research paper on film editing

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• Published: 22 November 2022

Movie editing influences spectators’ time perception

• Klara Kovarski   ORCID: orcid.org/0000-0002-3926-5087 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 ,
• Joanna Dos Reis 5 ,
• Claire Chevais 5 ,
• Anaïs Hamel 6 , 7 ,
• Dominique Makowski 8 &
• Marco Sperduti 5  

Scientific Reports volume  12 , Article number:  20084 ( 2022 ) Cite this article

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Filmmakers use different techniques (e.g., camera movements, editing) to shape viewers' experience. In particular, editing can be used to handle the temporal unfolding of events represented in a movie. Nevertheless, little is known about how different editing types impact viewers’ time perception. In an exploratory on-line study (90 participants) and a pre-registered conceptual replication study (60 participants), we asked participants to judge (Study 1) or reproduce (Study 2) the duration of 45 excerpts of the movie “ Le Ballon Rouge ” containing either continuous editing, action discontinuity editing or no editing. Each excerpt was formatted in three durations (2000, 2500 or 3000 ms). In both studies, we reported that scenes containing continuous editing were perceived as longer than the other two scene types. Moreover, scenes containing action discontinuity editing were perceived as longer than scenes with no editing. This study contributes to the emerging field of psycho-cinematics which could ultimately develop the dialog between arts and science.

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Introduction.

The dialogue between arts and psychology has gained attention, by enhancing the understanding of how artistic objects are processed and perceived and how artists influence and create specific perceptual phenomena 1 . Concurrently, using artistic objects as stimuli also allows better apprehending of human behavior and brain functioning. Among others, this dual interest in this new interdisciplinary field has been flourishing in developing the relation between cinema and cognitive science. Films can be used by researchers as complex stimuli to study several cognitive processes such as natural vision 2 or memory formation for complex material 3 . In particular, studying spectators’ cinematic experience could lead to crucial understanding on perceptual processes, since filmmakers have often developed a theory of perception through their intuition and a true experimental approach, a paradigmatic example of which is the Koulechov effect. This editing effect consists in attributing an emotional or a motivational content to a neutral face followed by another photograph. This effect is surprisingly close in psychology to priming, and has recently been exploited and reproduced in neuroscientific studies, suggesting that editing can be used to investigate several perceptual processes 4 .

More than other forms of art, cinema deals with time and duration perception 5 . Among other cinema language rules, editing rules have been established to assure syntactic and semantic continuity, but also to deal with rhythm (i.e. pacing). The most current editing type is the cut 6 , consisting in the juxtaposition of shots (i.e. montage), leading to perceptual discontinuity and the possible detection of an event. Continuity editing allows maintaining a continuous and narrative action 6 . To provide this effect, shots are matched across boundaries, along perceptual features, spatiotemporal relations, and actions.

Interestingly, empirical studies have shown that cuts following continuity editing rules pass unnoticed between a quarter and a third of the time, a phenomenon named “edit blindness” 7 . This effect seems to be driven by the modulation of the attentional dynamic induced 8 , 9 by cuts toward the narrative, and away from low-level perceptual information 10 . In addition to editing rules, different styles, varying in the density of cuts and length of shots, are observed in cinema language. We will use the terms of editing or cut types to refer to the rules used for juxtaposing shots (e.g. continuous editing), and editing styles for rules concerning the organization of the cuts (or their absence) in the movie (e.g. action movies, continuous take). Editing techniques are specifically employed to handle the discrepancy between the temporal unfolding inside the narrative (diegetic time) and the real duration of the narrative 11 .

Surprisingly, to our knowledge, there is only one published study investigating how editing style modulates spectators’ time perception. Balzarotti, et al. 12 , asked participants to judge the duration of different video clips representing goal-directed routine actions. The authors manipulated the editing density (number of cuts) of video clips to obtain three different versions: a master shot (without cuts), a slow-paced editing (5 cuts), and a fast-paced (10–12 cuts). They showed that the duration of fast-paced video was overestimated compared to the master shot. It is important to note that both slow- and fast-paced video were created respecting continuity editing rules. Nevertheless, different kinds of cuts could differently affect cognitive processes and consequently time perception.

Magliano and Zacks 13 investigated how different degrees of continuity/discontinuity at editing points modulate how individuals perceive and segment events while watching a film (Le Ballon Rouge by Lamorisse, 1956). In particular, they identified three types of editing: edits that are continuous in space, time, and action; edits that are discontinuous in space or time but continuous in action; and edits that are discontinuous in space and time as well as in action. Cuts associated with action discontinuity more robustly predicted the probability of detecting an event boundary. Event Segmentation Theory 14 , 15 predicts that an event boundary is detected when perceptual predictions based on the actual active event model (a working memory representation of what is occurring in a given situation) are no longer accurate. At this point, a gating mechanism transiently increases the bottom-up influence of sensory information over the event model to up-date it. Thus, event segmentation implements an attentional mechanism that is meant to efficiently allocate cognitive resources over time to bias perceptual processing of pertinent information 15 .

Crucially, attention is a central feature of classical cognitive models of time perception 16 , 17 , 18 . Briefly, these models put forward the existence of an internal clock composed by a pacemaker, an accumulator, and a gating system signaling to the accumulator that a relevant event is taking place. Arousal is supposed to accelerate the production of pulses of the pacemaker, so that higher arousal corresponds to longer perceived durations, while attention is postulated to drive the gating mechanism 19 . When attention is focused on temporal information, the gate closes and more pulses are stored in the accumulator. As a result, perceived duration is longer. This is particularly true when participants are informed in advance that they have to perform a timing task (prospective timing), since they can allocate more attentional resources in processing temporal information. On the contrary, in retrospective timing, participants incidentally encode temporal information since they are only informed of the timing task once the stimulus has ended. In this situation, time perception mostly relies on memory processes 20 , 21 , 22 . As we have seen before, editing has been shown to modulate attentional allocation, and different kinds of cuts are likely to modulate attentional processes in various manners. Thus, it is likely that cuts signaling a transition between scenes (action discontinuity), and cuts maintaining continuity would have a differential impact on time perception. In particular, cuts signaling an event boundary, like action discontinuity, could transiently increases attention toward visual sensory information and likely divert attention from time processing. In this case, we should predict an underestimation of duration, since temporal information is lost. Nevertheless, there are studies reporting that scenes containing more events are perceived as longer 23 , 24 . As we have seen, action discontinuities are robust indicators of events boundaries, so we should predict that scenes containing discontinuities should be judged as longer. To our knowledge, no previous study has explored the effect of different types of editing on time perception.

We investigated this question in two studies and employed the same material and editing coding as Magliano and Zacks 13 . We used prospective timing tasks in both studies. Participants were asked to watch short sequences (2500, 3000 and 3500 ms) that either contain no cut, a cut maintaining continuity or a cut introducing discontinuity in time, space and action. Duration was only manipulated to operationalize the timing task. Indeed, always presenting the same duration would most likely have biased participants' responses. Moreover, this manipulation allowed us to check participant accuracy in timing (this was particularly important in the first study conducted online). We did not have any specific hypothesis on the interaction between the two factors (duration and cut type). Participants had to estimate (Study 1) the duration of the scene in an exploratory study conducted online (during the Covid lockdown) or reproduce (Study 2) these durations. They were also asked to judge, after each scene, their level of arousal. Indeed, arousal has been previously proposed to modulate the pulse rate of the pacemaker, and therefore to influence time perception 25 . Finally, as a proxy measure of attentional engagement while watching the excerpts, we introduced a surprise recognition test of snapshots taken from the videos. In Study 1, these two measures (arousal and memory for the snapshots) were only taken as control measures. In particular, given that Study 1 was performed online, the memory measure was added to ensure that participants paid attention, and were able to recognize snapshots extracted from the clips. Thus, no difference between cut conditions was expected on these measures. Moreover, given the contrasting predictions that can be made, particularly on cuts introducing action discontinuities, we did not have any directional hypothesis concerning time estimation in Study 1. In the second pre-registered conceptual replication study conducted in a laboratory setting, we formulated three directional hypotheses based on the results of the Study 1: i) Continuous clips will be associated with longer perceived duration; ii) Continuous clips will be associated with higher levels of self-reported arousal, compared to clips with discontinuities or no editing; 3) Images from continuous clips will be associated with more correct recognitions, followed by images from discontinuous clips, which will be better recognized than images from unedited clips.

In the following, we report results found with repeated measures ANOVAs from Study 1 and 2 in different sections. In a separate final section, complementary analyses issued from mixed models from both studies are reported.

Data analysis

We computed the ‘time estimation error’ by dividing the difference between the time estimation and the real duration by the real duration in milliseconds. Positive value reflects overestimation, while negative values reflect underestimation of the real duration.

