ABSTRACT
Most audiences are unaware of the constant cutting that happens when they watch a film; this is not surprising, since most editing techniques are designed to be invisible, so that story, and not the filmmaking process, takes center stage. There are instances, however, when filmmakers purposely avoid editing and choose instead to let a moment play out in real time, keeping the spatial and temporal unity of a scene intact. This may be done for a variety of reasons: to preserve the emotional intensity and original pacing of an actor’s performance, or to signal that a moment has a special significance, or to build up tension and/or suspense. The level of blurriness can play a significant role in how the effect is perceived by an audience, which can be especially important in scenes that include some type of character interaction.
