In your Screening Journal entry for Whiplash (2014), document how the film obeys the continuity editing system: the use of shot/reverse-shot, the 180-degree rule (axis of action), eyeline matches and point-of-view shots, establishing/reestablishing shots, matches on action, contiguity cutting (screen direction), plus crosscutting and montage sequences. Also, look out for the use of the different types of edits (cuts, dissolves, fades, wipes), especially those edits that are not hard cuts and that use optical effects instead (e.g. dissolves, fades, wipes).

There is no single question you need to address for this journal; rather, simply

Describe how the editing maintains continuity throughout the entire film, citing as many different examples of the 6 “principles” of continuity editing as possible.

In terms of function, Consider how the editing enhances character, theme, and story – and how this “invisible editing” approach emphasizes spatial and temporal clarity to establish verisimilitude (i.e. realism). For a movie about jazz music, unsurprisingly the editing is very rhythmic; it’d be great if you could find examples of the rhythm of the cuts and how this connects with the pace of the story.