We performed repeated-measures ANOVAs on the raw estimation, the time estimation error, and the arousal level with Duration (2500, 3000, and 3500 ms) and Editing type (continuous editing, action discontinuity, and no cut) as factors. A repeated measures ANOVA was also performed for the ratio of correctly recognized images in the recognition task, with Editing type as a factor.

The metric used for effect size is partial eta-squared (η 2 p ) for ANOVA, and Cohen’s d for post-hoc. Post-hoc analyses were conducted using Holm's correction.

Data preprocessing was carried out with R 26 running in R Studio 27 . Inferential statistics were conducted using JASP 28 .

Raw estimation

There was a significant main effect of Duration, F (2, 178) = 230.62, p  < 0.001, η 2 p  = 0.72. Post-hoc analysis showed that all differences were significant at p  < 0.001, in particular scenes lasting 2500 ms (marginal mean 2388.31, 95% CI: 2333.81, 2442.81 were judged shorter than scenes lasting 3000 ms (marginal mean 2612.02, 95% CI: 2557.51, 2666.52, Cohen’s d = 1.54) and 3500 ms (marginal mean 2822.89, 95% CI: 2768.39, 2877.39, Cohen’s d  = 1.81). Scenes lasting 3000 ms were judged shorter than those lasting 3500 ms (Cohen’s d  =  − 1.18).

There was also a significant main effect of Editing type, F (2, 178) = 15.83, p  < 0.001, η 2 p  = 0.15. Post-hoc analysis showed that scenes containing continuous editing (marginal mean 2647.74, 95% CI: 2595.46, 2700.02) were judged longer than both scenes containing action discontinuity (marginal mean 2611.11, 95% CI: 2558.83, 2663.39, p  = 0.008, Cohen’s d  = 0.29) and no cut (marginal mean 2564.36, 95% CI: 2512.09, 2616.64, p  < 0.001, Cohen’s d  = 0.57). Scenes containing action discontinuity were judged longer than scenes containing no cut ( p  = 0.008, Cohen’s d  =  − 0.31).

The interaction between the two factors was not significant, F (4, 356) = 1.06, p  = 0.37, η 2 p  = 0.01.

Time estimation error

There was a significant main effect of Duration, F (2, 178) = 296.29, p  < 0.001, η 2 p  = 0.77. Post-hoc analysis showed that all differences were significant at p  < 0.001. Scenes lasting 2500 ms (marginal mean − 0.04, 95% CI: − 0.06, − 0.03) were associated with a smaller estimation error than scenes lasting 3000 ms (marginal mean − 0.13, 95% CI: − 0.15, − 0.11, Cohen’s d  = 1.71) and 3500 ms (marginal mean − 0.19, 95% CI: − 0.21, − 0.18, Cohen’s d  = 2.10). Scenes lasting 3000 ms were associated with a smaller estimation error than those lasting 3500 ms (Cohen’s d  = 1.24).

There was also a significant main effect of Editing type, F (2, 178) = 16.39, p  < 0.001, η 2 p  = 0.16. Post-hoc analysis showed that scenes containing continuous editing (marginal mean − 0.11, 95% CI: − 0.13, − 0.09) were associated with a smaller estimation error than scenes containing action discontinuity (marginal mean − 0.12, 95% CI: − 0.14, − 0.10, p  = 0.005, Cohen’s d  = 0.33) and no cut (marginal mean − 0.14, 95% CI: − 0.15, − 0.12, p  < 0.001, Cohen’s d  = 0.58). Scenes containing action discontinuity were associated with a smaller estimation error than those containing no cut ( p  = 0.006, Cohen’s d  =  − 0.29).

The interaction between the two factors was not significant, F (4, 356) = 1.39, p  = 0.24, η 2 p  = 0.01.

There was a significant main effect of Duration, F (2, 178) = 5.39, p  = 0.005, η 2 p  = 0.06. Post-hoc analysis showed that scenes lasting 2500 ms (marginal mean 3.19, 95% CI: 2.86, 3.51) were associated with lower reported arousal than scenes lasting 3000 ms (marginal mean 3.31, 95% CI: 2.99, 3.64, p  = 0.010, Cohen’s d  =  − 0.32) and 3500 ms (marginal mean 3.33, 95% CI: 3, − 3.66, p  = 0.02, Cohen’s d  =  − 0.28). The difference between scenes lasting 3000 and 3500 ms was not significant ( p  = 0.68, Cohen’s d  =  − 0.04).

There was also a significant main effect of Editing type, F (2, 178) = 18.16, p  < 0.001, η 2 p  = 0.17. Post-hoc analysis showed that scenes containing continuous editing (marginal mean 3.42, 95% CI: 3.10, 3.75) were associated with higher reported arousal than scenes containing action discontinuity (marginal mean 3.20, 95% CI: 2.88, 3.52, p  < 0.001, Cohen’s d  = 0.48) and no cut (marginal mean 3.21, 95% CI: 2.88, 3.53, p  < 0.001, Cohen’s d  = 0.58). Scenes containing action discontinuity and no cut did not differ ( p  = 0.87, Cohen’s d  = 0.02).

The interaction between the two factors was not significant, F (4, 356) = 1.21, p  = 0.3, η 2 p  = 0.01.

Recognition

There was a significant main effect of Editing type, F (2, 178) = 22.92, p  < 0.001, η 2 p  = 0.2. Post-hoc analysis showed that images extracted from scenes containing no cut (mean = 0.74, SD = 0.16) were better recognized than both images extracted from scenes containing continuous editing (mean = 0.68, SD  = 0.18, p  < 0.001, Cohen’s d  =  − 0.4) and action discontinuity (mean = 0.62, SD  = 0.17, p  < 0.001, Cohen’s d  = 0.7). Images extracted from scenes containing continuous editing were better recognized than those presenting action discontinuity ( p  = 0.003, Cohen’s d  = 0.32).

We computed the ‘time reproduction error’ by dividing the difference between the time reproduction and the real duration by the real duration in milliseconds. Positive value reflects overestimation, while negative values reflect underestimation of the real duration. The analysis carried out for this study was identical to Study 1.

Raw reproduction

There was a significant main effect of Duration, F (2, 118) = 126.07, p  < 0.001, η 2 p  = 0.68. Post-hoc analysis showed that all differences were significant at p  < 0.001. In particular, scenes lasting 2500 ms (marginal mean 2587.78, 95% CI: 2366.80, 2808.75) were reproduced shorter than scenes lasting 3000 ms (marginal mean 2910.70, 95% CI: 2689.72, 3131.67, Cohen’s d  = − 1.07) and 3500 ms (marginal mean 3294.86, 95% CI: 3073.88, 3515.83, Cohen’s d  = − 1.98). Scenes lasting 3000 ms were reproduced shorter than those lasting 3500 ms (Cohen’s d  = − 1.03).

There was also a significant main effect of Editing type, F (2, 118) = 15.04, p  < 0.001, η 2 p  = 0.2. Post-hoc analysis showed that scenes containing continuous editing (marginal mean 3030.49, 95% CI: 2811.05, 3249.94) were reproduced longer than both scenes containing action discontinuity (marginal mean 2939.93, 95% CI: 2720.48, 3159.37, p  = 0.011, Cohen’s d  = 0.31) and no cut (marginal mean 2822.91, 95% CI: 2603.46, 3042.35, p  < 0.001, Cohen’s d  = 0.76). Scenes containing action discontinuity were judged longer than scenes containing no cut ( p  = 0.011 Cohen’s d  = − 0.37).

The interaction between the two factors was not significant, F (4, 236) = 0.38, p  = 0.82, η 2 p  = 0.006.

Time reproduction error

There was a significant main effect of Duration, F (2, 118) = 21.59, p  < 0.001, η 2 p  = 0.27. Post-hoc analysis showed that scenes lasting 2500 ms (marginal mean − 0.03, 95% CI: − 0.04, 0.11) were associated with a positive reproduction error that differed significantly from scenes lasting 3000 ms (marginal mean − 0.03, 95% CI: − 0.10, 0.04, p  < 0.001, Cohen’s d  = 0.56) and 3500 ms (marginal mean − 0.06, 95% CI: − 0.13, 0.02, p  < 0.001, Cohen’s d = 0.81). Scenes lasting 3000 ms were associated with a smaller estimation error than those lasting 3500 ms ( p  = 0.44, Cohen’s d = 0.26).

There was also a significant main effect of Editing type, F (2, 118) = 16.52, p  < 0.001, η 2 p  = 0.22. Post-hoc analysis showed that scenes containing continuous editing (marginal mean 0.02, 95% CI: − 0.06, 0.09) were associated with a more positive reproduction error than scenes containing action discontinuity (marginal mean − 0.02, 95% CI: − 0.09, 0.06, p = 0.011, Cohen’s d = 0.34) and no cut (marginal mean − 0.05, 95% CI: − 0.13, 0.02, p  < 0.001, Cohen’s d  = 0.79). Scenes containing action discontinuity were associated with a smaller negative reproduction error than those containing no cut ( p  = 0.010, Cohen’s d  = − 0.38).

