Editing.

Editing is the process of looking at all the footage shot during the making of a film/TV programme and placing it in the desired order and joining it together.

There are two key areas to concerntrate on with editing.
1) Speed of editing - How long does each shot last.
2) Style of editing - How each shot is joined to the next.

Speed of editing:
In a film each scene lasts a few seconds, or may continue for minutes. The lenght of the sequence establishes the pace of the film moving the action along.
The speed of editing will help to determine the mood of what is taking place on screen.
If the audience is to feel anxiety and suspense the editing will be quick. The scenes/shots changing frequently, e.g. in an action sequence.

If a relaxed mood is desired the scenes last longer and change less frequently, e.g. in a romantic comedy.

As a story begins the scenes that begin must be long enough for us to be able to understand where we are and what is going on, e.g. slow to introdue main characters.

As film progresses scenes shorten as editing cuts between two or more storylines at the same time.

Straight cut is most common and invisible form of transition.
One shot moves instanteously to the next without attracting the audience's attention.
Straight cuts retain reality, they do not break the viewers suspension of disbelief.