Glossary

17.4 Adapting editing techniques for new media platforms

7 min read•july 29, 2024

As motion picture editing evolves, adapting techniques for new media platforms is crucial. Editors must navigate unique storytelling conventions for social media, streaming, mobile apps, and interactive experiences. This shift demands concise narratives, personalized content, and innovative approaches to engage audiences across diverse platforms.

Editors now craft short-form videos, interactive narratives, and vertical formats. They balance immediacy with emotional impact, create multiple story branches, and optimize visuals for mobile viewing. These changes reflect broader trends in audience expectations and consumption habits, shaping the future of motion picture editing.

Storytelling Across Platforms

Unique Platform Requirements

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  • New media platforms include social media, streaming services, mobile apps, virtual reality, and interactive experiences, each with unique storytelling conventions and audience behaviors
  • Short-form content, such as Instagram Stories or TikTok videos, requires concise, attention-grabbing narratives that can be quickly consumed and easily shared
  • Interactive narratives, such as choose-your-own-adventure stories or video games, allow viewers to actively participate in shaping the story, requiring editors to create multiple narrative paths and decision points
  • Vertical video formats, optimized for mobile devices, necessitate a different approach to , pacing, and visual language compared to traditional horizontal formats

Shifting Audience Expectations

  • Viewer expectations on new media platforms often prioritize immediacy, authenticity, and personalization over polished production values or complex narratives
  • Audiences seek content that feels genuine, relatable, and tailored to their individual preferences
  • Editors must adapt their storytelling approach to meet these evolving expectations, focusing on creating engaging, emotionally resonant content that connects with viewers on a personal level
  • Examples of successful content that meets these expectations include raw, behind-the-scenes footage, user-generated content, and influencer-driven narratives that foster a sense of community and authenticity

Editing for New Media

Short-Form Content Strategies

  • Short-form content editing emphasizes brevity, clarity, and emotional impact, using techniques such as rapid cuts, dynamic transitions, and bold graphics to maintain viewer engagement
  • Editors must be able to convey key information and evoke a strong emotional response within a limited timeframe, often relying on visual storytelling and concise, impactful dialogue
  • Examples of effective short-form editing include TikTok videos that use creative transitions and popular music to create viral moments, or Instagram Stories that use a series of quick cuts and text overlays to tell a compelling story

Interactive Narrative Techniques

  • Interactive narratives require editors to create multiple story branches and seamlessly connect them, ensuring that each path feels cohesive and satisfying while maintaining overall narrative coherence
  • Editors must consider how to guide viewers through the interactive experience, using visual and auditory cues to signify decision points and provide clear feedback on the consequences of each choice
  • Examples of successful interactive narratives include Netflix's "Black Mirror: Bandersnatch" and the video game "Detroit: Become Human," both of which offer multiple branching paths and endings based on viewer decisions

Vertical Video Optimization

  • Vertical video editing involves optimizing shot composition and framing for the tall, narrow aspect ratio of mobile devices, placing key visual elements within the central area of the frame
  • Editors must consider how viewers will naturally hold their devices and adjust the visual composition accordingly, ensuring that important information remains visible and easily readable
  • Pacing in short-form and vertical video content tends to be faster and more dynamic than traditional formats, with frequent cuts and visual stimuli to hold viewer attention
  • Examples of effective vertical video editing include Instagram Reels and Snapchat Stories that use creative framing, text overlays, and fast-paced cuts to create engaging, mobile-friendly content

Adapting Workflows and Tools

  • Editors must adapt their workflow and tools to efficiently handle the unique challenges of short-form, interactive, and vertical video content, such as managing multiple timelines or creating modular story segments
  • This may involve using specialized software or plugins designed for , or developing new organizational strategies to keep track of multiple story branches and decision points
  • Editors may also need to collaborate more closely with other team members, such as designers and programmers, to ensure seamless integration of interactive elements and maintain a cohesive user experience
  • Examples of adapted workflows include using modular editing techniques to create interchangeable story segments, or using collaborative platforms like Frame.io to streamline feedback and revision processes

Mobile Viewing Impact

Attention Span and Engagement

  • Mobile viewing habits, characterized by short attention spans and frequent distractions, necessitate a faster-paced, visually engaging editing style that can quickly capture and maintain viewer interest
  • Editors must create content that immediately hooks the viewer and provides a clear, compelling reason to continue watching, using techniques such as strong opening images, provocative questions, or relatable scenarios
  • Examples of effective mobile-first content include Tasty's recipe videos, which use fast cuts, overhead shots, and bold text overlays to quickly demonstrate a dish in under a minute, or NowThis News' short, visually striking news updates that are optimized for social media sharing

