All of the material in this book is focused on theatrical films but there are strong correlations to the world in which most of us live, editing on and for computers. There is a section at the back that talks of the coming digital age. Well, we're there and ironically, Walter Murch turns out to be quite a prophet. The book is full of insight and wisdom that even transcends the media arts when he talks about his life and the impact that his son's challenges had on him as a person and a film maker. For me, this is a must read for anyone that edits video, regardless of the methodology or final output. It will encourage you to become better at that craft. My only regret is that there is not a 2008 version where Walter Murch can share with us what he sees next on the horizon.

The book arrived quickly, in great condition, was a great read and at a good price. Would definitely buy from them again.

This book is considered a "must" for all editors. Murch is pretty famous for his work and style so, in my opinion, I agree it's worth the read (and worth having). My book arrived on time and in the condition promised!

Satisfied customer overall!

are walter murch books overrated? at least there's no trace of michael ondaajte (spelling?) here.

This book has a wealth of information for the inexperienced and beginner, film editer, or anyone who is looking for a good book on the subject. I have found it to be very helpful, as I am still learning how to do professional editing!

This is NOT a "how to" book for what some students may be looking for, but it is however, the best book I've read on the "ART" of editing. Insightful and well written, it helped me to really understand when to make a cut that works and when to avoid those that don't work. I would recommend it to all my friends who are editors.

This book was required reading for my editing film class in LA. I had little editing experience and needed a book to improve my editing. THIS BOOK IMPROVED MY EDITING by 200%!!! I learned where, when, how, and why to make a cut, dissolve, etc. I learned something new in every chapter and highlighted lots!!!

P.S. This book is clear, concise, and easy to read.

One frame out of place can make all the difference. This book gives you the tools you'll need to approach editing like the pro's. "Blink of an Eye" is mandatory reading at the NW Film Centers' School of Film in Portland, OR... it's that good.

This book was a required reading for my national university on-line class in digital video editing. The book is a short read that can be accomplished in two sittings. I read the second part of the book on digital editing first, as I have been editing for the past 10 years and have made the leap from analog to digital, myself. Murch relates the changes from a professional's point of view. He compares analog versus digital editing He outlines how the workflow of the editor and, indeed, the whole industry, as filmmaking is such a collaborative art, is changing due to the inevitable transition to a totally digital medium. I read the first part of the book next. Smartly, this saved the best for last as his most profound advice for editing is contained in the middle of the text, at the end of part one. Here he explains a moment in editing when he understood the essence of his editing choices on a particular movie, thus revealing the title of the book. This is a gem of a read for anyone interested in the working mind of a seasoned editor. I recommend it to film fans, students, and anyone interested in getting into the industry professionally.

Whether you have a passing fancy with movie editing, or just want to understand the anatomy of one of our greatest media achievements, you will like this book.

It is brief, clear and drops you into the world of film in a blink of an eye.

Sometimes a book's own hype kills people's appreciation of it.

With Murch's classic, the problem is that it is considered a classic text about editing, simply because it is a biographical account of an editor at work.

It is not about the techniques or tools or modern equipment necessary to edit a film. If you seek a functional book to learn the fundamental skills of visual film editing, this is not something you should purchase.

It's very much more a story telling book. Most specifically if you are a writer, or, if you consider your film directing as 'writing with pictures,' this book will elevate your ability and understanding of 'writing with film.'

The old adage that 'film is a visual medium' is wrong.

Maybe that's why a get a little uppity about catchall phrases. Like "Film is a visual medium." It's not. Not really. It has music. It has dialogue. And, it exists over time.

One painting, is a visual medium.

Film, is 24-paintings per second with noise, weight, drama, visual, action, cognitive momentum, magic, and trust and hope. Film, as the casual and professional observer speaks of it, is more likely a cognitive medium. Film more closely approximates our external reality more than any other media, and it is Murch's perspective -- as the ultimate unifier of the other filmed elements -- that reminds us of that. He casually reveals what he knows about his art and how to design a dramatic narrative based on upon cognitive principles.

If you stumbled across this book just because you just dig making and writing films that much, than this book will excite you for the price of a Starbucks lunch. And it's better for your body than crumbcakes and coffee.

It's a quick read, and somewhat entertaining. Not something I would recommend as a schoolbook for an editing class, but if you are interested in the editing process, it's a good read.

Every editor needs to read this, it will change the way you think about editing.

Murch is uses everyday language eloquently to describe what he does and how he decides just where to do it. This is a time of tremendous change in how movies are made. It's fascinating to read a master's description of this transformation process in language that a nontechie, as I am, can understand.

Murch is uses everyday language eloquently to describe what he does and how he decides just where to do it. This is a time of tremendous change in how movies are made. It's fascinating to read a master's description of this transformation process in language that a nontechie, as I am, can understand.

a quick and easy read. i was expecting a more in depth look into the editing process, but this book just skimmed the surface. i guess its hard to get that much info into such a short book. other than that, it was a very enjoyable read. murch compares the directing styles of several filmmakers and the pros and cons of different editing outlets (ie. mechanical vs. electronic). he uses lovely analogies to describe the editing process, such as comparing it to dancing. its a good book for a plane ride.

