Alyx Entwistle
Parallel editing is when two scenes are edited together which create a seamless scene which make out that the two separate scenes are happening at the same time. It is very similar to cross cutting.
Parallel editing is when the editor shows two different scenes of action but makes them relate in some way. It can be simple but easy for the viewer to pick up on. It is a good technique to use in film as it puts emphasis on other characters which make the story much more interesting. DW Griffith was known for the first ever parallel action.
An example of parallel editing in film occurs during the 1991 film ‘Silence of the Lambs’. We see the police gather round a house; throughout the scene we believe it to be the home of the serial killer, Buffalo Bill. The parallel editing takes place when we see inside the house; Buffalo Bill is keeping a young woman hostage. Outside the police are planning their raid. After a minute and half or so, the doorbell rings. We see the police knock on the door. It is an undercover cop pretending to be a delivery man. The audience is surprised however as when Buffalo Bill answers the door, Clarice Starling (Jodie Foster) appears. It becomes apparent that the police have gone to the wrong house, and the rookie cop Starling has walked into the house of a serial killer all by herself.
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