To compress and summarize a sound recording to fit a specific space.
- Not Going Out: Season 7 Episode 10 - Christmas Special (2014)
Often used in title sequences for TV programs that use famous pieces of music or when there is a montage in a film. Editing a piece of music/sound to fit a specific space is done a lot for a variety of reasons.
During this scene, when told a piece of bad news, our lead character, Lee (played by Lee Mack) - the famous theme from 'Eastenders' plays to show that it is dramatic but in a comedic light. When he points the remote to TV, the motif stops and you hear the applause. This works really well as it shows how it has compressed to fit the space so joke doesn't go on too long and its still a swift motion. You get the applause and laughs but the joke then moves on to continue with the scene.
This works well in sitcoms primarily as the sound or piece of music set the tone and act's as the punchline of a joke with no actual words. Another example would be in Sherlock, where Moriarty gets a phone call during a stand-off - not known for comedy but used as a release and a plot point. Especially as the song chosen is disco classic, 'Stayin' Alive' by The Bee-Gees.
(Extract is 05.22 to 05.50)
This works well in sitcoms primarily as the sound or piece of music set the tone and act's as the punchline of a joke with no actual words. Another example would be in Sherlock, where Moriarty gets a phone call during a stand-off - not known for comedy but used as a release and a plot point. Especially as the song chosen is disco classic, 'Stayin' Alive' by The Bee-Gees.
- Sherlock clip of Moriarty's phone call.
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To eliminate flawed, repetitive, superfluous, uninteresting, irrelevant
material from a recorded clip
- Jack White for the Producers and Engineers Honoree at the GRAMMYS acceptance speech (YouTube Full Uncut) (2017)
Speeches are often subject to this treatment, especially on short interlude programs (most notably on Film4 in between long films in an advertisement break). They have to be cut down to fit a selected slot so often they get rid of information that is not important to the scene.
This acceptance speech given by Jack White was cut down significantly for multiple run downs of the awards and online news articles documenting the win. This is because they either could not fit it, wasn't interesting enough for the segment - or wanted to just show the clear message of the speech which was 'Let the music tell you what to do.'. The speech on this clip is the full 5-minute uncut speech about the rejuvenation of vinyl and producing techniques of the last few albums.
Sometimes - editing down these speeches can be misconstrued for obstruction of point - given he made the speech to be released like that and to not be shortened. You could to protect your self from this argument, edit it to say that you have 'later in the speech' as a visual along the bottom of the screen.
Sometimes - editing down these speeches can be misconstrued for obstruction of point - given he made the speech to be released like that and to not be shortened. You could to protect your self from this argument, edit it to say that you have 'later in the speech' as a visual along the bottom of the screen.
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To enable recorded speech to remain legal.
- Banksy in 'Exit Through The Gift Shop' (2010)
Often in film and TV, editors have to cut out certain phrases and voices top hide identity or personal information - often doing it a lot in crime stories as they have to preserve the victim's identity for protection as a witness - given there being legally binding contracts for this.
Often in film and TV, editors have to cut out certain phrases and voices top hide identity or personal information - often doing it a lot in crime stories as they have to preserve the victim's identity for protection as a witness - given there being legally binding contracts for this.
Banksy covered his voice in the documentary made about him to cover up his identity as one of the most prolific street artists in history. It got a lot of audio effects dubbed on top of his voice or his representation on screen to retain that mystery. Even with all the controversy about whether it is just him or not. You could say that is to remain 'illegal' but from his stand point - giving away his identity would ruin his career and tourist attraction.
Below is the trailer for the film but you can infer the hidden nature of him.
Also in this film - they have to blur and cover peoples voices and also censor what they say as there is a lot of bad language in this film and also personal details, given it being a documentary about street art and destruction of property. There are a lot of law they are breaking in this documentary of found footage and interviews so lots of audio is illegal for the public and against contracts (as mentioned above).
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To ensure any indecent or inappropriate language is edited out
- Eminem music video for 'The Way I Am' (2000)
Lyrics in songs often get censored for a variety of reasons: political agendas, moral differences and religious beliefs. But the most common one is inappropriate words such as swearing and racial slurs get censored all the time in music. Often musicians also swear in interviews too - which causes them to censored (predominantly on US television programs).
The example I've chose is the music video for 'The Way I Am', as it features a lot of bad language they would have had to censor for television release such as on MTV. Literally in the first verse - the verse:
'I sit back with this pack of Zig-Zag's and this bag
Of this w**d, it gives me the sh*t needed to be'.
The words in red are censored out of the music video so they could air it before the 9 o'clock watershed. It has been censored because promoting drug use (zig-zags, bag and w**d) and also bad language (sh*t). When this was released - it was on MTV mostly so they had to protect their image as a family music show in the day and for adults at night.
Lots of musicians speak out on censorship with different views on it - Marilyn Manson's music video for 'I Don't Like The Drugs (But The Drugs Like Me)' was censored vastly and he spoke out about it being 'prude'. Eminem has also spoken about censorship and how it 'doesn't matter' and that parental advisory is useless given that 'children are smarter than people give them credit for'.
