Match-On-Action is an editing technique whereby the audience don't see the cuts, and they almost disappear in the sequence. This technique is also known as continuity editing, the audience notice a flow of action and the cuts are not noticeable. An example of where Match-On-Action is used is where someone is walking up to a door, and they open the door. The cut happens when they enter the room and the door is still open to where it was in the last shot.Here is where we used continuity, to show the natural flow of life and make it seem like there is no camera filming. I done this by making them open the door and walk through , this is because if I told them to stop before walking through it would look blatant that it isn't natural. Once they walked out I stop filming and told them to again walk out of the door having in mind that when I come to edit I can cut it so that it looks natural. I believe I did cut it well and that the audience aren't able to notice that there is even a cut.
180-Degree Ruleis an important technique which means that whilst filming you should always imagine an invisible line in the center of the screen. It is mostly used to show the communication between two characters, or a conversation. The camera must stay in one side of the screen and the cuts shouldn't change the way the camera is put. If the line is crossed the audience may feel disorientated by this because one character is positioned in a different place.These two shots show how I have stuck to the 180 degree rule, because the camera is always on the same side of the screen. This was important to achieve because then my audience are not disoriented by what is happening on screen. I think if was to move the camera to the other side of the twins position and so we saw Hannah closer to the camera than Elizabeth then the look and feel of the camera movements would make the audience feel uncomfortable.
Shot-Reverse-Shot is another editing technique, this is used in the context of a conversation too, or even a fight. A SRS is where the camera shows one character but then cuts to the other character who the first was talking to. The shots don't usually last long, and during this conversation it may cut up to 10 times depending on the alternation of the dialogue.
Here I have used a shot-reverse-shot to show the conversation between Hannah and Elizabeth, when they're talking about their due Business home learning. This technique allows the audience to not only see the conversation between them and how they interact but also their relationship. As they are twins this technique is a good way of showing their relationship and the way they as twins interact.
It also somewhat makes the audience feel as though they're behind them as the camera acts as the audiences eyes so they feel welcomed and interactive with the conversation, some may even personally identify with them if they're doing the same/similar subject. I have also stuck to the 180-degree rule of keeping the camera at one side of the screen, as I haven't gone to the other side of the twins.
Parallel Editingis a technique used where there are two situations happening at the same time, in a scene. The shots cut from the first situation to the other , which could be something completely not relatable. A good example is the parallel editing in the film 'Godfather'.
Here we see a parallel edit where Hannah is in one place listening to music and waisting time and Elizabeth is in another place reading her book and not waiting time. I think I have used this technique effectively to show a contrast between the twins, because although
they are like each other in many ways, the same can't be said for their efforts in school. This also goes well with the story behind this short film where one twin has a completely different personality to the other and the editing techniques help to illustrate this. The audience will benefit from this technique because they are shown two different situations which keeps them interested in the scene as it changes from one to another.
A graphic match is a technique where the audience see a shot of something (an object) and it cuts to something else, that doesn't relate to it at all, but has the same shape. The idea is that the audience are able to make a link between these two objects and create an impression from it.
Here I have tried hard to get a graphic match between the two girls, where I used Hannah's ear ring and Elizabeth's earphones, and added a dissolve for it dissolve into the other. This graphic match works well here because it is the same idea with the parallel edit, where one twin is working hard the other has her earphones on and is not being serious about school. This is a good way of contrasting two personalities and especially them being twins.
I think it could have been done better and certainly the focus let me down, also the dissolve isn't really noticeable which isn't what I wanted. Therefore, I should've improved this during the editing as an improvement.
This editing technique is one which is commonly used within cinema, the purpose of using multiple points of view is to make the camera act as various people's perspectives this gives them a varied response and their different reactions.
An example of this would be ''The good, the Bad and the Ugly'' where the three men are standing apart from each other, and looking at each other. We get many things from this, where the camera stays on their faces for a long time (max 10 seconds) and they each look at one another. The director has chosen to do this in order to show us their feelings towards each other, in line with their facial expressions which also helps us understand their feelings of hate and frustration.
The audience after seeing the characters expressions will understand what each character thinks of the other even if they they don't talk it is the camera and mise-en-scene which defines this.
Another example of where a point of view shot is shown, is in the film Vertigo. This is a scene from the film, where the character walks into an art gallery, and the cut happens when he looks at something. This is done to show us the audience what this character is looking at exactly, this helps up understand what is happening in the scene and make sense of why he is looking at what he is looking at. Then there is another cut where it cuts back to the character and as they move around the gallery and fix there eyes on something else the cut occurs and we see a different shot of what he is again looking at. When these shots are used effectively in a subjective way they can really impact an audience, as they can put you into the eyes of that character, or even their head letting you enter their thoughts within the scene.
