Customer Reviews

The Eye Is Quicker: Film Editing: Making a Good Film Better

5 star:		(11)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I first saw this book in Barnes & Noble and was wondering why I had never seen it before. After flipping through it, I was curious to read it. I am always looking for good "technique" books. When I was about to read the book, a friend of mine said to me, "it's good, but it covers basic techniques, so you probably won't learn anything new technique-wise." That was odd because I still found things I could take from it. I keep it as a reference book on my editing desk. It's nestled next to On Film Editing (definitely a technique reference--that book blew my mind when I read it and I wish I had read it in college) and In The Blink of an Eye (for inspiration--also mind-blowing). I basically look at it as a very strong supplement for storytelling and structure. It made me think more about my cuts, the scenes, the shots, etc.--how I was arranging things and what I was putting in or taking out and why. Above all, it's a book that makes you think and question (which leads to better filmmaking). The Crucible example on page 38 & 150 and the example from Fargo on pages 145-147 would be a few that stick out in my mind (although there are several others).

This book is truely a rare find. I was looking for a book on editing that would explain how to visually communicate a great story through editing, a book that would tell me more than just the history of editing or the techniques of operating the Avid or Final Cut Pro. The Eye is Quicker thoroughly goes through the rationale, the reasons why you make or don't make a cut. Using several examples from films. But more importantly this book provides you with the knowledge how to enhance the story, or how to transfer the dailies into a story. The beauty of editing is that one is essentially providing the last rewrite of the script and the beauty of The Eye is Quicker is that it gives you the fundamentals how to enhance(edit) the story(movie).

This is the kind of books I enjoy reading.I am not a professional filmaker or editor, but as I like to know all the details behind everything I wanted a book to cover the most important theory (not techniques or tools) about film editing.I really felt as this book "revealed" some secrets that most of us (I mean ,the amateurs) simply ignore.
It explains all those facts that makes you perceive films as good/average/bad in such a detailed way, that most of the times you will run to watch your favourite film to see if he is right , and believe me , he is deadly right!
By using all this theory and these invisible tricks he describes you cannot only make scenes look good (even if they are not) , your whole film will look even better and finally acquire that magic ingredient that you can "feel" on good films but you cannot actually identify what it is. The most importnat thing is, that it gives you the power to quide your viewer eyes at exaclty where you want him to look and see exactly what you want him to see, which can greatly affect the way your material is communicated to your audience.
The only "drawback" after reading this book ,is that your eyes are more trained in identifying "bad edits" in the films you are watching , but I think we can leave with it !!! I think that such good books should be on every filmaker's hand.

Can film editing be learned from a book? Not really. Can film editing theory be learned from a book? Probably, and Richard D. Pepperman's The Eye is Quicker is as good a place to start as any. Film editing seen through the eyes of Pepperman is fresh and dynamic and alive. His tone is personal, humorous and engaging, taking tech books out of the realm of dry and removed tomes we're forced to read for edification purposes, and transforming them into something we actually enjoy reading. At least once per chapter, I found myself wanting to rush out and edit something, anything.
The strength of The Eye is Quicker lies in the fact that Pepperman himself is a longtime teacher and knows how to present his craft in a way that students can connect with. His aim with this book is to bring editing back to the basics, instead of all about new technology hyped bells and whistles. He opens with a statement that I think best sums up his intentions: "I'm concerned that the tradition of passing on essential knowledge from an experienced mentor to new assistants and apprentices might be lost and `replaced?by tool-intensive training alone. I hope this book can help preserve that vibrant, more complete way of learning.?
Pepperman manages to employ an anecdotal tone that only the best educators ever manage to carry off. Like all good teachers, he partially holds your hand and coddles you, while simultaneously challenging you to jump off the precipice into the unknown and have faith in your own abilities.
Pepperman reveals himself as a person first, allowing the reader to become comfortable with him, and then he gets into the mechanics of his subject. He makes editing into a life view, rather than simply a cut and paste exercise. He humanizes editing, making it more about instinct than precision. By the end of this book, you begin to view editing as a way of being and seeing the world, not simply as a nine-to-five job performed by rote using a set of basic principles.
Don't get me wrong, the basics are offered in this book. Things that every film student learns in Editing 101. Pepperman also includes a list of Nine Key Codes that all editors should constantly keep in mind and strive to remain true to. He also supplies specific movie references that the editing student can turn to for examples. This makes his teachings more concrete and tangible, taking his book from a one dimensional study of a two dimensional discipline to a more complete representation of editing. He supplies countless frame by frame pictures to illustrate the differences in cuts and their impact on the finished films. My only problem with this approach is that it's still too static for a visual medium such as film. At times, I found it difficult to visualize the cuts just by seeing the storyboard pictures alone. Books on film, especially on editing, should come standard with interactive CD's or DVD's.
Each chapter begins with a perfectly placed quote that adds layers of meaning to the context. Everyone from Godard to Einstein is referenced. My favorite quote, though, comes from a slightly less conspicuous source. It's by Rob Nillson and is placed at the start to chapter seventeen. Nillson states, "The magicians who bottle the genie are the actors. The magician who lets the genie out of the bottle is the editor.?
The underlying message in The Eye is Quicker is that editing is all about subtlety. Visual logic is key. Technique can only take you so far ?the rest resides in your gut. Pepperman reiterates that we must never get so caught up in the aesthetics of editing that the film's drama takes a back seat to stylistics (there are quite a few people I can think of in Hollywood that would be well served by this advice).
The Eye is Quicker is a rarity in the world of trade books ?it teaches technique but it also affects perception.