The interaction between the two factors was not significant, F (4, 236) = 0.72, p  = 0.58, η 2 p  = 0.01.

There was a significant main effect of Editing type, F (2, 118) = 12.28, p  < 0.001, η 2 p  = 0.17. Post-hoc analysis showed that scenes containing continuous editing (marginal mean 3.08, 95% CI: 2.70, 3.455) were associated with higher reported arousal than scenes containing action discontinuity (marginal mean 2.93, 95% CI: 2.55, 3.30, p  = 0.005, Cohen’s d  = 0.41) and no cut (marginal mean 2.88, 95% CI: 2.51, 3.25, p  < 0.001, Cohen’s d  = 0.61). Scenes containing action discontinuity and no cut did not differ ( p  = 0.17, Cohen’s d  = − 0.18).

The main effect of Duration, F (2, 118) = 0.84, p  = 0.43, η 2 p  = 0.01, and the interaction between the two factors were not significant, F (4, 236) = 0.74, p  = 0.57, η 2 p  = 0.01.

There was a significant main effect of Editing type, F (2, 118) = 3.17, p  = 0.046, η 2 p  = 0.05. Post-hoc analysis do not reveal any significant differences. Images extracted from scenes containing no cut (mean = 0.74, SD = 0.15) were not better recognized than both images extracted from scenes containing continuous editing (mean = 0.71, SD  = 0.13, p  = 0.29, Cohen’s d  =  − 0.19) and action discontinuity (mean = 0.69, SD  = 0.17, p  = 0.06, Cohen’s d  = 0.31). Images extracted from scenes containing continuous editing were not better recognized than those presenting action discontinuity ( p  = 0.29, Cohen’s d  = 0.14).

Complementary analyses: mixed models

Analysis was carried out using R 4.2 29 , using the glmmTMB (Brooks and et al., 2017) and easystats packages 30 , 31 , 32 . We report here only the main results on time estimation error (judgement and reproduction, respectively for Study 1 and 2; see Fig.  1 ), arousal, and recognition. Complete results are available here: https://osf.io/eb6r9/files/osfstorage .

Time estimation error for the three editing types. The picture represents the marginal means (estimated by mixed models) with data distributions and data points. Error bars represents 95% CI. The confidence intervals of marginal differences between conditions are reported between the conditions of interest. * p  < 0.05, *** p  < 0.001.

Time estimation error was modelled using linear mixed regressions with participants and items set as random factors, and Editing type (continuous editing, action discontinuity, and no cut) as fixed factor. In Study 1, marginal contrast analysis revealed that continuous editing was related to longer reported durations as compared to the control condition (marginal difference =  − 0.03, 95% CI: − 0.06, 0.00, p  = 0.049). The difference between action discontinuity and continuous editing was not significant (marginal difference = 0.02, 95% CI: − 0.01, 0.04, p  = 0.298).

In Study 2, marginal contrast analysis revealed that continuous editing was related to longer reported durations compared to the control condition (marginal difference =  − 0.07, 95% CI: − 0.10, − 0.04, p  < 0.001), and that the difference between action discontinuity and continuous editing was also significant (marginal difference = 0.04, 95% CI: 0.01, 0.08, p  = 0.01).

In Study 1, adding the subjective arousal as predictor confirmed that continuous editing was related to longer reported durations as compared to the control condition (marginal difference = 0.04, 95% CI: 0.05, 0.07, p  = 0.023). Moreover, this model revealed a positive and significant effect on the time estimation error in the control condition (beta = 0.01, 95% CI: 0.00, 0.02, p  < 0.001), The interaction with continuous editing condition (beta =  − 0.004, 95%: CI: − 0.009, 0.002, p  = 0.161), and action discontinuity condition (beta =  − 0.004, 95% CI: − 0.009, 0.002, p  = 0.007) was not significant, showing a similar effect of arousal in all conditions.

In Study 2, adding the subjective arousal as predictor confirmed that continuous editing was related to longer reproduced durations as compared to the control condition (marginal difference = 0.07, 95% CI: 0.02, 0.12, p  = 0.004). Moreover, the model showed that there was no effect of arousal in the control condition (beta =  − 0.005, 95% CI: − 0.02, 0.00, p  = 0.351), nor an interaction with the continuous editing (beta =  − 0.001, 95% CI: − 0.01, 0.01, p  = 0.884) or the action discontinuity condition (beta = 0.005, 95% CI: − 0.003, 0.02, p  = 0.451), showing no link between arousal and time reproduction.

Logistic mixed models suggested that items presented in the action discontinuity condition were less recognized compared to the control condition in Study 1 (marginal difference =  − 0.60, 95% CI: − 0.01, − 1.20, p  = 0.046). No other effects were significant. No significant differences emerged in Study 2.

The main goal of the two present studies was to test whether different types of cuts, in particular cuts representing action continuity within a scene and cuts leading to discontinuity, differentially modulate spectators’ time perception. The results of the two studies were coherent, with results of Study 1 replicated by Study 2 (pre-registered). Overall, the results showed that video excerpts containing both types of editing were perceived as longer than those containing no cuts. Moreover, scenes containing continuous cuts were also perceived as longer than those presenting discontinuity. This finding was also replicated by more stringent complementary analysis using mixed models, thus confirming our first preregistered hypothesis. We also reported that videos with continuous editing were judged as more arousing than the other two kinds of scenes, and that snapshots extracted from unedited scenes were in general better recognized than those taken after cuts in both continuous and discontinuous editing, even if these last results were less robust across the two studies (no differences were reported in Study 2).

The finding that scenes containing editing were perceived as longer that those without cuts are partially in line with the results of Balzarotti et al. 12 showing that the density of editing (number of cuts) was associated with an overestimation of video duration compared with unedited video. Nevertheless, they only reported a significant difference between fast-paced editing (10–12 cuts) and unedited scenes, but the difference between the latter and slow-paced (5 cuts) editing was not significant. On the contrary, here we reported significant differences between scenes containing only one cut and those with no cut. Of note is that in the study by Balzarotti et al. 12 , the difference between slow-paced and unedited scenes went in the same direction and approached significance ( p  = 0.056), suggesting that the null results could be due to low statistical power. In any case, the comparison between the two studies is not straightforward due to methodological differences. For example, in Balzarotti et al. 12 durations were in the order of tenth of seconds (11–13.5 s), while we used durations between 2500–3500 ms. Our results are coherent with recent proposals that tracking changes in low-level perceptual processing provides a basis for human time perception 33 , 34 , in particular with results showing that naturalistic videos with greater perceptual change were estimated as longer in duration 33 . Indeed, even if we did not directly measure perceptual change, a cut introduces an abrupt change in the visual information flow by definition.

If perceptual changes would solely predict time perception, we should expect perceived longer duration for discontinuous scenes. According to Magliano and Zacks 13 , a stimulus-driven increase of processing and an attention-driven modulation mechanism operate at points of discontinuity corresponding to cuts. Continuous editing would be expected to produce larger stimulus-driven increases in processing that may contribute to bridging the perceptual discontinuities to maintain continuity. Crucially, this process would be superfluous for discontinuity cuts as they signal a major scene change. In this case, top-down attentional down-regulation would suppress the additional processing driven by the presentation of new visual information. This kind of pattern of activity, hyper-activation for continuous and de-activation for discontinuous cut, was reported in a set of brain regions encompassing the non-primary visual cortex, inferotemporal cortex, and parietal cortex 13 . We speculatively argue that this additional neural activity could explain the results we reported here. Further neuroimaging studies are needed to confirm this hypothesis.

In the present study continuous editing was associated with higher self-reported arousal, compared to the other two conditions, confirming our second preregistered hypothesis. This finding resembles the pattern of results for the perceived duration, and is coherent with the literature showing that higher arousal is associated with longer perceived duration 35 . Nevertheless, we believe that this result should be taken with caution. Indeed, even if scenes with continuous editing were judged to be more arousing, their overall level of arousal is quite low in both studies (on average 3.42 and 3.08 in Study 1 and 2 respectively on a scale ranging from 1 to 9). Even if complementary analysis (mixed models) showed that higher arousal predicted longer perceived durations, this was true in all conditions. Additionally, the difference in perceived time between continuous cut and the control condition remained significant in this model, suggesting that the effect of cut types was not explained by arousal. Moreover, the link between arousal and perceived duration was only significant in Study 1. Taken together, these results are coherent with recent findings questioning the role of arousal in time perception, above all for complex visual stimuli. Indeed, Suárez-Pinilla, et al. 33 did not find any relationship between autonomic response (heart rate) and duration estimation when participants observed naturalistic video stimuli.

