepad for taking notes and drawing storyboards. If you need advice on video apps/software, please feel free to get in touch before the workshop at hello(at)michellealperin.com.

SCHEDULE

Monday

• General discussion of editing – What can editing do?
• Rhythm in editing: watch examples and discuss
• First assignement
• Introduction and discussion of ways to conceptualise and prepare for a video shoot: script, shot list, story boards, etc.

Tuesday

• Discussion of graphic relations using clips as references
• Second assignment
• Discussion of spatial relations

Wednesday

• Discussion of continuity editing
• Shot / reverse shot sequences and reaction shot discussion
• Third assignment including a detailed shooting plan
• Feedback on completed videos

Thursday & Friday

• Discussion of temporal editing relations and further discussion of continuity editing and sound issues
• Depending on the interests and wishes of the participants: Experimental techniques, narrative filmmaking forms or a mix of both

Michelle Alperin, born in Los Angeles, California, got her BA in Fine Art from the University of California in 1994 and her MFA in Fine Art from Art Center College of Design in 2001. After several artist’s residencies in Berlin, Michelle settled there at the end of 2004. She is currently working with video installation, experimental and narrative film and video, as well as still photography. Since 2017, Michelle has been teaching video art to the first-year fine art students at the Berlin University of the Arts where she also teaches weekly video art courses, participates in group critiques, and gives workshops on various topics, including editing.

michellealperin.com