Following The Action
This is a technique whereby the cuts almost act as a movement, as the action is happening the cuts are showing the audience every detail be following what is happening. Although it is hard to notice it, but this is a technique most commonly used in film genres like; Science fiction/thriller.
The example I am going to use is the chase scene from the film 'Transformers'. This film is an action/adventure film and was released in 27th July 2007, and has been one of Michael Bay's most successful films so far. I thought this was a good choice for following the action because there is some really fierce action in this film, which is done in a dramatic but interesting and clever way. For example this scene shows the transformers racing along a street and their enemy is trying to catch them in order to defeat them and win the battle, however this isn't just shown through one angle/shot or camera movement of course. The cuts that happen each time a machine is pushed to a side road or we see fire lash as a result of one of the cars/vehicles crashing into another. This is good as it allows the audience to understand the situation in a serious way, as in they are focused to it as if it is something that would actually happen in real life in such a dramatic way. On the other hand, some may take this scene as a reality check if they are drivers, as they could think about perhaps what they do when driving and how to avoid speeding because it would result in what is happening in the scene. Also, as the cuts happen we are always seeing new things happen, so although the action is being followed with the cuts, every time there is something new such as someone's reaction for example. Shot Variation
In an edited sequence there are normal cuts , and cuts which are done to show a different shot type. This is mainly done in order to introduce a new shot type and show the audience something different in the scene, for instance is there was a long shot then it cut to an extreme close up, the audience are able to see an item much clearer and easier. Shot variation is a similar thing, the editor will combine many different shots in one scene to get a variation of shots. I think the movies which will most have this technique are ones with action/thriller or adventure genres, because the pace has to be quick for the audience to stay engaged. The film 'HomeFront' demonstrates this well, where the shots are cut with a fast pace and they only last 2-3 seconds, this is good because if it lasted a longer time then I think the scene wouldn't be as engaging as it is.
Manipulation of Diegetic Space and Time
Manipulation of diegetic space and time is where the editing slows down time, speeds and cuts through events. The idea of speeding up time in movies is very effective when trying to get an emotion from an audience. This can benefit both producers/ directors as well as he audience, in various ways.
The example I am going to use is the fight scene in 'Gladiator' by director Ridley Scott. The scene shows the two characters fighting and the editing speeds up the action. The camera is always moving and there are countless shot types, done simply to keep the fight looking realistic, so that the audience feel as though this is what a fight is like. Another thing is the duration of each shot where it only lasts 2-3 seconds and cuts to the next shot and so on, this is done to avoid the audience getting bored and uninterested. This is purposely done by directors to add to the drama and intensity of the fight. The audience gain excitement because they feel as though the characters are actually fighting for real.
However this development in fast pace editing has only recently been used fight sequences because before fight sequences used to be very different to what they have become now.
For instance in the film 'Robin Hood' the sword fight sequence is different in many ways, one being the limited variation of shot types where the camera is static and we don't get a sense of movement, so this makes the scene become quite bland and even unrealistic. In 'Gladiator' the medium close-ups of the swords going into the opponents stomach then another quick cut to a shot showing his reaction, is going to look more realistic because we can see that the characters are being injured as a result of the attack from the other opponent. This technique helps to manipulate diegetic time and space because in real life people generally fight quickly or at a certain pace, as its just human nature to retaliate quick in a fight situation. In order to manipulate the diegetic or normal life way of fighting directors (editors more preferably) decide to edit in this way in order to satisfy their audience.
Another way of slowing down time to manipulate space is to slow down the action in the sequence. This is seen in the film 'Wanted' where the time is slowed down as well as reversed. We see the bullet being fired and it shoots in slow motion and goes through the victims head, then the time is reversed where the bullet goes back in slow motion. The producer has decided to do this because they want the audience to feel the same effect the bullet had on the victim character, usually a bullet can travel at a very high speed and by slowing this, you're allowing more information for the audience to get out of the scene.
The effect an audience get is the emotion they feel, where the blood goes back into the victims head (in slow motion). This is effective to an audience because they get to see the slow effect of a bullet , it makes them think of the dangers surrounding guns and they're more aware of this through this scene. Also, the distance that the bullet travels is quite a long way, this tells the audience that the person who fired the bullet is skilful and experienced.
In-Camera Editing
Recently , in class we looked at in-camera editing which is best known as editing that is done within a camera, this means that you record each shot without deleting anything. I have noticed in-camera editing through long takes and thought I should include it in my blog. Long takes are simply shots that go on for a long period of time before cutting to the next shot. Usually done with a moving camera, long takes are often used to build suspense or capture the attention of audience without breaking their concentration by cutting the film, into apparent sequences of shots. In a way I think that this is effective because it not only keeps the audience engaged but also interested and actively responsive with the film.