Social Media Influence

  • Social media platforms prioritize content that generates shares, likes, and comments, influencing editors to create emotionally resonant, visually striking, and easily digestible videos
  • Editors must consider how their content will appear in social media feeds and how it will be shared and discussed among users, often incorporating trending topics, hashtags, or challenges to increase visibility and engagement
  • Shot composition for mobile and social media often employs close-ups, bold colors, and clear focal points to ensure visual clarity on small screens and in auto-play feeds
  • Examples of social media-optimized content include Buzzfeed's Tasty videos, which use bright colors, overhead shots, and simple, step-by-step instructions to create highly shareable recipe content, or the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge, which used a simple, visually striking premise to generate massive social media engagement and awareness

Authentic Visual Language

  • Visual language in mobile and social media content tends to be more informal, authentic, and relatable, reflecting the personal, user-generated nature of these platforms
  • Editors must consider how mobile viewing habits and social media trends impact the effectiveness of traditional storytelling techniques and adapt their approach accordingly
  • This may involve incorporating more handheld or selfie-style footage, using informal or conversational language in text overlays or voiceovers, or leveraging user-generated content to create a sense of community and authenticity
  • Examples of authentic visual language in mobile content include TikTok videos that use self-deprecating humor, relatable scenarios, and informal filming techniques to create a sense of intimacy and connection with the viewer, or Instagram Stories that use behind-the-scenes footage and personal anecdotes to humanize a brand or influencer

Editors in Transmedia

Narrative Coherence Across Platforms

  • Transmedia experiences involve telling a story across multiple platforms, such as films, TV shows, video games, social media, and live events, with each element contributing to a larger narrative universe
  • Editors play a crucial role in ensuring narrative coherence and consistency across these diverse platforms, collaborating with writers, directors, and other creatives to maintain a unified vision
  • In transmedia projects, editors must consider how each piece of content fits into the overall narrative arc, providing meaningful connections and references that reward audience engagement across platforms
  • Examples of successful transmedia experiences include the Marvel Cinematic Universe, which uses films, TV shows, and comic books to tell interconnected stories within a shared universe, or the "Westworld" franchise, which expands its narrative through a TV series, mobile game, and interactive website

Leveraging Platform Strengths

  • Editing for transmedia experiences requires a deep understanding of the unique strengths and limitations of each platform, adapting storytelling techniques to leverage the specific affordances of film, TV, gaming, social media, and more
  • Editors must consider how to use each platform's distinct features and audience expectations to enhance the overall narrative experience, such as using interactive elements in a video game to provide additional character development or using social media to create real-time, immersive story events
  • Examples of leveraging platform strengths in transmedia storytelling include the "Defiance" franchise, which used a TV series and MMO video game to tell complementary stories that enriched the overall narrative, or the "Pokémon" franchise, which uses video games, animated series, and trading cards to create a multifaceted, interactive story world

Balancing Standalone and Interconnected Content

  • Editors must also balance the need for each piece of transmedia content to stand on its own while still contributing to the larger narrative, creating satisfying individual experiences that collectively enrich the overall story world
  • This involves finding the right balance between providing enough context and references to the larger narrative to engage dedicated fans, while also ensuring that each piece of content is accessible and enjoyable for casual viewers or newcomers to the franchise
  • Examples of balancing standalone and interconnected content include the "Star Wars" franchise, which uses films, TV shows, novels, and comics to tell self-contained stories that also contribute to the larger mythos of the galaxy far, far away, or the "The Matrix" franchise, which uses films, animated shorts, and video games to provide multiple entry points into its complex narrative universe while maintaining a cohesive overarching story

Key Terms to Review (17)