This book gives insight into film editing like no other. the other reviewers said that the book did not really help into any actual editing technioques in real life, well perhaps that is why there are NO actual ways to edit. With today's editing suites, you drag and drop, cut, and you're done. What Walter Murch is giving you are lessons that go deep beyond that. How to tell when a good cut is there, when the emotional moment tells you to cut, how to recognize it. If you want to learn a jump cut, or editing tricks, then pick up something else, but if you want to learn how to recognize the story in your film, and how to tell it in the way that only you can, then pick this book up, and read in between the lines.

In the Blink of an Eye by Walter Murch has helped me quite a bit not only in the way I view video editing, but video production as a whole. Whether you are an editor, camera operator, director, or sound engineer, this book will change the way you think about any video project, from comercials to full length films.

I'm still trying to figure out why some of the people here have given this book negative reviews. Of course, I respect people's opinions and the fact they might not necessarily jibe with my own all the time but I have to say that for anyone to say that they thought the book was a waste of time is just dumbfounding to me.

This book is a transcript of a lecture given by Walter Murch, award winning editor of several classic films, most notably The Conversation, The English Patient and Apocalypse Now. The first thing that hit me about the book was how well written it was. It's an easy read but Murch is eloquent and engaging enough to make this an extremely enjoyable read through.

Anyone looking for a book describing to you exactly how to edit a film is going to be disappointed with this because that's not what this book is about. Murch assumes that you already know how to edit, at least in the technical sense. It's about the ideas and philosophies that go into it and how to prepare for it beforehand. Anybody can learn how to edit a film but to do it in a fresh and exciting way that make the story of the film you are editing flow naturally and logically is what Murch is attempting to speak of. His theory about the blink of an eye (which I will leave you to read about, if you are at all interested) is something I never thought of and actually served to make me reconsider my views on editing.

Murch is an old school editor but he takes the time to praise the move from analog to digital editing in the book's second half, an inevitable change that has been a long time coming. It's nice to see someone from the old school embracing the new technologies and give a candid write up about the systems pros and cons.

I found this book to be very well put together and I really enjoyed reading all he had to say. It's further proof that we need to heed the words of the masters before they are no longer with us as I can barely imagine any of the young, fresh out of film school editors having anything this meaningful and important to say about the editing process.

Murch is brilliant, there is no doubt of that, and I found this book to be quite inspiring. It is certainly not a guide to how to operate an editing system, (be it analog or digital,) or even a means of telling you how to assemble wide shots and close ups into a cohesive narrative.

It is about how Murch approaches a project. How he creates. Aspiring and seasoned editors alike can take much from this short work, and incorporate it into their own style and approach. I don't think that I will ever look at film the same way after his anecdote about blinking and editing "The Conversation."

Many reviewers have mentioned that they expected more, (length, content, etc.) I wanted more myself, but I think Murch says all he needed to say. It is WELL worth the read. I suggest getting it from a library, reading it, and then deciding if you wish to add it to your own library.

I now own a copy, and expect to consult it in future for every editing project that proves difficult.

Maggie333 wrote:

"like Stephen Spielberg who bought up every Motorola editing system".

That's "Movieola", not "Motorola".

The cell phone generation...

It's a magnificent guide to understand the process of filmmaking and the craft of film editting. Walter Murch uses the phsycollogy to explain the process of the audience when watch a movie.

It's like having a conversation with a really smart, educated and thoughtful person on a variety of topics relating to film. I feel angry with the people who gave it negative reviews because it's not a textbook about editing; it's not intended to be. Don't troll-rate a book because you don't know how to find a book on the subject you're looking for.

Although offering a much appreciated contemplation into the abstract "CUT," Mr. Murch cuts THIS scene way too early. He introduces his main thesis in the last pages of this short book and leaves the reader with an insight that may be summarized in one sentence. I read it in one sitting and blinked blinked blinked again in astonishment when the afterward appeared, concerning digital editing and spanning half(!) of the book -- completely irrelevant to the theory just suggested.

Offering a rare and much appreciated contemplation into the abstract concept of the cinematic "CUT," with a master's intelligence and understanding of the psychology and aesthetics of the medium, Mr. Murch cuts THIS scene way too early. Immediately after his main thesis is introduced in the last pages of this short book, he leaves the reader with an insight that may be summarized in one sentence. I read it in one sitting and blinked blinked blinked again in astonishment when the afterward appeared, concerning digital editing and spanning half(!) of the book -- completely irrelevant to the theory just suggested.

To merely explain "what film editing is" would be worth the price of this book, and
what I expect when I read a book on film editing, but this book goes far beyond that.

This book almost effortlessly explains "why film editing works," "how film editing works,"
and "what the human experience expects and wants from film editing."

It does this in an engaging style, with a remarkably-few,
well-chosen words. This is a truly great little book.

It teaches some slippery concepts easily, with simple historical examples.
(How filmmaking is like opera, or like music, or literature or art, for example.)