The opening scene from Robert Zemeckis’ Forrest Gump follows a feather blowing in the wind, eventually landing on the foot of the protagonist (Tom Hanks) who then goes on to pick it up and put it in his suitcase. This scene can be interpreted as a metaphor for the whole movie, as the feather represents Forrest. Just as the feather blows around for what seems like forever, going where the wind takes it until it eventually lands in a safe place, Forrest seems to just blow aimlessly through life, going wherever life and fate may take him with out too much consideration of his own, until he eventually lands in a happy place. So by using this technique it is useful when telling a story and portraying an idea , just like in this example. Although it isn't so obvious the technique is a mystery in itself. I can't grantee that I will use a long take in my short film , because my time is limited to only 4 minutes , therefore it will be difficult to fit in such a long lasting shot. The obvious use for an audience watching would be engagement through information- they're are suspiciously engaged and want to what will happen next, the only clue they have is that what will happen next is unexpected. The take allows the audience to social interact, being inquisitive about the scene and the paranoia that it conveys. The long take showing us the travels of this feather , also gives us an establishing shot of the city , which is always good when trying to work out the location.
Film Film editing is an important part of the film industry, and has been developing over the years. In most cases film editing can be used to convey a story with the use of many techniques and camera angles which help show elements of the film in a certain way. Film editing is a much longer process than video editing, also because films are on for more than one hour there are more people needed in the process of the film. This has now been replaced with a memory card. Film editing used to be done by physically cutting the individual shots using scissors and glue. As the world is rapidly changing so is film editing.
Video
Video editing is another way of editing a film sequence. It includes the same things such as telling a story with techniques and shots that can convey a certain feeling/view or fact. One downside to video editing is that it can be time consuming to run the video into a computer, split into clips, edit every clip, add effects and render. Another issue with video editing is the cost of editing video. This includes the money spent on a computer, camera, editing software, DVD and a DVD burner etc. This can cause inconvenience as not everyone has a huge sum of money to spend on all of these individual items. There is obviously also VHS, which was the old ''video'' before DVD's came about. The main problem with VHS's is concerned around their quality, where it can be difficult to re-use them multiple times after the first use, as their quality deteriorates quickly which makes it almost useless.
Analogue
Analogue editing machine
This type of editing is what was used before film had turned into digital editing, so before computers were used analogue editing was done by using your hands. The way it was used was you had a copy of the original film where all the footage went into when it was being filmed. Then you would take the film and cut it in different sections to create the cutaways. With analogue editing, it then would have to be fed into a machine, I think this shows how much editing techniques have developed and changed over the years, and now it is all done by a computer.
Digital
Computer editing
This type of editing is the modern method of editing a film and video sequence. It is done on a computer software program for example Final Cut pro, Premium Pro , Adobe etc. The film footage is imported into the system and you simple drag and drop it into a timeline where you can start editing it straight away, many things are available to you for use such as filters and transitions or sound effects or music.
Match on action also known as continuity editing is where the cuts happen so that the audience are made to notice them. In other words it tries to make something that is not naturally happening flow as if there were no cuts and the audience can relate the film to natural life. This scene is from Sylvester Stallone’s Rocky IV. Here we see a match on action. The camera stays at relatively the same level, with a few zooms in or out. The matches on action are used to keep the fight realistic looking, as well as to keep a certain character in focus/at the center of the screen. This is effective because it allows for the audience to not feel disoriented or uncomfortable whilst watching. The audience also benefit because they are in the place of the actual audience in this scene, which makes them feel involved and welcomed to the fight again getting them excited to watch on. The audience may also benefit as some may find a common ground with the characters , they will personally identify with the fighting if they were perhaps always a fighter who has anger issues. Another way the audience will benefit is through catharsis they will gain pleasure from watching people being hurt. Therefore this editing technique opens doors for many audience gratifications.
180 Degree Rule
This is an editing technique used to keep everything in composition on screen. The rule is that if for instance there are two characters on screen communicating, there is always an imaginary line across the middle of the screen for which they should not cross! If they do and the camera is position as to show them in a different position then this break the 180 degree rule, and results in your audience becoming disoriented at the change. The example to here is from the film 'Wolf of Wall Street', where the camera stays to one side of the screen as the two characters converse. This is a good example because the audience are not made to feel uncomfortable about the shifting of the camera as it follows the 180-degree rule, which allows for the audience to watch without feeling disoriented. If the camera were to move to the other side of the table and we saw the Leonardo De'Caprio character to the right instead of the left and the other character to the left and not the right, we would notice something wrong with their positions, therefore it is important to stick to this rule and keep the camera on one side, so that you don't cross the 'imaginary line' and disorientate your audience. To add, the audience benefit from this technique as they're offered engagment as this is similar somewhat to the shot-reverse-shot technique where the audinece feel welcome to a conversation or communication between two people, this is usually the case with these two techniques.
