Malcolm Rivera
Ellipsis is a narrative device used in film to omit or shorten parts of a story that are unnecessary to the plot, often to condense time or advance the narrative. It is achieved through editing techniques such as cutting between shots, changing angles, or using cutaway shots. Ellipsis allows viewers to fill in narrative gaps and maintain temporal continuity. For example, a character standing up from a chair and walking across a room to open a door can be condensed to a few shots, with the character already at the door in the next scene. This technique is commonly used in films to remove redundant actions and keep the story engaging.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Definition | A cinematic ellipsis is a narrative device that omits a portion of the sequence of events, allowing the viewer to fill in the narrative gaps. |
| Purpose | To condense time, advance the story, or as a stylistic method. |
| Example | A character standing up from a chair and then, in the next shot, they are already across the room and by the door. |
| Editing Techniques | Elliptical editing, jump cuts, dissolves, fades, flashbacks, and montages. |
| Notable Examples | Stanley Kubrick's 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968), Yasujirō Ozu's Late Spring (1949). |
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What You'll Learn
Ellipsis in film is a common procedure
In film language, an ellipsis is achieved through editing techniques such as match cuts, jump cuts, dissolves, and fades. A match cut, for instance, creates a metaphorical parallelism between two visually similar objects, as seen in the film "The Message," where the presence of the Prophet Muhammad is conveyed indirectly. Jump cuts create an interruption in a single shot, either by changing the figures or the background instantly. Dissolves and fades are gradual transitions between shots that can indicate the passage of time, such as days, months, or even centuries.
Ellipsis in film can also be used to advance the story by omitting important events or characters, leaving the audience to infer what happened through subsequent dialogue or scenes. For example, in Yasujirō Ozu's film "Late Spring" (1949), an important character's wedding is implied through dialogue and the viewer's interpretation. Additionally, ellipses can be used to make chronological leaps, such as in Stanley Kubrick's "2001: A Space Odyssey" (1968), where the narrative jumps from ancient technology to a futuristic setting.
While ellipses are commonly used for convenience and narrative efficiency, they can also serve stylistic purposes. Filmmakers may employ ellipses to create ambiguity, invite viewer interpretation, or generate a sense of discontinuity. In some cases, ellipses may be used to manipulate the viewer's perception of time, causing temporal disorientation or creating a sense of accelerated or slowed-down time.
Overall, the ellipsis is a powerful tool in filmmaking that allows for the manipulation of time, the removal of unnecessary details, and the creation of stylistic choices that enhance the narrative and engage the audience's imagination.
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Omitting portions of the sequence of events
In film production, ellipsis is employed to suggest an action by showing only what happens before and after an event, with the event itself being omitted. This can be achieved through shot transitions that omit parts of an event, causing an ellipsis in plot duration. For example, a character may be shown standing up from a chair, and in the next shot, they are already across the room, standing by a door. The movement between these two shots is elided, with the narrative logic allowing the viewer to disregard the gap.
Cinematic ellipsis can also be used to advance the story by omitting scenes that are not essential to the narrative. These "convenience" ellipses, as Martin Scorsese puts it, are about "what's out" of the frame, and they can be more important than what is included. Filmmakers and editors decide what to leave out, and these omissions can add mystery and intrigue to the film, as well as shape the storytelling method and pace the flow of information.
Additionally, ellipsis can be used to omit important events or information, leaving the audience to infer what has happened through subsequent dialogue or visual cues. This technique, used by directors like Yasujirō Ozu, can create a sense of ambiguity and leave the audience with an unresolved understanding of the events.
Overall, the omission of portions of the sequence of events in cinematic ellipsis is a powerful tool that filmmakers use to shape the narrative, engage the audience, and control the flow of information. It is a crucial aspect of film editing and storytelling.
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To advance the story
Ellipsis is a common technique in film narratives that involves removing parts of a sequence of events, allowing viewers to fill in the narrative gaps. It is used to advance the story by omitting movements and actions that are unnecessary for the audience to understand the plot. This technique is often employed to condense time and maintain the flow of the narrative.
