It is probably the editor's work that is most invisible for a simple cinema-goer among the most important processes of filmmaking - directors, cinematographers and composers usually get much more attention. That is exactly why it is worth to take a look at films through the scissor-eyes of the editor. Alan Heim, Oscar-winning American editor, guest of Mediawave gave a presentation for the participants of the film workshop Passport Control.
The editor of many independent films brought a Bob Fosse and a Nick Cassavetes-film to illustrate what kind of task it is for an editor to convey special storytelling techniques on the canvas. The documentarist fiction film Star 80 (1983), shown for the longest time during the presentation for example processes the story of a murdered playmate at the hands of her abandoned husband in a way that we are looking actors playing the story and the reminiscences, subsequent analyses of the real participants in parallel. Heim characterized montage firstly as the magic of time, the essence of which lies in layering different time shifts and their signifying (or the opposite, without that). He reminded the listeners how time shifts can be layered by shifting sound.
His composition technique is characterized by elimination, a less oversimplified montage than that of most American films - of which Heim said that he trusts the audience. "The viewers are generally a step ahead of filmmakers, and not behind them" - sounded the conclusion of his presentation.
Written by: Zsolt Gyenge
Translation: Marta Czibik
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