Finally, qualitatively we reported a similar pattern of results in both studies concerning memory performance that we meant as a proxy measure of attention while watching videos. Snapshots extracted from unedited scenes were better recognized than those extracted after cuts, even if this effect failed to reach significance in the second study. Mixed models confirmed that the probability of recognizing a snapshot was significantly lower in the discontinuity editing compared to the control condition only in the first study. No difference emerged in the second study. For the first study, the results are likely due to the choice of the material and did not reflect the general attentional engagement during viewing. Indeed, we chose to take snapshots for the recognition task just after the cut (1 frame in the Study 1). Shimamura, et al. 10 showed that detection accuracy of targets (asterisk) presented during a video clip decreased when the target was presented just after an edit, compared with a target presented before the edit or in the middle of a shot. This result suggests that cuts could temporarily capture attention and disrupt processing and subsequent encoding of information presented in close succession. This explanation is corroborated by the absence of differences in Study 2, in which we choose, for the recognition task, snapshot that were more shifted in time from the cut (5–10 frames). Future studies should combine more direct behavioral and neurophysiological measures of attention to investigate the interplay between editing, attentional regulation and time perception.

To resume, editing modulates time perception, leading to longer perceived duration compared to unedited videos. In particular, cuts allowing narrative continuity, despite perceptual discontinuity, showed the strongest effect on time perception. Editing is a series of techniques that impose a structure on a visual flow of information to allow narrative coherence and facilitate comprehension. This seems to be exactly what our perceptual system does in order to deal with the continuous stream of information. Indeed, following the Event Segmentation Theory, the perceptual system automatically parses in time the flow of information in discrete events 14 , 15 . This facilitates the perceptual and cognitive organization of information, allowing the system to efficiently and transiently allocate attentional resources to pertinent information, to structure it and make sense of it, resulting in a mnemonic advantage for information that has been properly segmented. Despite the numerous studies investigating the impact of event segmentation on attentional and memory processes, a surprising few investigate the impact of segmentation on time perception 23 , 24 , 36 . In an initial study, Bangert, et al. 23 asked participants to reproduce a previously encoded duration while watching naturalistic videos containing many (eventful), few (uneventful) event boundaries or a blank screen. The authors showed that reproduction was shorter for eventful videos compared to the other two conditions, and for uneventful videos compared to the blank condition. Similar results were found by Fenerci, et al. 24 reporting that videos containing an single event boundary (spatial shift) were reproduced as shorter than target durations, compared to videos not containing boundaries (steady-cam shot), and that the duration of the same videos was retrospectively judged as longer (see also 37 ). Taken together, these results suggest that the number of events (spatial shifts or cuts) makes participants perceive that more time has passed. Even if these findings are generally coherent with our main results that scenes containing cuts are perceived as longer than scenes without editing, one would expect that clips containing discontinuous editing would be perceived as longer than those containing continuous cuts. Indeed, as shown by Magliano and Zacks 13 , discontinuous editing, contrary to continuous cuts, is a robust predictor of event perception. Nevertheless, it has to be noted that in Bangert, et al. 23 eventfulness was established on participants’ behavioral segmentation of scenes of everyday activity not containing cuts. In the same vein, in Fenerci, et al. 24 events were defined as a shift in spatial context (e.g., characters moving through doorways). This last situation resembles continuous editing since temporal and action continuity are maintained. Neither of the two studies contained a condition similar to discontinuous editing. Moreover, making a direct comparison between these studies and our work is not straightforward due to important methodological differences concerning the material, the range of the estimated duration, and the timing task. On the contrary, in a subsequent study, Bangert, et al. 36 reported that the duration of test intervals presented across a single event boundary while watching videos was more frequently judged as shorter than a target duration, compared to test intervals presented within an event (the target and the test intervals had always the same duration of 5 s). Discrepancies in the results are likely due to methodological differences including material used, durations, as well as instructions provided to the participants (e.g. reproduction, estimation). Overall, our contribution adds information on how different types of events (visual continuous or discontinuous cut) modulate time perception and gives important insight on how studying movie editing could be pertinent for our understanding of time perception in real life under the Event Segmentation framework. Moreover, the present findings are of interest to better apprehend how film editing, and in general cinema formalism (camera movements etc.), influences time perception by providing valuable clues as to how time perception is impacted by natural phenomena producing similar visual consequences (e.g. eye movements, blinks) 38 . Finally, this study contributes to the emerging interdisciplinary field of psycho-cinematics which could ultimately develop the dialog between arts and science 1 , by questioning how artists’ intuitions could be considered in experimental psychology.

Participants

One hundred and thirty-three participants were recruited during the first Covid-19 lockdown (autumn-spring 2020) among the undergraduate students at the Institute of Psychology at Université Paris Cité using an announcement on the university portal. Participants received class credit for their participation. Participants were not familiar with the film. Forty-three participants were excluded according to the following criteria: reporting a history of neurological or psychiatric disorders (9 participants); having used alcohol or drugs before the experiments (6 participants); having been interrupted during the protocol (16 participants); having already seen the movie (1 participants); having completed the protocol with a duration longer than 1.96 SD (6 participants), having an A’ on the recognition task equal or inferior to 0.5 (2 participants); being over 40 years old (3 participants). A’ is a non-parametric index of discriminability of the signal detection theory (SDT). This index is preferred to the parametric index d’ since it is not dependent on assumptions about the distribution of signal and noise, and is not sensitive to extreme values of Hit and False alarms rates 39 . The final sample was composed of 90 participants (77.78% females, mean age 20.31 ± 1.85 years).

All participants were informed of the academic nature of the study and accepted that their responses would be processed anonymously. Then, all participants gave written informed consent before carrying out the study. The protocol was carried out in accordance with local ethical standards.

We selected excerpts from the movie Le Ballon Rouge (Lamorisse, 1956), and extracted 45 unique sequences, 15 in the continuous editing condition, 15 in the action discontinuity editing condition and 15 with no cut, according to the editing coding of Magliano and Zacks 13 . Each sequence was formatted in 3 durations: 2500 ms, 3000 ms, and 3500 ms. For edited clips, the different durations were obtained by manipulating the time window around the time of the cut (e.g. for 2500 ms, we took 1250 ms before and after the cut). For unedited clips, we used the same procedure, but the time window was centered around a reference frame that was hold constant for the three durations (see Fig.  2 ).

( A ) Example of time course for Study 2. Stimuli were presented after a fixation cross (500 ms) for one of the three durations (2500, 3000 or 3500 ms). Then, an empty screen (500 ms) followed by a question mark (500 ms) were shown before the appearance of a black square at the center of the screen. Participants had to press the spacebar when they estimated that the duration of presentation of the square was equivalent to the duration of the preceding video clip. After the time reproduction, an arousal scale was presented. ( B ) Examples of edits for each condition. In the continuous condition, two edited sequences show the same action although a change of perspective (a child looking out of the window), while in the action discontinuity condition the edited sequences present two separate actions. In the control condition the were no edits.

For the recognition task we extracted the image corresponding to the frame following the cut for the sequences containing editing, and the central frame for the sequences without editing. We also extracted 30 images from other sequences of the movie to be used as lures.

The Metacognitive Questionnaire on Time was also employed as an interference task between the time estimation and the recognition task 40 . This task created a retention interval before the recognition task. This questionnaire is composed of 12 items rated on a 5-point Likert scale. In the present study, the scores from this questionnaire were not used further in the analyses.

Time estimation task

The task began with a brief synopsis of the movie, followed by instructions. Participants were instructed to try to estimate the duration of each sequence as accurately as possible without using external devices. They were also notified that, after each time estimation, they would be asked to judge their emotional reaction to each sequence.

Each trail started with the presentation of a sequence that was immediately followed by the appearance of a scale ranging from 2000 ms and 4000 ms with intervals of 100 ms. The participants had to use their mouse to select the estimated duration. We used an interval longer than the actual presented durations, since it has been shown that participants tend to avoid using the extremes of a scale, and that this modification can counteract this bias, leading to more precise estimation 41 . The participants were asked not to use any temporal support to perform the task, nor to count. Then, participant had to estimate their arousal on a 9-point Likert scale (1-relaxed, 9-excited). Afterwards a new trial began.

The 45 sequences were presented in a randomized order. The association between the editing condition and the duration was counterbalanced across participants so that each sequence was presented in all three durations in the whole sample, but each participant saw a specific sequence once.

Recognition task

Participants were instructed that they would see a list of pictures belonging to the sequences presented in the previous task, and other pictures extracted from the same movie, but that were not presented before. They had to indicate if they had already seen the scene represented in the picture or not.

