Editing Rhythm

Pacing refers to a varying of the length of shots by the editor. Pacing plays an important role in guiding viewers in their emotional response to a scene.

• Rapid pacing suggests intensity and excitement. 
• Slower pacing is more relaxed and thoughtful. 

Pacing of a scene and establishing its rhythm, an editor has to answer key questions based on his/her understanding of the sequence as a whole. 
The editor must decide what type of transitions are best for the scene; straight cut, jump cut, a dissolve etc. 

Exorcist III Extract 



The editor within this extract has made the shots very long to make the audience feel very uncomfortable while watching this, and making them feel and think that something bad is going to happen to the nurse. When they cut to the ghostly figure coming at her with a knife a sharp sound and rhythm comes in to make the audience jump out of their seat with the surprise. The camera distance indicates that the character is vulnerable and alone as the camera is placed far away from the character. This is very important because as these long shots are being taken place and the nurse is investigating the police officer is walking out of the room which makes her really vulnerable and alone, which indicates even further that something bad is going to happen. Sequences where shots are the same length may result in a rhythm which is less distinct.

In a horror sequence, creating a distinctive rhythm, where the rational is to generate in the viewer feelings of burgeoning tension and suspense, requires that the length of shots should vary.


The Conjuring 2 Extract



The editorial pace of this extract starts of quite slow with some long takes to build the tension, but further on into the scene you get a cut to what the character is feeling which again builds tension for the audience. The the ghostly figure runs towards the character the rhythm of the cuts are much faster to show the action within the scene. This is very significant because by having the editorial speeding up the cuts towards the end and the music it builds up an effective suspense to scare the audience as intended.