Why They Just Don't Care About Continuity

Summary

This video explores the concept of continuity errors in film editing, using examples from iconic movies like *Goodfellas*, *The Godfather*, and *Pulp Fiction*. It highlights how filmmakers, such as Thelma Schoonmaker, deliberately leave these errors in to prioritize performance, rhythm, and emotion over strict continuity. The video also delves into non-continuity editing, a technique used to convey meaning through symbolic, thematic, or visual connections between shots, as seen in the works of directors like Sergei Eisenstein and Terrence Malick. It challenges the idea that continuity errors are inherently negative, showing how they can sometimes enhance the storytelling experience.

Takeaways

• 😀 Continuity errors are visible breaks in action or details between connected shots in a film, which are commonly spotted by viewers but often unnoticed during initial viewing.
• 😀 Famous examples of continuity errors include a visible boat break in *Apocalypse Now* and bullet holes appearing before shots in *Pulp Fiction*.
• 😀 The first continuity error the narrator noticed was in *Real Steel* (2011), where a briefcase changes position between two shots, sparking curiosity about film editing behind the scenes.
• 😀 Despite their presence in many iconic films, continuity errors are not necessarily mistakes. Some filmmakers, such as editor Thelma Schoonmaker, intentionally keep them for artistic or pragmatic reasons.
• 😀 Thelma Schoonmaker, a legendary editor nominated for nine Oscars, knowingly leaves continuity errors in her edits for the sake of performance and rhythm, as seen in *Goodfellas* and *The Departed*.
• 😀 Walter Murch, in his book *In the Blink of an Eye*, advocates for prioritizing emotion over physical continuity in editing, emphasizing that emotional impact is often more important than perfect continuity.
• 😀 Filmmakers, particularly Martin Scorsese, often make compromises in continuity to preserve the natural flow of performances, allowing actors to explore their roles more freely and spontaneously.
• 😀 Intentional continuity breaks can enhance the visual appeal or narrative of a film. For example, Wes Anderson alters set pieces like windows or props for aesthetic reasons in *The Grand Budapest Hotel*.
• 😀 Non-continuity editing, a technique first explored by Soviet filmmakers like Sergei Eisenstein, breaks continuity to create meaning through symbolic or thematic relationships between disconnected shots.
• 😀 Directors like Christopher Nolan and Harmony Korine use non-continuity editing to convey abstract themes or emotional states, as seen in the fragmented time in *The Irishman* and *Spring Breakers*.
• 😀 While continuity editing is the dominant style in mainstream cinema, non-continuity editing, which is more experimental and impressionistic, is gaining recognition and can be seen in contemporary works like *The Bear* and music videos.
• 😀 Continuity errors, though often criticized, are sometimes less about mistakes and more about stylistic choices or narrative needs, underscoring the complexity of filmmaking and the importance of how a film makes the viewer feel.

Q & A

What is the main focus of the video script?

The video script focuses on the concept of continuity errors in films and explores how some filmmakers intentionally leave these errors in their work, discussing the impact on storytelling, editing, and the creative decisions behind these choices.

Why does the editor Thelma Schoonmaker leave continuity errors in films like 'Goodfellas'?

Thelma Schoonmaker, alongside director Martin Scorsese, prioritizes performance and rhythm over perfect continuity. Sometimes, continuity errors are kept because a particular take provides the best performance, even if it leads to a minor discrepancy in continuity.

What does Walter Murch’s editing philosophy emphasize?

Walter Murch’s editing philosophy places emotion at the top of the list of priorities, arguing that the emotional impact of a scene should come before physical continuity, which is the least important factor in an ideal cut.

How do continuity errors affect the viewer’s experience of a film?

Continuity errors can sometimes distract viewers and break immersion, but when the emotional and narrative elements of a scene are strong enough, these errors often go unnoticed, or they may even add a layer of authenticity to the film.

Why might a filmmaker intentionally break continuity in a scene?

Filmmakers may intentionally break continuity for a variety of reasons, such as to enhance visual style, create a symbolic connection between shots, or evoke a specific emotional response. For example, Wes Anderson often alters continuity for aesthetic purposes.

What role does non-continuity editing play in film?

Non-continuity editing allows filmmakers to break traditional continuity rules to convey meaning through disconnected shots. This approach can create thematic, symbolic, or emotional connections between images that transcend conventional narrative flow.

How does non-continuity editing differ from traditional continuity editing?

Traditional continuity editing aims to maintain a continuous flow of time and action across shots, while non-continuity editing intentionally disrupts this flow to convey meaning through the relationships between shots, often requiring the audience to decode the connections.

Can you give an example of non-continuity editing from classic films?

A famous example of non-continuity editing is in Sergey Eisenstein's 'October' (1927), where unrelated shots—such as soldiers and a descending iron wheel—are intercut to symbolize the crushing weight of war.

What is the significance of continuity errors in the context of a film’s production?

Continuity errors often reflect the compromises made during production, such as limited resources or the need for a better performance. They are sometimes the result of prioritizing storytelling over technical perfection.

What is the relationship between continuity errors and audience perception?

When a continuity error is noticeable, it often signifies that something else in the scene or story is not working as well, whether it's pacing, performance, or narrative focus. The audience's attention to these errors can sometimes detract from the overall experience.