Each trial began with the presentation of one picture, and participants had to click on a ‘yes’ or ‘no’ button with their mouse. The presentation was self-paced, so that after participants’ response, a new trial began. The 45 target pictures and the 30 lures were presented in a randomized order.

Due to the Covid-19 pandemic the study was conducted completely on-line. The protocol was programmed on Psytoolkit 42 , 43 . The link to access the original (French) version of the Time Estimation Task is the following: https://osf.io/eb6r9/files/osfstorage .

Participants were requested to pass the experience in a quiet place to avoid distraction. They were informed they would watch different video sequences and they would be asked to estimate their duration, and that they would have to answer some questionnaires.

After having read the protocol description and after accepting to take part in the study, they responded to socio-demographic questions (age, sex) and completed the PHQ-4 questionnaire 44 . Participants completed the Time estimation task, followed by the Metacognitive Questionnaire on Time 40 , and the Recognition task. The protocol ended with questions assessing the participants’ habits toward films (e.g., the frequency of movie watching, preferred movie style), if they knew the film from which the sequences were extracted, and their editing experience.

The total duration of the protocol was 16.73 ± 3.8 min.

We used the software program G*Power to conduct a power analysis. Our goal was to obtain 0.8 power to detect an effect size of 0.43, based on the effect size obtained in our first exploratory study concerning the effect of Editing on the Time estimation error, at the standard 0.05 alpha error probability. Our subsequent target sample size was 56 participants. We recruited 70 participants among the undergraduate students at the Institute of Psychology at Université Paris Cité using an announcement on the university portal. Participants received class credit for their participation. Participants were excluded according to the following criteria: reporting a history of neurological or psychiatric disorders (8 participants); incomplete data due to technical reasons (2 participants). None of the participants were excluded for having an A’ inferior to 0.5. The final sample was composed of 60 participants (95% females, mean age 19.78 ± 3.12 years), and no participant watched the film before the task.

All participants were informed of the academic nature of the study and accepted that their responses would be processed anonymously. After the nature of the procedure had been fully explained, all participants gave written informed consent before carrying out the study. The protocol was approved by the local ethical committee (Université Paris Cité, IRB number: 0012022–5).

The material was identical to Study 1, except the images employed for the recognition task. Indeed, in this study the images from the edited sequences (continuous editing and action discontinuity) were captured 5 frames (167 ms) after the cut. For two sequences only, the images were taken 10 frames (333 ms) after the cut, in order to have a salient element in the image.

Time reproduction task

The task began with a brief synopsis of the movie, followed by the instructions. Participants were instructed that they would have to reproduce the duration of a movie sequences, as accurately as possible without using external devices, by ending the presentation of a visual stimulus when they estimate it is comparable to that of the previous sequence. They were also told that, after the time estimation, they would be asked to judge their emotional reaction to each sequence.

Following the time reproduction procedure in Damsma, et al. 41 , each trail started with a fixation cross lasting 500 ms that was followed by the presentation of a sequence. At the end of the sequence an empty screen was presented for 500 ms, followed by a question mark at the center of the screen for 500 ms that served to indicate the reproduction task. This was followed by a black square (216 × 216 pixel) presented at the center of the screen. Participants had to click on the spacebar to stop the presentation of the square when they estimated that the duration of presentation was equivalent to that of the preceding sequence. Then, participant had to estimate on a 9-point Likert scale their arousal (1-relaxed, 9-excited). A new trial began afterwards.

The main task was preceded by a familiarization phase of 10 trials that followed the procedure of the experimental task, excepting the stimuli whose duration had to be reproduced and the duration employed. In the familiarization phase, the stimuli consisted in 30 randomly moving dots on a rectangular background that were presented during 2000 ms, 2500 ms, 3000 ms, 3500 ms, and 4000 ms (each duration was presented twice).

Study 2 followed the same procedure as the Recognition task in Study 1, except for the stimuli employed (see Fig.  2 ).

The experimental sessions took place in an experimental room at the Institute of Psychology of Université Paris Cité. The protocol was programmed with PsychoPy 3 45 , and was delivered on a computer screen Iiyama G-master GE2488HS (568 × 409 × 217.5 mm, 1920 × 1080 pixel resolution, 75 Hz). Participants were seated at about 60 cm from the screen.

After the protocol description had been explained, all participants signed the informed consent, and answered socio-demographic question (age, sex). Participants completed the Time reproduction task, followed by the Metacognitive Questionnaire on Time 40 , and the Recognition task. The protocol ended with questions assessing the participants’ habits toward movies (e.g., the frequency of movie watching, preferred movie style), if they knew the movie from which the sequences were extracted, and their editing experience. As for Study 1, only participants that did not know the film were included in the analyses.

The study was publicly preregistered on the Open Science Framework repository ( https://osf.io/vhxa9 ).

Ethics approval

This research was conducted in accordance with the local ethical standards and the Declaration of Helsinki. The conceptual replication study (Study 2) has been publicly preregistered on the Open Science Framework repository ( https://osf.io/vhxa9 ) and received local ethical approval by Université Paris Cité (IRB number: 0012022–5).

Data availability

The datasets generated during and/or analyzed during the current study are available from the corresponding author on reasonable request.

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Acknowledgements

This study was funded by the SublimAE project (ANR-18-CE27- 0023). We thank Catherine Bouton and Nicolas Polion for their help for Study 1. We thank Lucie Rose for proof reading the revised version of the manuscript.

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Contributions

K.K. and M.S. wrote the main manuscript text. K.K. and M.S. conceptualized the study. J.D.R., C.C. collected and analyzed the data and contributed to designing the protocol. A.H. programmed the experimental task of Study 1. D.M. contributed in analyzing the data. All authors reviewed the manuscript.

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Kovarski, K., Dos Reis, J., Chevais, C. et al. Movie editing influences spectators’ time perception. Sci Rep 12 , 20084 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-022-23992-2

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Filmmaking is a creative practice. However, what do we mean when we use the term ‘creative practice’? This chapter explores the terms ‘creative’ and ‘practice’ by examining what has been called the creative system in action (McIntyre et al., The Creative System in Action – Understanding Cultural Production and Practice . Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan, 2016). Drawing on the research literature from psychology and sociology, a link to ‘filmmaking’ will be made through media and cultural production scholarship (McIntyre, Creativity and Cultural Production: Issues for Media Practice . New York: Palgrave Macmillan, 2012.). Using examples from independent documentary filmmaking (Kerrigan, Using Fort Scratchley (DVD), Fort Scratchley. Australia: PhD Productions, 2008; Journal of Media Practice, 14 (2), 111–127, 2013) and fictional television serial production, this discussion will illustrate how creative filmmaking practices are aligned with confluence models of creativity (Csikszentmihalyi, Implications of a Systems Perspective for the Study of Creativity. In R. Stenberg (Ed.), Handbook of Creativity, Cambridge (pp. 313–335). Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1999), group creativity models and staged creative process theories (Bastick, Intuition, How We Think and Act . Chichester/New York: Wiley, 1982; Csikszentmihalyi, Creativity: Flow and the Psychology of Discovery and Invention . New York: HarperCollins, 1996). Examining the complexity of the daily choices made by the conditioned agent, in this case a filmmaker, the discussion will focus on the decision-making process of factual and fiction filmmaking and how it connects to creative practice (Kerrigan in McIntyre et al., The Creative System in Action – Understanding Cultural Production and Practice . Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan, 2016). This will necessarily involve the methods and processes used by the filmmaker, as they develop an intuitive approach to their practice which becomes embodied knowledge that enables them to work within a collaborative, social and cultural system. This scholarly approach to the term ‘creative practice’ will provide an understanding of how a filmmaker can apply work from other disciplines to bring new insights to ways of regarding filmmaking as a creative practice.

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Kerrigan, S., McIntyre, P. (2019). Creative Filmmaking Processes, Procedures and Practices: Embodied and Internalized Filmmaking Agency. In: Batty, C., Berry, M., Dooley, K., Frankham, B., Kerrigan, S. (eds) The Palgrave Handbook of Screen Production. Palgrave Macmillan, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-21744-0_1

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Creative Editing in Documentary Film

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Making documentary films and reality videos: a practical guide to planning, filming, and editing documentaries of real events, the technique of film editing, the attentional theory of cinematic continuity, film art: an introduction, practice-based research in the creative arts: foundations and futures from the front line, an attentional theory of continuity editing, film editing: history, theory and practice: looking at the invisible, creativity in virtual teams: key components for success, screen production research: creative practice as a mode of enquiry, using case studies in research, related papers.

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Film Research Paper Topics: Tips & Ideas to Use as Inspiration

Updated 30 Aug 2024

The most challenging part of writing a research paper might be picking the right topic. Choosing one that’s interesting, compelling, and thought-provoking is critical for engaging the reader and showcasing your knowledge.