For example, in the film "2001: A Space Odyssey" (1968), there is a giant chronological leap at the beginning, jumping from the first technology of humankind, a bone club, to a spacecraft flying through space in the year 2001. This ellipsis allows the film to quickly establish the setting and context without wasting time on unnecessary details.
Another example of ellipsis in film can be found in "Late Spring" (1949) by Japanese director Yasujirō Ozu. In this film, important people or events are omitted from the narration, leaving the audience to infer what happened through subsequent dialogue and visual cues. This creates a sense of mystery and engagement, as the audience must piece together the missing parts of the story.
Ellipsis can also be achieved through editing techniques such as jump cuts, match cuts, dissolves, and fades. A jump cut, for instance, involves an abrupt change in the background or characters, creating the appearance of an interruption in the continuous shot. Dissolves and fades, on the other hand, provide a smoother transition between scenes, often indicating the passage of time or a shift in perspective.
In conclusion, ellipsis is a valuable tool in cinematography, allowing filmmakers to advance the story efficiently and creatively. By omitting unnecessary details and using clever editing techniques, directors can guide the audience's attention, condense time, and enhance the overall narrative experience.
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Ellipsis in editing
Ellipsis in film is a narrative device that involves omitting portions of a sequence of events, allowing the viewer to fill in the narrative gaps. It is a common procedure in film narratives, where movement and action unnecessary to the story are removed through editing. For example, a character may be shown standing up from a chair, and in the next shot, they have already crossed the room and are by the door. This type of editing is used to skip ahead to the next relevant plot point and maintain the viewer's interest.
The use of ellipsis in editing can also convey profound meaning or stylistic choices. For example, in Stanley Kubrick's "2001: A Space Odyssey," the film begins with a giant chronological leap from a bone club to a spacecraft in the year 2001. The ellipsis here is filled by the metaphorical parallelism between the two objects, visually similar in shape and joined by anthropological significance.
Another example of a director famous for his use of ellipsis is Yasujirō Ozu, who would omit important people or events, leaving the audience to understand what happened through subsequent dialogue. This technique can be seen in his film "Late Spring" (1949), where Noriko is shown about to leave for her wedding, and the next scene cuts to Mr.
While ellipsis is often used to eliminate excess and mundane activities, some directors, like David Fincher, may choose to include these "dull bits" to show the causality of a character's actions. For instance, in "The Social Network," Mark Zuckerberg's long jog back to the Harvard campus adds information that isn't necessary for the conventional story but enhances it.
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Ellipsis in continuity
Cinematic ellipsis refers to an apparent break in the natural time continuity of a film. Continuity editing, or "cutting to continuity", is a technique used in film and video creation to combine related shots or different components of a single shot into a sequence, maintaining a pre-existing consistency of story across time and physical location.
The flashback technique is another way to create temporal discontinuity by relocating to an earlier time within the story. This can be achieved through the use of sepia toning, home-movie-style footage, period costumes, or obvious devices like clocks and calendars.
To preserve temporal continuity, one can shoot and use all the action involved in the story's duration, or shoot the entire film in one take to avoid editing different shots together. Continuous diegetic sound, or sound occurring within the narrative world of the film, can also help smooth cuts and maintain temporal and spatial continuity.
Master shots and the 180-degree system are fundamental building blocks of continuity editing, with establishing shots being particularly important to orient the viewer for the shots that follow.
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Frequently asked questions
A cinematic ellipsis is a narrative device that omits portions of a sequence of events, allowing viewers to fill in the narrative gaps. It is used to condense time and advance the story, removing unnecessary movements and actions.
Continuity editing combines related shots or components of a shot into a sequence to maintain a continuous narrative across time and space. While continuity editing aims for a seamless narrative flow, an ellipsis creates an apparent break in natural time continuity, omitting parts of the story.
A cinematic ellipsis can be achieved through editing techniques such as the dissolve and the fade, which create an ambiguous measure of time passing. In Stanley Kubrick's "2001: A Space Odyssey," the film begins with a giant chronological leap from a primitive bone club to a spacecraft in the year 2001, constituting a cinematic ellipsis.
Ellipses are used to condense time and remove unnecessary details, improving the pacing and flow of a film. They also engage the viewer by allowing them to use their imagination to fill in the narrative gaps, creating a sense of participation in the story.
