“In the Blink of an Eye, a Perspective on Film Editing”

I really appreciated reading this book for its fun and articulate way of explaining editing. I noticed all the creative examples Murch gave on how one thinks and how that shapes what one sees. At one point he describes filmmaking as “the closet to thought process of any art form.” (60) Though Murch mainly talks about narrative film editing and not documentary video editing I could relate a lot of what Murch says to my project. I liked Murch’s thoughts on following the blinks of the actor’s eyes to get a sense of when to make the cut. ”In film a shot presents us with an idea or a sequence of ideas, and the cut is a “blink” that separates and punctures those ideas.” (62)
Murch gave me perspective on how to follow a conversation and make a good scene by following these procedures for an ideal cut. (18)
1. Emotion, what you want your audience to feel
2. Story, how it relates to your entire story
3. Rhythm, how it flows with the rest of the story
4. Eye Trace, concern with where the audience is looking
5. Two-dimensional plane of screen, stage line and planarity technical
6. Three dimensional space of action, where people are in relation to one another
I will use these techniques as well as Murch’s ideas of taking stills of different parts of the film to piece together the story visually. I will also use Murch’s method of cutting out paper dolls to put on the editing screen to always have perspective on how the audience will ultimately see my film. This book made me ask myself the question, "What do I want people to feel when they are watching Travel Queeries?" I will take this question into the editing room as I work.

Fall syllabus for “The Nature of Documentary, Editing and Theory of Travel Queeries”

Texts I will read:
Technical Skill:
“In the Blink of an Eye: A Perspective on Film Editing” Murch, Walter.
“The Visual Story: Seeing the Structure of Film, TV and New Media” Block, Bruce
“The Filmmaker's Handbook: A Comprehensive Guide for the Digital Age” Ascher and
Pincus.
“FinalCut6 Pro Guide”
Critical History, Theory:
“Intro to Queer Theory” By, Jagose, Annemarie
“Between the Sheets and in the Streets, Queer, Lesbian, and Gay Documentary” Holmlund, Chris

Documentaries I will watch:
“Trembling Before G-D”
“Wild Life”
“Me and Ruby Fruit” and other films by Sadie Benning
“Paris is Burning”
“Word is out”
“Before Stonewall”
“The Gleaners and I”
“Boy I am”
“Tongues Untied”
“ Outlaw”
“Juggling Gender”
“Nomads and No Zones”

Week by week schedule
Logging/capturing/editing footage
Reading
Writing on blog which includes, a film viewing journal, notes on my readings and various treatments and plans for the final version of the film.
Meeting with film team
Watching films with a student group
Working on fund raisers

Week 1 September 25-28th
Find and meet with tutor on final cut pro/read final cut book
Find editor intern/ PR intern/ titles intern for winter and Spring Quarter
Meet with film team to begin editing short piece for Seattle lesbian and gay film festival
Start to read “In the Blink of an Eye”
Watch “Nomads and No-Zones” with film group
Write on academic blog about my readings and learning as well as Treatment for short piece
Meet with Julia to go over syllabus
Week 2 October 1-5th
Meet with tutor on final cut pro/ read final cut book
Log/capture/edit footage for short
Begin transfer of Super 8 footage
Continue looking for Interns
Read “In the Blink of an Eye” start “Between the sheets and in the streets”
Meet with film group to watch “Me and Ruby fruit” and other Sadie Benning movies
Write on academic blog about my readings and learning
Week 3 October 8-12th
Have short piece ready for the Seattle gay and Lesbian film festival on the 14th
Watch “Paris is burning” with film group
Read “Between the sheets” Start to read excerpts from “A Filmmaker’s Handbook”
Start work on fundraiser cocktail party in Seattle tentatively set for November 16th
Write on academic blog about my readings and learning
Meet with Julia to look at footage for the short piece
Week 4 October 15-19th
Meet for final time with final cut tutor/finish final cut book
Finish transfer of super8
Interview intern potentials
Meet with editor to discuss story arch after short
Work on fundraiser party
Watch “Outlaw” with film group
Read more excerpts from “A Filmmaker’s handbook” and start “ Intro. To Queer Theory”
Write on academic blog about my readings and learning
Week 5 October 22nd-26th
Log/capture/edit footage for rough-cut screening at the end of quarter, work with short we created and add on.
Work on fundraiser party
Meet with Julia to discuss progress
Watch “Wild Life” with film group
Read “Into. To Queer Theory” and start “The Visual Story”
Write on academic blog about my readings and learning
Week 6 October 29th-November 2nd
Log/capture/edit footage for rough-cut screening at the end of quarter, work with super 8 footage and start process of translation and subtitles
Work on fundraiser party
Watch “the Gleaners and I” with film group
Read “The Visual Story”
Write on academic blog about my readings and learning
Week 7 November 5-9th
Log/capture/edit footage for rough-cut screening at the end of quarter
Meet with editor to show progress
Work on fundraiser party
Start getting venues and making flyers for rough-cut screening in December
Watch “Word is out” and “Before Stonewall” with film group
Finish reading “The Visual Story”
Meet with Julia to discuss progress and show footage
Write on academic blog about my readings and learning
Week 8 November 12-16th
Log/capture/edit footage for rough-cut screening at the end of quarter, have latest version of film on DVD to show at fundraiser party
Have Fundraiser Cocktail party in Seattle!
Start inviting guests to screenings of rough-cut at end of quarter
Watch “Juggling Gender” and “Trembling before G-D” with film group
Write on academic blog about my learning and about the fundraiser
Week 9 November 26-30th
Log/capture/edit footage for rough-cut screening at the end of quarter, make sure rough cut has some subtitles/other languages in it and or some animation/super 8.
Watch “Tongues Untied” with film group
Start holiday letter writing fundraiser for TQ
Confirm venues, short tour of rough-cut screening plus inviting guests
Write on academic blog about my readings, learning
Week 10 December 3rd-7th
Edit final rough cut short for screening and transfer to DVD
Meet with editor to get final feed back before screening
Meet with Julia to get final feed back before screening
Continue holiday letter writing fundraiser for TQ
Watch “Boy I am” with film group
Write Self Evaluation
Evaluative blog on the quarter and my thought on the final rough cut
Week 11 December 10-14th Eval Week
Have an artistic critique session with faculty and artists to watch a rough cut short piece and get feed back.
Tour this rough cut short on the west coast with artists and community members to get feed back.
Faculty evaluation from Julia