Thanks to decades of moviemaking, there are tons of film research paper topics to choose from, so it can be a bit overwhelming to lock in on a single one.

That’s why we’ve put together a comprehensive list of ideas that you can use for inspiration. Let’s dive in.

Most Interesting Film Essay Topics

When brainstorming a topic for your film research paper, it’s vital to pick something you’re passionate about. That’s how you’ll be able to put your best foot forward.

These are some of the most exciting topics that are certain to summon your inspiration muse.

• The Evolution of Female Protagonists in Action Films
• The Impact of Global Cinema on Hollywood
• Analyzing the Auteur Theory in Modern Cinema
• The Role of Soundtracks in Defining Movie Genres
• The Influence of Neo-Noir Aesthetics on Contemporary Filmmaking
• Virtual Reality in Cinema: A New Frontier or a Passing Trend?
• The Representation of Artificial Intelligence in Science Fiction Movies
• Cultural Stereotypes and Their Perpetuation in Animated Films
• The Psychological Effects of Horror Films on Audiences
• The Renaissance of Musical Films in the 21st Century
• Exploring the Cinematic Portrayals of Historical Events
• The Rise of Independent Films in the Streaming Era
• Color Theory in Film: How Palette Choices Affect Emotion
• The Depiction of Mental Illness in Modern Cinema
• The Use of Long Takes and Their Impact on Storytelling
• The Evolution of Superhero Movies: From Niche to Mainstream
• The Significance of Costume Design in Character Development
• Analyzing the Shift from Film to Digital Cinematography
• The Role of Propaganda Films in Shaping Public Opinion
• The Ethics of Documentary Filmmaking: Truth vs. Narrative
• The Influence of French New Wave on Contemporary Directors
• The Portrayal of LGBTQ+ Characters in Mainstream Cinema
• The Cultural Impact of Biographical Films
• The Art of the Film Sequel: Expansion or Exploitation?
• Cinema as a Tool for Social Change: Case Studies
• The Representation of Race and Ethnicity in Hollywood
• The Phenomenon of Cult Films and Their Dedicated Fanbases
• The Impact of Censorship on Creative Freedom in Film
• Exploring the Use of Non-Linear Narratives in Storytelling
• The Role of Film Festivals in Discovering New Talent
• The Challenges and Triumphs of Adapting Literature into Film
• The Dynamics of On-Screen Chemistry: What Makes It Work?
• The Influence of Cinema on Fashion Trends
• The Significance of Opening and Closing Shots in Films
• The Evolution of the Teen Movie Genre
• The Role of Archetypes in Film Genres
• The Impact of Global Locations on Film Production and Storytelling
• The Use of Silence as a Narrative Tool in Cinema
• The Portrayal of Villainy and Moral Ambiguity in Film
• The Legacy of Silent Films and Their Influence on Modern Cinema
• The Depiction of Space and Time Travel in Science Fiction Movies
• The Art and Technique of Film Editing: Creating Rhythm and Pace
• The Representation of War in Cinema: Glory vs. Horror
• The Influence of Social Media on Film Marketing and Audience Engagement
• The Role of Animation in Adult Storytelling
• The Impact of 3D Technology on the Viewer's Experience
• The Portrayal of Relationships and Love in Romantic Comedies
• The Use of Allegory and Symbolism in Film to Reflect Society
• The Challenges of Filming in Extreme Conditions
• The Future of Cinema in the Age of Streaming Services

Top Film History Research Paper Topics

The history of cinema is vast, so there are countless film history research topics that can captivate your reader. These are some of the most relevant you can use.

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• The Birth of Cinema: Exploring the Lumière Brothers' Contribution to Film
• George Méliès and the Invention of Narrative Cinema
• The Evolution of Silent Film Techniques and Their Modern Legacy
• Charlie Chaplin: The Impact of The Tramp on Global Cinema
• The Role of Women in Early Cinema: Pioneers Behind and in Front of the Camera
• The Transition from Silent to Sound Films: Technological and Artistic Challenges
• Expressionism in German Cinema: A Study of Visual Style and Its Influence
• The Rise and Fall of the Studio System in the Silent Era
• Early Animation Techniques: From Gertie the Dinosaur to Steamboat Willie
• Cross-Cultural Influences: How Early Cinema Traveled Across Continents
• The Hays Code: Censorship and Its Impact on Hollywood Storytelling
• Technicolor Dreams: The Introduction of Color in Hollywood Cinema
• Film Noir: Origins, Characteristics, and Key Figures
• The McCarthy Era: Blacklisting and Its Effects on Hollywood
• The Rise of the Director: Auteur Theory and Its Proponents
• New Hollywood: The 1970s Renaissance and Its Lasting Influence
• The Blockbuster Era: Jaws, Star Wars, and the New Business of Cinema
• Independent Cinema Movement: Breaking Away from Hollywood Norms
• The Digital Revolution: CGI and the Transformation of Film Production
• Global Cinema: The Influence of Hollywood on World Cinema and Vice Versa

Research Paper Topics on Music in Films

Music in films can tell a captivating story, evoke a world of emotions, and create a unique experience that lingers on long after you’ve watched the end credits. It often becomes as iconic as the films themselves, especially when it comes to musicals. Here are some captivating film research paper topics on music.

• The Evolution of Film Scores: From Silent Cinema to the Digital Age
• The Role of Music in Establishing Film Genres
• Iconic Film Composers: The Musical Styles of John Williams and Ennio Morricone
• The Impact of Jazz on Film Noir Soundtracks
• Musical Motifs in Cinema: Creating Character and Narrative Depth
• The Influence of Classical Music on Modern Film Scores
• Diegetic vs. Non-Diegetic Music: Shaping Viewer Perception
• The Use of Popular Music in Films: Cultural Context and Impact
• Music as a Narrative Device in Animated Films
• The Psychological Effects of Film Music on Audiences
• The Art of the Film Musical: Evolution from Stage to Screen
• World Music in Cinema: Exploring Cross-Cultural Soundscapes
• The Rise of the Film Soundtrack: From Background to Bestseller
• The Function of Silence: When the Absence of Music Tells the Story
• The Process of Scoring for Film: Collaboration Between Directors and Composers
• Adapting Opera and Ballet for the Film Medium
• Horror Film Scores: Techniques for Creating Tension and Fear
• The Legacy of Disney's Musical Films: Shaping Generations
• Music Video Aesthetics in Narrative Filmmaking
• The Role of Music in Documentary Films: Enhancing Realism and Emotion

Riveting Horror Film Research Paper Topics

There are quite a few scary and suspenseful horror movies that can keep viewers at the edge of their seats. Analyzing the overall genre or some of the greatest directors’ masterpieces and techniques is certain to enthrall your reader. Here are some gripping horror film research paper topics you can use.

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• The Evolution of Horror Cinema: From Gothic to Modern Psychological Thrillers
• Monsters and Myths: Cultural Significance of Horror Film Antagonists
• The Impact of German Expressionism on American Horror Films
• Social Fears and Horror Films: Reflecting Societal Anxieties Through Cinema
• The Final Girl Trope: Gender Dynamics in Slasher Films
• Horror and Comedy: Analyzing the Success of Horror-Comedy Hybrids
• The Rise of Found Footage: Authenticity and Fear in a Digital Age
• Censorship in Horror: The Battle Between Artistic Freedom and Social Responsibility
• The Influence of Literature on Horror Cinema: From Mary Shelley to Stephen King
• Horror Film Festivals: Cultivating Communities and Defining the Genre
• Sound Design in Horror Films: Crafting Fear with Audio
• Lighting and Color in Horror Cinema: Setting the Mood Without a Word
• The Art of Suspense: Building Tension in Horror Films
• Practical Effects vs. CGI in Horror: Preserving the Tangibility of Terror
• The Role of Setting: Isolated Cabins and Urban Nightmares in Horror Films
• Auteur Theory in Horror: The Signature Styles of Hitchcock, Carpenter, and Craven
• The Psychology of Jump Scares: Manipulating the Viewer's Anticipation and Fear
• Horror Film Sequels and Remakes: Innovation or Exploitation?
• The Use of First-Person Perspective in Horror Films: Immersion and Disorientation
• Horror Across Cultures: How Different Societies Scare Their Audiences

Compelling Monster Essay Topics

Movie monsters are often terrifying fictional creatures, but they sometimes represent human nature and our deepest fears as well. Let’s explore some of the more fascinating film essay topics on monsters.

