Feature film editing techniques course November 2013

We open a new call for our advanced assembly course led by master Jaime Estrada-Torres.

“One of the most important lessons I’ve learned in my work as a film editor is to spend time and patience visualizing and familiarizing myself with the footage – the copy.

The question is to provide us, as editors in these digital times, the opportunity to establish that ‘dialogue’ with the filmed material. A dialogue that allows us to explore the possibilities created during the shooting of that film.

In this advanced editing workshop we will explore those strategies learned and used in the exercise of my work as a film editor. These craft strategies have been born not only from my visualization of a diverse cinema, but also from the exercise of an equally diverse filmmaking practice, spanning 27 years of professional work.”

TEACHER: Jaime Estrada-Torres. IMDB file

Film editor and online picture and sound editor, member of the GBFTE(Guild of British Film and Television Editors). Jaime Estrada-Torres has edited several fiction and documentary feature films working with directors such as Mike Figgis and Werner Herzog, as well as being part of the editing team for films such as Batman (Tim Burton) or Homeboy (Michael Seresin).

Working as a film consultant for the American company Avid, Jaime has been involved in Eyes Wide Shut (Stanley Kubrick), Tomorrow never dies (Roger Spottiswood) and Star Wars Ep. I Phantom Menace (George Lucas) among other productions.

His teaching experience is developed in England, Spain, China, Norway and Iceland. Jaime Estrada-Torres is currently head of the editing department at the London Film School in London.

In this interview Jaime tells us about the pedagogy he follows when teaching the course.

DURATION: 16 hours

PRICE: 400€ (340€ booking before October 23rd). You can get up to 20% discount if you sign up for several courses. Discounts are not cumulative.

WHEN: November 23rd and 24th, 2013. Saturday and Sunday from 10am to 2pm and from 3:30pm to 7:30pm.

WHERE: CES Audiovisual Campus. See in Google Maps. You can contact 709 MR by email or phone (668840783).

COURSE CODE: MOAV88-231113

MATERIALS USED: Avid Media Composer or Final Cut Pro 7 software on professional Mac workstations (one per student). In the previous course, raw materials from the shooting of Alex de la Iglesia’s “La Chispa de la Vida” were used. In this course we will also use raw materials from well-known and award-winning Spanish feature films.

AIMED AT: Editors with some experience who want to deepen their knowledge of fiction editing techniques. Filmmakers, directors and film-makers who wish to understand how to approach the narrative of cinematographic scenes.

PREVIOUS KNOWLEDGE: Independent use of the editing tool Avid Media Composer or Final Cut Pro 7, at the student’s choice (basic use of these editors will NOT be taught during the course). Knowledge and practice in film narrative and its application in the editing discipline. The student must provide a CV in the pre-registration process in order to verify this knowledge.

GENERAL OBJECTIVES:

• To promote the understanding of grammatical and aesthetic principles that will allow the film editor to select and manage the cinematographic elements required to construct a scene, to tell a story.
• Establish a criterion of judgment that will serve as a guide for the editor when judging the exact point at which to apply a cut, establish a transition, and impose a rhythm that will contribute to the subjugation of the story to the viewer.
• Establish a discipline in the handling and preparation of work materials: scripts, copying and shot selection, scene assembly, dialogue editing and sound track. In this way, the editor will obtain absolute control over the tools and film material at his disposal, and thus be able to carry out the director’s intentions.

COURSE OUTLINE:

This intensive 16-hour workshop is structured as follows:

 

Day 1 “People making movies today are more concerned with mechanics – the mechanics of actions rather than the mechanics of feeling.”

John Cassavetes, 1980

A Theoretical introduction to dramatic montage – Duration: 01 hour

The American director’s statement is as relevant today as it was in the 80s. The objective of this introduction focuses on an analysis of scenes where the establishment of the characters and the story is linked to the aesthetics of the shooting: staging, dialogues, choreography; and to see how these elements are structured by the editing: shot selection and scene composition; within a dramatic time and space.

B Dramatic editing practice – Duration: 06 hours

Each participant will have access to raw material shot for an important film, already released in the Spanish market. Likewise, the participants will have to use (Avid/FC editing system) individual crazy systems, in order for each participant to edit his/her own version according to the copy of the assigned script.

C Display of results – Duration: 01 hour

The purpose of this segment is to stimulate the participation of all the editors in the analysis of the papers produced during the session.

 

Day 2 “When I write the script, I already have the whole film in my head, when I start shooting, I just shoot. My interest is in the editing process, that’s why I shoot in a hurry. Maybe you don’t always have enough material, but how to play with that material is what interests me the most.”

Takeshi Kitano, director/editor

A Introduction to genre editing – Duration: 01 hour

A window into genre cinema, allowing us to identify the elements of comedy, horror, action, etc., and how the aesthetics of editing helps to manage these elements in the search for a successful narrative. We will also explore how some directors mix genres within the same narrative.

B Gender assembly practice – Duration: 05 hours

Each participant will have the opportunity to edit material shot for a Spanish-language genre film. The object of this practical section extends the demands of the craft to a more pronounced use of those elements of image and sound that typify the selected genre.

C Results display – Duration: 02 hours

During this session there will be an analysis of the work done during the day, followed by a question and answer session to expand on the theoretical and practical concepts used during the two days of the workshop.

NOTE:

During the internship Jaime will be available for individual consultations on aesthetics issues, as it is assumed the operational knowledge of the tools required from the participants.

The presentation and practice material has been selected and scheduled to allow sufficient time for assimilation and productivity. However, it is recommended that each participant, individually, decide on the appropriate time and duration of rest/breaks to avoid saturation and exhaustion. These breaks are also a means of self-discipline that contributes to a more professional approach to the assembler’s craft.

You can download the documentation for the course here.

For further information please contact us at info@709mediaroom.com.