Before we had digital editing systems (which is a video/audio editing workstation), the majority, if not all, films were produced by using a positive copy of the film negative which was called a work print. A work print was the technique of cutting and pasting together pieces of film, and then using a 'splicer' to thread the film onto a machine such as the Moviola.
I researched what 'Moviola' is and found that it is a machine that allowed an editor to view film whilst they were editing it. It was the first ever machine created for film (motion picture) and was invented by Iwan Serrurier in 1924.
It allows the editor to view and analyse each individual shot in their workstation, and therefore allow them to determine where the best point would be to cut the film.
Another piece of equipment I came across was the 'Steenbeck', which is more known for sound editing. It was mostly used to control the process by being able to control the speed of a piece of equipment and also having the restoration facilities which allow prints to be inspected quickly, creating less risk of damage to the original piece, compared to a movie projector.
In the present, most films are produced and edited digitally, (using programs such as Avid & Final Cut) and don't use the film workprint at all. Previous to the digital development, the use of film positive was often used to allow the film editor to experiment freely with the film, without risking damage to the original pieces of film.
When the film's work print had been cut to a high enough standard for the editor to work with, it was then used to create an EDL (Edit Decision List), which was then used by the negative cutter to allow them to split shots into rolls, which were contact printed to create the final film.
This was quite interesting to research, because it shows how differently people within the industry have had to work and adapt with the changes and developments in technology.
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