• The Evolution of the Vampire Myth in Literature and Popular Culture
• Monsters as Metaphors: Analyzing the Symbolism Behind Literary Monsters
• Frankenstein's Monster: A Reflection on Humanity and Creator Responsibility
• The Role of Dragons in Eastern vs. Western Mythology
• Hybrid Monsters in Mythology: Exploring the Fear of the Unknown
• Duality of Werewolves: Exploring the Beast Within Human Nature
• The Influence of Greek Mythology's Monsters on Modern Fantasy Literature
• Grendel in "Beowulf": Monster as a Social Outcast
• The Loch Ness Monster: Myth, Hoax, or Unexplained Phenomenon?
• Monsters in Children's Literature: Fears, Morals, and Imagination
• The Psychology of Horror: Why Do We Enjoy Being Scared by Movie Monsters?
• Zombies as a Cultural Phenomenon: From Haitian Folklore to Global Apocalypse Obsession
• The Representation of Artificial Intelligence as Monstrous in Science Fiction
• Kaiju Films: The Appeal of Giant Monsters in Japanese Cinema and Beyond
• The Monster's Perspective: Sympathy for the Devil in Modern Media
• Aliens and the Fear of Invasion: Analyzing Extraterrestrial Monsters in Film
• The Role of Monsters in Video Games: Beyond the Antagonist
• Body Horror: The Monstrosity of the Human Form Transformed
• The Slasher Villain: Serial Killers as Monsters in Horror Films
• Monsters and Heroes: The Thin Line Between Antagonist and Protagonist in Comic Books

How to Pick a Good Topic for a Film Research Paper

If none of these film research paper topics have inspired you to write your paper, here’s what you can do to find new ideas:

• Make a list of your favorite films or filmmakers - Movies you’re passionate about or filmmakers you admire the most are a great place to start.
• Choose a specific historical period - If you’re interested in a specific period in film history, you can analyze that time’s movies, themes, techniques, etc.
• Pick a film genre - Focusing on a specific genre from the get-go might help you narrow down your list of ideas.
• Research different ideas - The more ideas you research, the higher your chances of finding the right topic. You should conduct thorough research on all the ideas, exploring the available literature, media platforms, published research papers, and other credible sources.
• Come up with a specific topic - Armed with relevant information, come up with a specific topic that interests you the most. Make sure it isn’t too broad so that you can go into detail and provide real value.
• Narrow down your focus - Narrowing down your topic to one or two ideas is key to writing a high-quality paper. Make sure it’s not too narrow so that you can keep the reader engaged.

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At EduBirdie, we have an expert team of professionals who can assist you with research and help you write a brilliant movie research paper. They have Ph.D. and Master’s degrees in Film Studies and years of experience under their belt.

Choosing the right film research paper topics can be overwhelming, so if you're struggling, you might consider the option to pay someone to write my paper to ensure a well-researched and compelling essay. We offer plagiarism-free research paper writing services with outline writing, formatting, citations, unlimited free revisions, and no delays. Contact us today and get original, unique, high-quality content that will exceed your expectations!

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The Art of Editing as Part of the Post-Production in Filmmaking Essay

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Introduction

History of editing, editing to other filmmaking techniques, importance of editing in film development, usage of film to create meaning, pulp fiction, the responses editing evokes to the viewers.

The art of editing forms the most important part of the post-production part of filmmaking. It is the work of film editors to select and possibly combine numerous shots that eventually form a complete motion picture. The art of film editing is very unique in filmmaking and cinema. More often than not, it is editing that helps in separating other earlier art forms like photography, directing, theatre, and dance from filmmaking.

When film editing is well done, the film viewer becomes so engrossed in the film that the work of the editor is usually forgotten (Giannetti, 2008). Film editors, therefore, have a huge task of ensuring that their films appeal to the viewers. This is the only way to make sure that they remain relevant, especially in today’s world of fierce competition in all sectors, the film industry included.

The earliest form of film editing was done using a positive copy of a film’s negative called a film workprint. The process involved cutting and pasting pieces of film together by the use of a splicer. Threading the film on a machine using a viewer (movila) then followed. Currently, film editing is all digital and completely bypasses the positive workprint, a very essential element in ancient film making. In the early years of its invention, the use of the film’s positive allowed the film editor to perform as much experimenting as he wished with no caution (Dmytryk, 1984).

In film editing, it is the work of the film editor to assemble its footage, although editing also encompasses assembling film pieces, cutting off film slates, and editing scenes, especially those with dialogue.

Film editors must be able to link other forms of art such as stories, dialogue, music, and images with editing. He or she should also be in a position to place the performance of actors to rewrite the film so as to create a cohesive whole (Chandler, 2009).

Film editing can create sensually provocative montages, and become a laboratory for experimental data and bring out the emotional truth in an actor’s performance. Early techniques of editing have made it possible for modern film producers to bypass negative cutting (Dmytryk, 1984). The earliest forms of editing have led to the technologically advanced filmmaking industry.

Meaning creation in the film was introduced by the use of montage. Montage is a French term that means “to mount or to assemble together” pieces or shots to form a story in the form of a film. Editing a film is like building a house; shot by shot the building is made. Montage has been able to achieve its mission owing to the fact that most viewers infer meaning based on the context.

Film editing should be in a position to create some meaning through the use of shots edited to help in making narratives. These shots are very essential in the advancement of a story as opposed to merely creating a symbolic meaning.

Normally, film editors incorporate a background song in their film to help in enhancing the mood among its potential viewers and possibly underline the information being passed across (Giannetti, 2008). The background music further plays a big role in improving in attracting more viewers, especially those whose main point of attraction is the music.

Pulp fiction is a very interesting American film directed and edited by Quentin Tarantino. One element that makes the film interesting to watch is its hilarious humor, brought out by the irony of the incidences, especially the characters’ dialogues and monologues. The creation of a funny character is a huge task, where the director, in editing the film, must ensure that each character suites the roles assigned. The film is generally about gangsters and gamblers that dominated the paperback fictions of the thirties and forties (Otto & Harlan, 2006).

The main character’s role in this film is played by Ving Rhames, a crime lord who uses two dangerous people. The two have been sent by Marsellus to kill some young men who tried to steal from Marsellus. In their conversation on how fast foods are different in Europe, they conclude their discussion with a talk on Uma Thurman, Marssellus’s wife. Meanwhile, Marssellus has already planned to ask Vince to take a close watch on his wife while he is away for a few days on business matters. Interestingly, Marsselluss does not succeed in his mission to have the wife watched while he is away (Otto & Harlan, 2006).

The film is undoubtedly one of the weirdest, considering the number of engaging criminals in it. The director (Tarantino) is quite skillful in creating his characters to suit the situations. His skills are also manifested in the way he creates scenes so that the viewers are able to understand the intended message.

The story being developed by the director is narrated in chronological order. This is very important because the viewers can follow the events and establish their connections. To establish the connection of events, Tarantino uses very familiar scenes for the viewers. It is only through the use of familiar scenes that the viewers are able to understand the meaning, and possibly relate it to their daily lives (Otto, 2008). Tarantino manages to create characters with funny behaviors. Apart from the violent scenes in this film, it stands out as the most rewarding film with authentic horror, action and characters.

Film editing as an art can be used to evoke various emotions in the viewer, for example, sad and lively emotions. All film editors must clearly know the kind of emotions they wish to evoke among their audience.

Film editing can create sensually provocative images for the viewers. In most cases, the film editor uses editing to bring out the emotional truth to the actors and viewers or create a point of view on obtuse events. Editing can create an illusion of danger to the viewers where there is no danger at all. Film editors must therefore strive to provide quality films to attract more viewers since most viewers of today tend to be choosy.

• Chandler, G. (2009). Film editing: Great cuts Every Film maker and movie lover must know. New York: Michael Wiese productions
• Dmytryk, E. (1984). On film editing: An introduction to the art of film construction. Boston: Focal press
• Giannetti, L. (2008). Understanding Movies. New York: Pearson Prentice Hall
• Otto, P. & Harlan, C. (2006). Pulp fiction: the crime fighters. London, Quercus Press
• Otto, P. (2008). The big books of pulps: the best stories from the Golden Age of the pulps-the 20’s, 30’s and 40’s. London: Quercus Press
• Techniques in Film "Godfather" by Coppola
• The Personality of the “Taxi Driver” by Martin Scorsese
• "Pulp Fiction" Film by Tarantino
• Quentin Tarantino’s Life and Influence on Modern Cinema
• Film Studies: Types of Montage
• Disability Is Not Inability: "Door to Door" by Steven Schachter
• The Value of a Single Human Life in Battle, Based on Movies
• The Story of College Coach in the Friedkin's Movie "Blue Chips"
• Reflection of the Historical Period in Welles' "Citizen Kane"
• How Taoist Concepts Are Represented in Movies
• Chicago (A-D)
• Chicago (N-B)

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IvyPanda . (2021) 'The Art of Editing as Part of the Post-Production in Filmmaking'. 26 December.

