Editing critique of Tery Zwigoff's Ghostworld

Editing Critique of Terry Zwigoff's Ghost World

In order for a film to be successful many different elements must be taken into consideration even before beginning to shoot. The tone of the piece, what sort of lighting will be used, the location of the shots, and a palette for the film, are all elements that need to be considered before the actual filmmaking begins. However, even with rigorous planning, questions will still arise during shooting, questions that might not even be apparent or answered until the footage reaches the editing room. However, many shortcomings in shooting can be solved through editing. In fact, with good editing pretty much any type of footage can be made into a working piece of art. But good editing is not an easy task. There are many aesthetic factors that need to be taken into consideration such as shot size, mass, movement on screen, and music, in order to keep a film cohesive and interesting. These elements will work together to inform not only the mood of the piece but also the meaning behind it. Editing can make or break a film. In Terry Zwigoff's film Ghost World, it does both, as attention to detail and sometimes lack there of, both strengthens and weakens the film as a whole.

One of Ghost World's greatest accomplishments in editing is the use of continuous motion both within and between scenes. The film begins using this technique with a scene of the main character Enid, dancing along with a woman who is performing on her television. The camera cuts back and forth between the television and Enid, Enid picking where the dancer on TV left off. The result is the feeling of one continuous dance shared by Enid and the woman performer. Continuous motion is also used as a tran...

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...em if f there was some variation in the duration of the shots, but they are all pretty similar in length. The result is a monotonous tit-for-tat feeling; one that hangs like a heavy dead weight dragging down an otherwise brilliantly edited film

However, on the whole Ghost World shows a great deal of editing skill. Editing is not only used in the film as a method of joining events and creating a convincing timeline, but is also used as a tool to develop characters and emphasize different themes in the story. However, because the entire film is not treated with the same attention to detail, weak edit points stand out like eyesores. Yet, while hindering its overall effectiveness as a film, it is also this possession of both successful and unsuccessful editing that makes Ghost world such an excellent example of what a difference good editing can make in a production.