When you think about it, it’s pretty amazing how far cinema has come in the last hundred years, especially when it comes to editing. In the 1910s, the practice of continuity editing was considered an innovative artform. Now, a movie where there’s a cut every couple of seconds is just par for the course. These days, we marvel when a three-minute scene doesn’t have a cut.
So how did this whole practice of editing start? Who did it first? Who was the first to perfect it? How did Soviet filmmakers elevate the art of editing? All of these questions can be answered in an Intro to Filmmaking class, but since that costs money, you can check out a video essay from CineFix (via No Film School) instead.
As part of their “Film School’d” series, CineFix explores the entire history of editing in just under seven minutes. That may not seem like much time, but watch the video below and you’ll be surprised at just how much they cover. Even better, the subject is tackled in such a fun, light-hearted way, it could sustain anyone’s interest.
