Carol Vernallis' Theory of Editing

Carol Vernallis

Carol Vernallis has analysed the editing in music videos and Hollywood films. Through this she identified a distinct approach to each of these. She then found these ways of approaching editing:

Hollywood Film:

• There is a unity of space time shown through the film.
• There is a clear order of shots of continuity which draws the audience in.
• The order of the shots makes the film conventional to the piece.
• Within Hollywood film there is a clear distinct path.

Music Video

• The order of the shots in a music video are unconventional of that of a Hollywood film, there is no type of conventional order of shots to follow as the video will shift much more freely between shots.
• There are also visual hooks to create continuity where a single shot is linked to another through a single feature I.E. Shape or a colour.
• In music videos Vernallis noticed a multiplicity of incomplete events sometimes obscure paths in the story.
• Pop videos draw the audience away from the narrative by foregrounding structures to create discontinuity.
• The time, space, character and narrative are revealed in completely not like they would be revealed within a film.