Research on Discontinuity Editing

Discontinuity Editing

Discontinuity editing is used for most films these days. This editing technique is the opposite of Continuity editing. Discontinuity technique can emphasize emotion, key events, narrative in the film. When this technique is used carefully to tell stories along with Continuity editing, it can create overwhelming impacts on the viewers. An example of using this technique could be flash backs of something that has happened in the past (a man murders someone). The reason for this flash back would usually be important for the viewers to build the story in their heads.

Discontinuity shots stand apart from other cuts. They cut to something else that the viewer wouldn’t expect to be next. This draws attention to itself but it makes sense to the story later on.

The advantage of a discontinuity scene, it can condense weeks and months into a few seconds. The edits plunge the audience into many different places with quick edits. Discontinuity condenses a real time scene that may otherwise be 10mins long, but it can be retold within a few seconds with the same meaning/understanding narrative to it.