- Below is Marilyn Manson with 'I Don't Like The Drugs (But The Drugs Like Me)' (1999)
- Eminem music video for 'The Way I Am' (2000)
Lyrics in songs often get censored for a variety of reasons: political agendas, moral differences and religious beliefs. But the most common one is inappropriate words such as swearing and racial slurs get censored all the time in music. Often musicians also swear in interviews too - which causes them to censored (predominantly on US television programs).
The example I've chose is the music video for 'The Way I Am', as it features a lot of bad language they would have had to censor for television release such as on MTV. Literally in the first verse - the verse:
Of this w**d, it gives me the sh*t needed to be'.
The words in red are censored out of the music video so they could air it before the 9 o'clock watershed. It has been censored because promoting drug use (zig-zags, bag and w**d) and also bad language (sh*t). When this was released - it was on MTV mostly so they had to protect their image as a family music show in the day and for adults at night.
- Below is Marilyn Manson with 'I Don't Like The Drugs (But The Drugs Like Me)' (1999)
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To change the chronological or logical order of a series of sounds or speech.
- Star Wars: A New Hope - 'Use the force Luke'(1977)
Changing the chronological order or audio is mainly used in fiction to demonstrate a memory or a flashback - like an internal voice for the character which is also a reminder to the audience of what happened previously.
In this example from Star Wars: A New Hope - Luke is flying in his signature X-Wing and is aiming at the vent he has to aim for. We then hear in an echoed voice, Obi-Wan Kenobi saying 'Use the force Luke, let go.' - matched with the dramatic scored music makes the scene very action packed and memorable but also emotional as it reminds us of Kenobi's demise. This happens a variety of times in the series and acts as a motif and reminder of Skywalker and Kenobi's closeness and father figure icon in Skywalker's life.
This is effective use of changing the chronological order of audio - they use it a lot also in dream sequences in films as it shows the concept of reality being diminished and the blown out of proportion - they can also use it to foreshadow whats about to happen in a film - such as in Scott Pilgrim vs The World, where Ramona is speaking to Scott about Todd Ingram, one of her Evil Exes (below).
- Star Wars: A New Hope - 'Use the force Luke'(1977)
Changing the chronological order or audio is mainly used in fiction to demonstrate a memory or a flashback - like an internal voice for the character which is also a reminder to the audience of what happened previously.
In this example from Star Wars: A New Hope - Luke is flying in his signature X-Wing and is aiming at the vent he has to aim for. We then hear in an echoed voice, Obi-Wan Kenobi saying 'Use the force Luke, let go.' - matched with the dramatic scored music makes the scene very action packed and memorable but also emotional as it reminds us of Kenobi's demise. This happens a variety of times in the series and acts as a motif and reminder of Skywalker and Kenobi's closeness and father figure icon in Skywalker's life.
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To create impact by adding sound effects and/or music between pieces of
recorded speech.
- Little Shop Of Horrors 'Audrey 2 Intro' (1986)
Often in films, sound effects and music segments are used in between sequences to join them up - often known as a 'sound-bridge'. To add impact they are usually large pieces of percussion or stings on a guitar to add effect.
In Little Shop Of Horrors, when Seymour is narrating the story about how he came across the plant 'Audrey 2' - the chorus members, Crystal, Ronette and Chiffon (named after all-girl groups in the 1960s) sing the melodies in between lines with the instruments joining in sparsely throughout.
During the lines of Seymour's narration, the small musical interludes add to the musical class of the production - making it feel more like a stage production. Also, the upbeat nature of the music behind it is the antithesis of what is about to happen - as if you can foresee the issues that shall arise from buying this plant.
This theory of using sound in between scenes works particularly well in musicals as it makes more sense to the audience without explanation. But non-musicals do this through using fades of a car going past or a door closing to have a similar effect: to change location, mark a new character or an entirely new scene - it becomes synonymous with that character of that style of character. Often villains a signature sound like Jaw's motif or The Winter Soldier (MCU) and his guitar sting. This is a great example as it happens frequently in this Highway chase scene (shown below).
- Little Shop Of Horrors 'Audrey 2 Intro' (1986)
Often in films, sound effects and music segments are used in between sequences to join them up - often known as a 'sound-bridge'. To add impact they are usually large pieces of percussion or stings on a guitar to add effect.
In Little Shop Of Horrors, when Seymour is narrating the story about how he came across the plant 'Audrey 2' - the chorus members, Crystal, Ronette and Chiffon (named after all-girl groups in the 1960s) sing the melodies in between lines with the instruments joining in sparsely throughout.
During the lines of Seymour's narration, the small musical interludes add to the musical class of the production - making it feel more like a stage production. Also, the upbeat nature of the music behind it is the antithesis of what is about to happen - as if you can foresee the issues that shall arise from buying this plant.