Adobe Premiere Pro: Adobe Premiere Pro is a professional video editing software used for film, television, and web content creation. It offers powerful tools for editing, color correction, audio mixing, and effects that streamline the post-production workflow and enhance storytelling through visual media.
Audio mixing: Audio mixing is the process of combining multiple audio tracks into a single cohesive sound output, balancing levels, adjusting tonal qualities, and adding effects to create the desired auditory experience. This process is crucial in shaping how a film's narrative is perceived, enhancing emotional impact and storytelling through sound.
Cross-Cutting: Cross-cutting is an editing technique that alternates between two or more scenes happening simultaneously in different locations, creating a sense of parallel action and enhancing narrative connections. This method allows filmmakers to build tension, develop subplots, and deepen the audience's understanding of character motivations and themes by juxtaposing contrasting or complementary actions.
Digital editing: Digital editing refers to the process of manipulating and arranging video or audio content using digital tools and software to create a final product. This modern technique allows for greater precision, flexibility, and efficiency in the editing process compared to traditional film editing methods. The advent of digital technology has revolutionized how editors work, enabling them to incorporate advanced visual effects, seamless transitions, and real-time collaboration across various platforms.
Final Cut Pro: Final Cut Pro is a professional non-linear video editing software developed by Apple Inc., widely used in the film and television industry. It allows editors to manipulate video clips, create effects, and manage audio, making it an essential tool for contemporary media production and montage applications.
Interactive storytelling: Interactive storytelling is a narrative approach where the audience actively participates in the story's progression, influencing outcomes and character development through their choices. This technique enhances engagement by allowing viewers to explore various narrative pathways, creating a unique experience tailored to individual preferences.
Jump Cut: A jump cut is an editing technique that creates a noticeable shift in time or space within a scene, often by cutting out sections of continuous action. This technique can disrupt the narrative flow, making the viewer aware of the editing process, and is used to convey emotions, create tension, or emphasize a character's thoughts.
Non-linear editing: Non-linear editing (NLE) is a method of editing video and audio content that allows for random access to any part of the material at any time, enabling editors to work more flexibly and creatively. This approach contrasts with traditional linear editing, where footage must be arranged in a sequential manner, making it difficult to modify or rearrange scenes. NLE facilitates various aspects of post-production, including sound design, visual storytelling, and adapting content for different platforms.
Resolution: Resolution refers to the amount of detail that an image or video can hold, typically measured in pixels. In the context of editing for new media platforms, resolution is crucial because it determines the clarity and quality of visual content, influencing how well it engages audiences and fits the requirements of different devices and streaming services.
Sally Menke: Sally Menke was a renowned film editor known for her innovative approach to editing, particularly in the realm of dialogue and storytelling. Her work, especially with director Quentin Tarantino, showcased her ability to synchronize dialogue seamlessly while enhancing character interactions and pacing. Menke's techniques have greatly influenced modern editing practices, especially in adapting to new media platforms that require fresh storytelling methods.
Shot composition: Shot composition refers to the arrangement of visual elements within a frame to create a specific aesthetic and narrative effect. It plays a crucial role in guiding the viewer's attention, establishing mood, and enhancing storytelling through visual cues. A well-composed shot can reveal character dynamics, build tension, and ensure continuity across scenes, making it essential in various filmmaking aspects.
Sound design: Sound design is the process of creating, acquiring, manipulating, or generating audio elements in a film or production to enhance the storytelling and emotional impact. It involves not only the dialogue and music but also sound effects and ambient sounds that contribute to the overall atmosphere and experience of the film.
Tempo: Tempo refers to the speed or pace at which a sequence of events occurs in a film, significantly impacting the rhythm and flow of the narrative. It influences how the audience experiences emotions, engagement, and tension throughout the film, shaping everything from music scoring to editing choices.
Timing: Timing in editing refers to the precise placement of cuts, transitions, and pacing within a film to enhance storytelling and emotional impact. It plays a crucial role in how a scene flows, affecting the audience's perception and engagement by manipulating rhythm and pace to build tension, humor, or dramatic effect.
Transmedia narrative: A transmedia narrative is a storytelling technique that unfolds across multiple platforms and formats, allowing each medium to contribute uniquely to the overall story. This approach engages audiences by encouraging them to explore different facets of the narrative through various channels such as film, television, video games, and social media. By adapting editing techniques for new media platforms, creators can enhance the storytelling experience and foster deeper connections with their audience.
Visual grammar: Visual grammar refers to the system of rules and conventions that govern how visual elements are arranged and understood in media. This concept encompasses the ways in which shots, angles, composition, and editing techniques communicate meaning and emotion to the audience. Understanding visual grammar is crucial when adapting editing techniques for new media platforms, as it shapes how viewers interpret visuals in various contexts.
Walter Murch: Walter Murch is a highly influential film editor and sound designer, known for his innovative approaches to editing and storytelling in cinema. His work on films such as 'Apocalypse Now,' 'The English Patient,' and 'Cold Mountain' has set new standards in the industry, particularly in the integration of sound and visual editing, which has deep implications for the emotional resonance of film narratives.
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