I just finished reading this book cover to cover, and I must say it has truly been one of the most inspirational books I've read in quite some time. After high school I spent approximately 18 months studying things like editing, graphic design, motion graphics, etc... That period of time was no doubt invaluable, but lately it feels as though I'm drowning in tutorials and software features. I set out to find the best book on editing, not as a series of mouse clicks, but as a way to approach filmmaking. I'm glad to say I've found that book ...The Eye is Quicker. I was particularly delighted to discover that the author is also a teacher. I've found that those who have an excellent resume don't necessarily understand how to "pass on essential knowledge" as this author does. Being a college-age, young editor myself, I was particularly drawn to the comments about frequent pitfalls he sees in his students. I truly felt like I was learning from someone with tremendous experience who genuinely wants to teach others.

THE EYE IS QUICKER is not just a book for editors; it is a book for filmmakers. Pepperman's sensibility might easily lend itself to directors looking to compose a shot or to writers trying to make a clean transition.
Pepperman states that editing should remain simple, though it isn't easy to keep it as such, and his book heeds its own advice. The writing is concise and straightforward, and his anecdotes are well chosen. Pepperman sets out to explain the mindset and acquired skills necessary for an editor, and then takes his reader through the various techniques. While examples from films (both Hollywood, and student features) comprise the bulk of the text, Pepperman includes bolded Tips and Hints throughout, so a discerning or hurried reader can skip around. ...[T]o Pepperman's credit the book's tone keeps pace at a steady linear clip, and the illustrations by Mark Pacella elucidate many of Pepperman's finer points...

Alyssa Worshaw

Many books are written on filmmaking, yet far too few are written by those who can bridge the gap between theory and application. In this book, you get both.

Anyone who does not appreciate the INVALUABLE education that this book is, simply does not have enough experience with editing to understand the value of the insight.

As a professional filmmaker, I nearly butchered my first feature, only to ressurrect it by applying what I learned in this book. The author references many films I had not seen, but the lessons were clear, and the illustrations more than clarify the cut points he is referencing.

This book is written by an editor, for filmmakers, with the lessons being most profound to someone who can nod there head, and say, "yes, I too have experienced that challenge, and / or made that mistake."

This book is not formulaic but an in-depth look at the principles of not only good editing, but good story-telling from the perspective of the editor. It is the principles and techniques learned in this book that allow the reader to come away with an arsenal of tools and check-points. When you are stuck and frustrated, you have to understand good fundamentals, and be able to check your work against those principles. Without an understanding of these principles, a filmaker is left with only instincts, opinions, and guess-work. OR, even worse, become reduced to chasing his/her tail in a vain attempt to make a film that pleases people.

If you are a filmmaker looking to learn the science of good editing, then this book is for you. Once you learn the science, the art is up to you.


Mike Reilly

An excellent book on editing! It is refreshing to read how much Pepperman values his role as a teacher. You get the sense that he looks at life and editing as an endless opportunity to learn and discover. He shares his discoveries in a way that will challenge you to look at your editing projects - and maybe even life - with more openness. The writing is clear, fun and engaging. And, the storyboards bring Pepperman's editing strategies & techniques to life. A must have book for editors of all levels who don't want to miss out on Pepperman's many pearls of wisdom!

This book is good, and there are a lot of ideas that were new to me as an aspiring editor. The only negative comment I would make is that some of the examples described were unclear to me. There are storyboards, which help, but still left me wondering about some things at times.

I may be spoiled from reading other editing books (i.e Murch etc.) but from the high brow tone of this book, I expected the author to have a much more impressive film background. There are good bits mixed in there which is why I gave it three stars, but you have to wade through an apparently unedited and not fully developed mess to get there(my opinion). This is particularly ironic in a book that is supposed to show you how to seemlessly integrate something. Read this book because you have to for the few essential concepts that it does bring across, but I bet you won't enjoy it. It appears as a series of half formed lesson plans. I found it a very taxing read and should be read as a last of a series of editing books not only for comprehension but so you are not discouraged from the field altogether. Perhaps another edition with a coauthor and an editor would be in order. Also, too long by half. Again you should read this book, but maybe try and borrow it from somebody.