pacing. . . what is it?

[Chip Johns]

Usually when there is an incredibly long scene shot in one take, isn’t this usually a decision by the director? It had to of been shot that way!?! I know that sometimes a scene isn’t edited like it was inteneded, but usually when a scene is incredibly long one the decision was made long before it hits the edit..

I’m not posting this to be a smart@$$. Just curious.

[Rocco Rocco]

Hi Chip, didn’t come accross as smartass at all.

Got me thinking, though. Even though the director made the decision long before they even shot it, it’s still an editorial decision (imo). A film editor makes 24 decisions every second. Most of those decisions are “don’t cut here”. So the decision not to cut is an editorial one too. I bet you could copy that scene to your hard drive and re create a workable scene with edits. And if you had the out takes, it’d be even easier. So the fact that it can be done and they chose not to in the editing phase says a lot, I think.

[Scott Davis]

Paul, I cant say I remember Pulp Fiction that well but I what I hold up as my gold standard of editing is the opening of Tarkovsky’s “The Sacrifice”. One single 8 1/2 minute tracking shot with 0 edits. I agree with you in that editing is not about cuting but is about making choices. Chosing to not make a cut can be a much better edit than chosing to make one.

[Person Lastly]

exactly. that is what a lot of younger editors need to learn. when not to cut. ‘boogie nights’ has a nice long no cut intro starting with a steadicam op held via a crane disconnects and walks into the night club. nice effect. must take HOURS to light and choreograph. if i see it being done now, i kind of feel like ‘okay, this has been done. stop showing off.’