Its concepts are clear, and they stick in the mind, and return
to one later, usually while in the middle of doing something else.

That means to me that not only my conscious mind
understands what Mr. Murch has written, but my
unconscious mind as well.

I am very grateful for that, as
my unconscious mind is my source.

Mr. Walter Murch is not only one of the most gifted film editors ever,
he has clearly thought and mulled and quantified what he knows in his bones,
so that others can learn from it.

Beethoven wrote great music, (and, according to Mr. Murch, was one of
the fathers of cinema), but did Beethoven write a little book that explained
what he was trying to do, or the principles behind it, or what he had learned
about how it worked, and how to make future projects work in the same way?

No, alas. I've read letters from Beethoven, but found
his process elusive. Nothing wrong with that, his music
certainly stands on its own, but how much better would
it have been, to have some great little book like this one?

To the film artist, this little book is a gift from God.
A glimpse into the process of a very gifted man.

It explains what the principles of film editing are,
where to look for them, how they came about.
All from a great artist in the form.

As for my calling it a "little book," I mean no disrespect.
It's hard to make something complex look easy, even harder
to say that in only a few words.

Its brevity is part of its genius.

I got this book in the mail and i finished reading it the same day. Walter Murch can write so compellingly well while delivering an exteremly great portrayal of the Artistry behind Editing Film.

I'm so glad I purchased this book. Anybody who is interested in editing, should definitely read this.

Movies to his credit include: Cold Mountain, English Patient, Apocalypse Now, Godfather III, Julia (ofcourse he's done more, but those are great popular choices)

OK I can't believe the guy who was looking for tips on how to put a scene together. I have been a film and commercial editor for 25 years and Mr. Murch's work is what all who have ever wanted to be an editor look up to. The joy of this book is that it doesn't delve into the nuts and bolts of editing-which is the worst part of my craft-but it focuses on the zen of editing, which is the true joy. I have had the opportunity to cut nine feature films in my life and before I started each one, I read "In the Blink of an Eye" to get me back in that feature film mindframe. God Bless Mr. Murch for his insights. As a fellow editor-and I struggle to live up to the bar you have raised for us-I can only bow down and thank Mr. Murch for passing on his knowledge to us.

This book lies on the fence between a biography book and a conversation between a mentor and his apprentice. Walter Murch is known for his career as an editor and sound designer on movies like "Apocolypse Now" (original and "redux"), "The Conversation," "American Graffiti," "The Godfather (pt 2 & 3)," "Ghost," "The English Patient," and "The Talented Mr. Ripley."

I completely enjoyed this book, and highly recommended it to anyone who is interested in film/video editing. Murch gives advice to those people who are curious about the business, and insight to those who simply enjoy watching movies. This book was required reading for a video editing class I attended in college, and it's one of those rare college "textbooks" I greatly enjoyed reading from cover to cover. For me this is one of those books that I wouldn't mind reading again just for the heck of it. I hope you will enjoy it as well.

This book is a transcript of W. Murch's lecture on the theory and practice of film editing, edited for print and updated to include recent developments in NLE's (Non-linear editing systems).
A real eye opener. This was my first contact with Mr. Murch's perspective on film editing and I was blown away. Through psychological theory and a clear and grounded perspective on the practice of editing (developed from years of experience), he explores how we relate the film experience to our real-life experience and why film and film editing work as a compelling and coherent medium. Since reading this book I have passed it on to all of my film maker friends and they have all raved about it. Before you begin another film or video project, READ THIS BOOK.

No one doubts Walter Murch's accomplishments, artistry or expertise, right? So I have to wonder where the anti-NLE crowd stands now that Walter Murch himself has thrown the moviola over to cut Anthony Minghella's "Cold Mountain" on Apple's Final Cut Pro?

The book by the way, is fine, as far as it goes, which in my opinion isn't far enough. Techology discussions should be left out of books, which I think should stand the test of time, versus say a magazine interview. I'd rather know much more than this book offers on how Walter Murch sees a cut. Mr. Murch had sensible things to say about editing digitally seven or eight years ago, but that's a very long time in the computer world, and now he's a convert to NLE (for one major film at least).

Editing, I think, has more to do with artistry and a sense of story and composition than it does technology. I don't see a direct benefit achieved by "touching the film" and standing at the table. If you've never touched a piece of film or stood at an editing table, you can't be a good editor? Come on. The editor from Milwaukee said things along the lines of thinking about the best possible cuts, and why they are the best. Any good editor should do this, irrespective of gear. Tell me why, exactly, a thoughtful, creative, organized and visonary editor does better with one technology than another?

I have nothing against the old way of doing things, and if that's what makes for someone's best work, fine, let them do it. Whatever works best for you is the right thing to use.

But for those who refuse to even consider digital editing, try finding a typewriter store in your area sometime. NLE's are a baby technology, and they are the future. It's hard to think how the moviola is going to be improved. A good editor, I think, will find the current generation of NLE's (FCP4) a pleasure to work on, though the almost infinite choice the NLE presents can be daunting.