How Does Continuity Cutting Differ from Evidentiary Editing?
Filmmakers use a variety of editing techniques to achieve the desired outcomes in the visual content they produce. When it comes to producing films that connect with the audience and drive their emotions. Filmmakers have several options available to help them achieve the appropriate outcome of narrative along with the shots of the scene. Both continuity cutting and evidentiary editing are frequently employed in filmmaking. But for various reasons. So how does continuity cutting differ from evidentiary editing?
What is Continuity Cutting?
Continuity cutting is an editing technique that filmmakers use to maintain the appearance or illusion of reality within the scene. Without losing the flow or action sequence. Continuity cutting is the most common technique of editing for news or feature releases.
This style of editing is used to maintain the forward momentum of the story, through action sequence. While preserving the overarching illusion of reality.
Consistency
Through continuity cutting, coherence is established between shots and scenes. This can be as simple as making sure that a character’s hair is exactly the same from one scene to the next if taking place at the same “time” in the film.
Or it can be more intricate like making sure that all of the visuals of a scene are reflective of the “period” for which the film is set.
Think of continuity cutting like the controlled delivery of a presentation. The editing style is that of maintaining the flow, without skipping a beat in the logical progression of the story.
What is Evidentiary Editing?
Evidentiary editing is defined as the practice of using expositional images. To effectively illustrate, illuminate, evoke or otherwise act counterpoint to what is being said by the narrator or in dialogue.
Filmmakers that choose to film a scenario or scene are showing a conscious decision to show that the subject matter of their footage is important.
Evidentiary editing represents a mode of editing that utilizes interviews. Or the audio that has been generated from interviews. As the underlying anchoring element in film shot sequences that are used to describe a particular concept or to tell a story.
Thus, through evidentiary editing, the editor backs up words that the interviewees mention with images which provide evidence to back up their claims.
How Does Continuity Cutting Differ from Evidentiary Editing?
So how does continuity cutting differ from evidentiary editing? The two concepts are actually worlds apart. But can also be rather similar in some ways. Evidentiary editing will show images that directly relate to what the interviewee is saying as a way of supporting what they say as fact.
But the progression of what an interviewee states, if sharing a story such as in a documentary, can result in some appearance of what may be viewed as similar to continuity. But other than that, these two styles are incredibly different.
Where continuity cutting aims at preserving the realistic nature and logical progression of the story. Evidentiary editing aims to encourage the connection of present to past through supporting footage and a cyclical nature.
