Before I come to the main analysis of "A Corner In Wheat" (1909) by D.W. Griffith
concerning Parallel and Continuity Editing, I would like to point out one special process
of the development of filmmaking, which occurred in the first years since 1895.
There by the most interesting part related to the topic of this paper is the development since
the middle of the year 1907. At that time "the production companies began to observe a
strict linear time frame ". (Musser, Archeology of the cinema, 1983, page 7)
The process took part in mainly two phases.
"First, there was an elimination of retrogressive elements like overlapping action [...] [, for
instance] there is rapid cutting between proximate spaces and [...] a strong suggestion of a
seamless linear temporality across shot." (Musser, p.7) Of course this means not yet an
establishment of a hole strategies like a match cut on action - at that time there are still used
intertitles for example - but it is a kind of development, which made the viewers aware of
new possibilities of making films. Especially concerning the movement of time.
"[They (the viewers) ] no longer had to wonder if action shown in a given scene occurred
before or after a previously shown action" (Musser, p.7).
The second phase created "new representational strategies based on this new form of
temporality" (Musser, p.7). In the late 1907 the usage of parallel editing first appeared and
got established concerning the linear temporality. Musser mentions the film "The Runaway
Horse" from Pathé, which "explicitly acknowledged a linear temporality through its use of
parallel editing." Parallel Editing means "cutting back and forth between two lines of
actions" (Musser, p.7). [...]
Table of Contents
- Introduction
- Forward Movement of Time and Parallel Editing in “A Corner In Wheat” (1909)
Objectives and Key Themes
This paper analyzes the film "A Corner In Wheat" (1909) by D.W. Griffith, focusing on the development of parallel editing and its impact on the perception of time in cinema. The paper explores the emergence and evolution of this technique, examining how Griffith used parallel editing to convey a sense of simultaneous action and linear temporality.
- The development of parallel editing in early cinema
- The role of parallel editing in creating a sense of temporal progression
- The use of parallel editing in Griffith's "A Corner In Wheat"
- The impact of parallel editing on narrative structure
Chapter Summaries
- Introduction: This section provides a brief overview of the development of filmmaking techniques in the early years of cinema, particularly the transition towards linear temporality and the emergence of parallel editing.
- Forward Movement of Time and Parallel Editing in “A Corner In Wheat” (1909): This section examines Griffith's "A Corner In Wheat" as a prime example of parallel editing and its role in conveying a sense of forward movement of time. It analyzes the film's structure, shot by shot, highlighting the use of parallel editing and its impact on the narrative.
Keywords
Parallel editing, continuity editing, linear temporality, film history, D.W. Griffith, "A Corner In Wheat", narrative structure, shot analysis, cinematic techniques, early cinema.
- Arbeit zitieren
- Oliver Schill (Autor:in), 2003, D.W. Griffith, Analysis Of Parallel Editing, München, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/20708
