Enhanced descriptions from Syndetics:

Tell more effective visual stories by learning the "grammar" of cinematic language with this elegant, accessible reference. Discover what you absolutely need to know to cut your own film or video, shot by shot. Whether you're a whiz with Avid or just discovered iMovie, the third edition of Grammar of the Edit gives you the answers to those all-important questions: WHEN to cut and WHY. Designed as an easy-to-use guide, the book presents each topic succinctly with clear photographs and diagrams illustrating the key concepts, and is a staple of any serious editor's or filmmaker's library.

The companion website, www.focalpress.com/cw/bowen, offers further instruction with video examples of different editing choices, types of shot transitions, photographs to further illustrate concepts, and exercises to practice your editing craft.

New to this edition:

* Expanded discussions of the building blocks of editing

* Fresh illustrations and visual examples

* Updated appendices with helpful resources

* Exercises and projects to help you practice your skills

* End-of-chapter quizzes to test your grasp of key concepts

A simple and clear overview of the principles of editing, Grammar of the Edit, Third Edition will help you to think and "feel" like an editor. Together with its companion volume, Grammar of the Shot , these books are exactly what the beginning filmmaker needs to start producing professional quality material today!

Table of contents provided by Syndetics

• Acknowledgments (p. ix)
• Introduction (p. xi)
• Chapter 1 Editing Basics (p. 1)
• A Very Brief History of Film Editing (p. 2)
• What Factors may Affect Your Editing Choices? (p. 3)
• The Tools (p. 3)
• Project Type and Genre (p. 4)
• Degree of Audience Manipulation (p. 5)
• The Basic Edit Transitions (p. 6)
• Stages of the Editing Process (p. 7)
• Chapter One - Review (p. 12)
• Chapter One - Exercises & Projects (p. 12)
• Chapter One - Quiz Yourself (p. 13)
• Chapter 2 Understanding the Visual Material (p. 15)
• Basic Shot Types (p. 16)
• Shot Descriptions (p. 16)
• Shot Categories - Increasing Complexity of Images (p. 29)
• Simple Shots (p. 31)
• Complex Shots (p. 32)
• Developing Shots (p. 32)
• Selecting the Best Shots (p. 35)
• What Could Make or Break a Shot? Criteria for Assessment (p. 35)
• Focus (p. 36)
• Audio Quality (p. 37)
• Exposure and Color Temperature (p. 38)
• Framing and Composition (p. 39)
• Screen Direction (p. 40)
• 180 Degree Rule/Axis of Action (p. 42)
• 30 Degree Rule (p. 43)
• Matching Angles (p. 45)
• Matching Eye-line (p. 46)
• Continuity of Action (p. 47)
• Continuity of Dialogue (p. 47)
• Performance (p. 48)
• Be Familiar with All of the Footage (p. 48)
• So How Does All of This Help You? (p. 49)
• Chapter Two - Review (p. 50)
• Chapter Two - Exercises & Projects (p. 50)
• Chapter Two - Quiz Yourself (p. 51)
• Chapter 3 When to Cut and Why (p. 53)
• What Factors Lead to Making an Edit? (p. 55)
• Information (p. 55)
• Motivation (p. 56)
• Shot Composition (p. 59)
• Camera Angle (p. 62)
• Continuity (p. 64)
• Is There a Right or Wrong Reason for a Cut? (p. 69)
• Chapter Three-Review (p. 70)
• Chapter Three - Exercises & Projects (p. 70)
• Chapter Three - Quiz Yourself (p. 71)
• Chapter 4 Transitions and Edit Categories (p. 73)
• The Cut (p. 74)
• The Dissolve (p. 78)
• The Wipe (p. 82)
• The Fade (p. 85)
• The Five Major Categories of Edit Types (p. 88)
• The Action Edit (p. 89)
• The Screen Position Edit (p. 91)
• The Form Edit (p. 93)
• The Concept Edit (p. 96)
• The Combined Edit (p. 98)
• Does Everything Always Apply? (p. 98)
• Chapter Four - Review (p. 100)
• Chapter Four - Exercises & Projects (p. 100)
• Chapter Four - Quiz Yourself (p. 101)
• Chapter 5 Editing Terms and Topics (p. 103)
• Additional Editing Terms (p. 104)
• Sync Sound and Counting Time (p. 104)
• Montage (p. 106)
• Parallel Editing (p. 106)
• Multi-camera Editing (p. 107)
• Composite Editing (p. 108)
• Rendering (p. 109)
• Chromakey (p. 109)
• Video Resolution (p. 110)
• Additional Editing Topics (p. 111)
• Sound (p. 111)
• Color Correction (p. 114)
• Importing Still Images (p. 115)
• Digital Workflow (p. 116)
• Technology vs. Creativity (p. 117)
• Chapter Five - Review (p. 118)
• Chapter Five - Exercises & Projects (p. 119)
• Chapter Five - Quiz Yourself (p. 120)
• Chapter 6 Working Practices (p. 121)
• Chapter Six - Review (p. 203)
• Chapter Six - Exercises & Projects (p. 205)
• Chapter Six - Quiz Yourself (p. 206)
• Chapter 7 Key Take-Aways for New Editors (p. 207)
• Sound and Vision are Partners (p. 208)
• A New Shot Should Contain New Information (p. 210)
• There Should Be a Reason for Every Edit (p. 211)
• Pacing Has a Purpose (p. 212)
• Observe the Action Line (p. 213)
• Select the Appropriate Form of Edit (p. 217)
• The Better the Edit, the Less it is Noticed (p. 219)
• Editing is Manipulation (p. 220)
• The Role of an Assistant Editor (p. 221)
• Editing is Creating (p. 222)
• In Conclusion (p. 223)
• Chapter Seven - Review (p. 224)
• Chapter Seven - Exercises & Projects (p. 224)
• Chapter Seven - Quiz Yourself (p. 224)
• Appendix A Helpful Resources for the New Filmmaker (p. 225)
• Appendix B Essential Crew Positions for Motion Picture Production (p. 229)
• Appendix C Practice Script (p. 231)
• Glossary (p. 233)
• Index (p. 263)