The Book Every Editor Has to Read — Walter Murch and In the Blink of an Eye

The Art of Editing — We look at Walter Murch’s famous book, In the Blink of an Eye, and why it remains important for editors today.

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Chapters:
00:00 - Introduction to Walter Murch
00:45 - Understanding "In The Blink of an Eye"
02:07 - Chapter 1: Why Cuts Work
07:40 - Chapter 2: The Rule of Six
11:08 - Chapter 3: An Editor's Job
13:55 - Takeaways

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IN THE BLINK OF AN EYE SUMMARY

Editing is one of the fundamental pillars of filmmaking, and perhaps no editor is more revered than Walter Murch. Murch came to prominence during the New Hollywood movement of the 1970s, cutting films like American Graffiti and Apocalypse Now. Murch is also a renowned sound designer; in fact, he was the first person to receive that credit.

All of this is to say that Walter Murch is a man who knows editing. That’s why his book, In the Blink of an Eye, is seen as something of a Magna Carta for editors. In this video, we break down the lessons from Murch’s classic text and see why they remain relevant today.

FILM EDITING EXPLAINED

Much of the beginning of In the Blink of an Eye concerns itself with why editing works. In other words, why is an audience not distracted when there is a cut from one shot to another? Murch lays out a few different theories. He compares editing logic to that of dreaming. Images come to us disparately, but we interpret them to create a singular, coherent idea.

Murch also claims that editing bears relation to blinking (hence the title of his book). This theory extends beyond the obvious comparison that we “cut” when we blink. Murch argues that we blink when we’ve had a complete thought or are experiencing a shift in emotion. As such, Murch recommends editing close to, or on, an actor’s blink.

WALTER MURCH 6 RULES
Perhaps the most famous instruction to come out of Blink of an Eye is Murch’s Rule of 6. These are the considerations an editor should take into account when making a cut, ranked from most important to least important. The first is emotion— the cut should serve the feeling of the scene. The second is story — the cut should inform the story. The third is rhythm. The fourth is eye trace — the subject of one frame should be in the same space as the subject of the next frame. The fifth is the 180-degree rule, and the sixth is the three-dimensional space of action.

WALTER MURCH ON EDITING CAREERS
Murch spends much of the rest of his book talking about the in’s and out’s of editing as a job. He discusses the collaborative process involved between an editor and a director. An editor should serve the director’s vision but also bring ideas of their own to the table. Murch also explains why he edits standing up— a quirk he has become known for. He mentions how to handle test screenings and their feedback. And finally, in the second edition of his book, he examines how digital editing has transformed the vocation.

“In the Blink of an Eye” is an indispensable book not just for editors but for filmmakers generally. Though it was published decades ago, it continues to stand the test of time.


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♬ SONGS USED:

"Ride of the Valkyries" - Wagner
"Dojo Tradition (Instrumental)" - In This World
"Divider" - Chris Zabriskie
"Curiosity" - Kevin Graham
"Also sprach Zarathustra, Op. 30" - Strauss
"Life's Journey Begins" - idokay
"All Star" - ANBR
"1986" - Angel Salazar
"Still Need Syndrome" - Yarin Primak
"Principia" - Mike Steele
"Stay" - Hans Zimmer
"Stuck Behind a Train (Instrumental)" - Makeup And Vanity Set
"Free Your Mind" - Don Davis
"Inquisitions" - Kevin Graham
"Is That You or Are You You" - Chris Zabriskie
"Assembly Line Dreams" - Ostin Drais
"British News Team" - Lance Conrad
"Anime" - Magiksolo

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