Film editing has evolved hugely in terms of modern software advancements. However, the principles of composition, movement, rhythm, and timing have stayed constant. The books discussed below address these principles.
Blink of an Eye
Written by Walter Murch, this book contains practical stories about cutting and continuity. Using the human tendency to blink as a reference, the book emphasizes the importance of emotion and the need for cutting as soon as possible for maximum communication of information for the shot/character/scene.
The Film Sense and Film Form
Written by the pioneering Sergei Eisenstein, this book speaks about handling the juxtaposition of images with images and audio. The book takes the reader through the various methods of montage that could be combined in order to enhance the storytelling, all developed by Eisenstein.
Cut To the Chase
Sam O Steen condenses 45 years of editing Hollywood classics in this book. The book describes (in question-answer format) the process of working on the classics with insights as to how particular sequences work. His “movie first, scene second, moment third.” mantra is one for the ages.
The Lean Forward Moment
Norm Hollen [a renowned professor and professional editor who has been associated with important films like Sophie’s Choice (1982)] has deconstructed the entire film process in this book. The central idea of the book is that the critical point in any scene is when the audience leans forward in their seat, and the book provides a set of questions to navigate the critical point.
The Practical Guide to Documentary Editing
Documentary editing is a difficult job, because the editor writes the story as much as the director or researcher. In this acclaimed book (meant exclusively for documentary editing) the writer Sam Billinge has elaborated upon the different aspects of documentary making in this book. It also talks about real-time activities and strategies that are unique to documentaries.