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1. IvyPanda . "The Art of Editing as Part of the Post-Production in Filmmaking." December 26, 2021. https://ivypanda.com/essays/the-art-of-editing-as-part-of-the-post-production-in-filmmaking/.

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Film Analysis

What this handout is about.

This handout introduces film analysis and and offers strategies and resources for approaching film analysis assignments.

Writing the film analysis essay

Writing a film analysis requires you to consider the composition of the film—the individual parts and choices made that come together to create the finished piece. Film analysis goes beyond the analysis of the film as literature to include camera angles, lighting, set design, sound elements, costume choices, editing, etc. in making an argument. The first step to analyzing the film is to watch it with a plan.

Watching the film

First it’s important to watch the film carefully with a critical eye. Consider why you’ve been assigned to watch a film and write an analysis. How does this activity fit into the course? Why have you been assigned this particular film? What are you looking for in connection to the course content? Let’s practice with this clip from Alfred Hitchcock’s Vertigo (1958). Here are some tips on how to watch the clip critically, just as you would an entire film:

• Give the clip your undivided attention at least once. Pay close attention to details and make observations that might start leading to bigger questions.
• Watch the clip a second time. For this viewing, you will want to focus specifically on those elements of film analysis that your class has focused on, so review your course notes. For example, from whose perspective is this clip shot? What choices help convey that perspective? What is the overall tone, theme, or effect of this clip?
• Take notes while you watch for the second time. Notes will help you keep track of what you noticed and when, if you include timestamps in your notes. Timestamps are vital for citing scenes from a film!

For more information on watching a film, check out the Learning Center’s handout on watching film analytically . For more resources on researching film, including glossaries of film terms, see UNC Library’s research guide on film & cinema .

Brainstorming ideas

Once you’ve watched the film twice, it’s time to brainstorm some ideas based on your notes. Brainstorming is a major step that helps develop and explore ideas. As you brainstorm, you may want to cluster your ideas around central topics or themes that emerge as you review your notes. Did you ask several questions about color? Were you curious about repeated images? Perhaps these are directions you can pursue.

If you’re writing an argumentative essay, you can use the connections that you develop while brainstorming to draft a thesis statement . Consider the assignment and prompt when formulating a thesis, as well as what kind of evidence you will present to support your claims. Your evidence could be dialogue, sound edits, cinematography decisions, etc. Much of how you make these decisions will depend on the type of film analysis you are conducting, an important decision covered in the next section.

After brainstorming, you can draft an outline of your film analysis using the same strategies that you would for other writing assignments. Here are a few more tips to keep in mind as you prepare for this stage of the assignment:

• Make sure you understand the prompt and what you are being asked to do. Remember that this is ultimately an assignment, so your thesis should answer what the prompt asks. Check with your professor if you are unsure.
• In most cases, the director’s name is used to talk about the film as a whole, for instance, “Alfred Hitchcock’s Vertigo .” However, some writers may want to include the names of other persons who helped to create the film, including the actors, the cinematographer, and the sound editor, among others.
• When describing a sequence in a film, use the literary present. An example could be, “In Vertigo , Hitchcock employs techniques of observation to dramatize the act of detection.”
• Finding a screenplay/script of the movie may be helpful and save you time when compiling citations. But keep in mind that there may be differences between the screenplay and the actual product (and these differences might be a topic of discussion!).
• Go beyond describing basic film elements by articulating the significance of these elements in support of your particular position. For example, you may have an interpretation of the striking color green in Vertigo , but you would only mention this if it was relevant to your argument. For more help on using evidence effectively, see the section on “using evidence” in our evidence handout .

Also be sure to avoid confusing the terms shot, scene, and sequence. Remember, a shot ends every time the camera cuts; a scene can be composed of several related shots; and a sequence is a set of related scenes.

Different types of film analysis

As you consider your notes, outline, and general thesis about a film, the majority of your assignment will depend on what type of film analysis you are conducting. This section explores some of the different types of film analyses you may have been assigned to write.

Semiotic analysis

Semiotic analysis is the interpretation of signs and symbols, typically involving metaphors and analogies to both inanimate objects and characters within a film. Because symbols have several meanings, writers often need to determine what a particular symbol means in the film and in a broader cultural or historical context.

For instance, a writer could explore the symbolism of the flowers in Vertigo by connecting the images of them falling apart to the vulnerability of the heroine.

Here are a few other questions to consider for this type of analysis:

• What objects or images are repeated throughout the film?
• How does the director associate a character with small signs, such as certain colors, clothing, food, or language use?
• How does a symbol or object relate to other symbols and objects, that is, what is the relationship between the film’s signs?

Many films are rich with symbolism, and it can be easy to get lost in the details. Remember to bring a semiotic analysis back around to answering the question “So what?” in your thesis.

Narrative analysis

Narrative analysis is an examination of the story elements, including narrative structure, character, and plot. This type of analysis considers the entirety of the film and the story it seeks to tell.

For example, you could take the same object from the previous example—the flowers—which meant one thing in a semiotic analysis, and ask instead about their narrative role. That is, you might analyze how Hitchcock introduces the flowers at the beginning of the film in order to return to them later to draw out the completion of the heroine’s character arc.

To create this type of analysis, you could consider questions like:

• How does the film correspond to the Three-Act Structure: Act One: Setup; Act Two: Confrontation; and Act Three: Resolution?
• What is the plot of the film? How does this plot differ from the narrative, that is, how the story is told? For example, are events presented out of order and to what effect?
• Does the plot revolve around one character? Does the plot revolve around multiple characters? How do these characters develop across the film?

When writing a narrative analysis, take care not to spend too time on summarizing at the expense of your argument. See our handout on summarizing for more tips on making summary serve analysis.

Cultural/historical analysis

One of the most common types of analysis is the examination of a film’s relationship to its broader cultural, historical, or theoretical contexts. Whether films intentionally comment on their context or not, they are always a product of the culture or period in which they were created. By placing the film in a particular context, this type of analysis asks how the film models, challenges, or subverts different types of relations, whether historical, social, or even theoretical.

For example, the clip from Vertigo depicts a man observing a woman without her knowing it. You could examine how this aspect of the film addresses a midcentury social concern about observation, such as the sexual policing of women, or a political one, such as Cold War-era McCarthyism.

A few of the many questions you could ask in this vein include:

• How does the film comment on, reinforce, or even critique social and political issues at the time it was released, including questions of race, ethnicity, gender, and sexuality?
• How might a biographical understanding of the film’s creators and their historical moment affect the way you view the film?
• How might a specific film theory, such as Queer Theory, Structuralist Theory, or Marxist Film Theory, provide a language or set of terms for articulating the attributes of the film?

Take advantage of class resources to explore possible approaches to cultural/historical film analyses, and find out whether you will be expected to do additional research into the film’s context.

Mise-en-scène analysis

A mise-en-scène analysis attends to how the filmmakers have arranged compositional elements in a film and specifically within a scene or even a single shot. This type of analysis organizes the individual elements of a scene to explore how they come together to produce meaning. You may focus on anything that adds meaning to the formal effect produced by a given scene, including: blocking, lighting, design, color, costume, as well as how these attributes work in conjunction with decisions related to sound, cinematography, and editing. For example, in the clip from Vertigo , a mise-en-scène analysis might ask how numerous elements, from lighting to camera angles, work together to present the viewer with the perspective of Jimmy Stewart’s character.

To conduct this type of analysis, you could ask:

• What effects are created in a scene, and what is their purpose?
• How does this scene represent the theme of the movie?
• How does a scene work to express a broader point to the film’s plot?

This detailed approach to analyzing the formal elements of film can help you come up with concrete evidence for more general film analysis assignments.

Reviewing your draft

Once you have a draft, it’s helpful to get feedback on what you’ve written to see if your analysis holds together and you’ve conveyed your point. You may not necessarily need to find someone who has seen the film! Ask a writing coach, roommate, or family member to read over your draft and share key takeaways from what you have written so far.

Works consulted

We consulted these works while writing this handout. This is not a comprehensive list of resources on the handout’s topic, and we encourage you to do your own research to find additional publications. Please do not use this list as a model for the format of your own reference list, as it may not match the citation style you are using. For guidance on formatting citations, please see the UNC Libraries citation tutorial . We revise these tips periodically and welcome feedback.

Aumont, Jacques, and Michel Marie. 1988. L’analyse Des Films . Paris: Nathan.

Media & Design Center. n.d. “Film and Cinema Research.” UNC University Libraries. Last updated February 10, 2021. https://guides.lib.unc.edu/filmresearch .

Oxford Royale Academy. n.d. “7 Ways to Watch Film.” Oxford Royale Academy. Accessed April 2021. https://www.oxford-royale.com/articles/7-ways-watch-films-critically/ .

You may reproduce it for non-commercial use if you use the entire handout and attribute the source: The Writing Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

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