Cutting to the Beat
Cutting to the beat is an editing technique done to synchronise the scene in line with the music. It is done by cutting each shot with a beat in the music. Many music videos are more likely to use this editing technique, because it is in a music video where you're going to find music with beats etc. I have found this example of a music video , which I think best displays what cutting to the beat is. The cuts happen in line with the beat, and it is done very effectively. The director would have chosen to do this in order to enhance on the music , because without having this there would be no point of having the music playing in the background. In music videos where it is acoustics and the artist is singing without any background music, we have less cuts because there is no beat to flow with the cut. This technique is good for getting your audience excited about the song and the more cuts you have the more energized your audience will feel about the song. Music videos are popular with young adolescents or teenagers because of the style of editing. The 'MTV Era' helps us understand how we as young people have become used to quick pace editing and cuts, and this is primarily why we enjoy these music videos as a pose to an older audience.
Shot Reverse Shot
The clip below, from Terry Zwigoff’s 'Bad Santa', we see an over the shoulder Shot Reverse Shot. This, combined with eye-line matches between the two main characters shows how focused each is on the other. This a good technique because it shows that they are engaged with one another. The over the shoulder technique allows the viewer to see the facial expressions of each character while listening or speaking. More importantly, the over the shoulder technique creates a sense of space between the characters greater than the actual distance between them. This keeps our audience disorientated and just makes things feel comfortable to watch. It could also show space between each characters standpoint, making the screen not look cramped and again helps to ease the viewer eye.
Montage
This editing technique is where a large amount of time is condensed, and this is done through the cuts and sometimes by using a series of events which have developed / led up to the final outcome. The example I am giving is a scene from the film 'Raging Bull' ,which shows a lifetime worth of events condensed into a three and a half minute cut. This editing technique helps create a quicker way of displaying something, a montage condenses time but makes time look like a story, which technically it is. The series of events we see in the clip are shown in videos and pictures, so all are a memorabilia to the character, right from when he formed a relationship to when his children grew up we're obnoxiously unaware that in fact all of these events happened over a lifetime, but with the montage it is impossible to realize this.
Jump-Cuts
A Jump-Cut is where one shot seems to be abruptly interrupted. Typically the background will change while the individuals stay the same, or vice versa. An example that I have found of this editing style can be seen in the following clip from Capote (2005). Here the character who is being detained and about to be strangled is seen looking nervously at the bishop , seconds later there is a quick jump cut , showing an over the shoulder shot of the victim and the bishop begins talking. This is an effective way of showing two interactions happening at once, and saving time. We know what happened to the victim- his head was covered with a bag.
The audience are offered information , because as we're behind the victim we feel his situation and empathizes with him, not only this but we're also offered entertainment through two perspectives- the first would be being entertained with passion as we're experiencing something that we're not used to making us excited to be involved and engaged or having a cathartic attitude towards it. The other could be seen as simply being entertained by the ruthless character who is the bishop and his representation where the edit unveils how unexpected situations or life can turn out to be.
Cutaways
The final sequence gives us a Point-of-View shot from the angle of the “Genji” warrior (shown in white) to the “Heike” gunman in red as he is shot to the ground. In this sequence, we also have an example of a continuous as the Heike man first falls to the ground and we cut to him closer up on the ground in the same position. This Heike warrior is first shown standing up; though he is very small, you can see him in the distance. After the Genji warrior takes aim and fires at him, you notice him drop in the background towards where the Genji warrior has his gun aimed; the cut away comes as the camera cuts to him falling down. I think this is done to show the audience the result of an action, where the cut helps us make sense of what has happened as a result of something else. This is useful for directors and editors I think because it is part of their storytelling and without a cutaway the audience would not be able to understand why for instance someone threw a knife at someone but we didn't see where the knife went or whether it actually hit the person intended.
Parallel Editing
Parallel editing is a technique used to portray multiple lines of action, occurring in different places, simultaneously. In most but not all cases of this technique, these lines of action are occurring at the same time. These different sequences of events are shown simultaneously because there is usually some type of connection between them. The first clip is from No Country For Old Men directed by the Coen Brothers, and the second is from Batman: The Dark Knight directed by Christopher Nolan.
In this first clip, we see parallel editing used primarily to add suspense to the situation. At first, the intervals between showing Lewelyn and Anton are relatively long, but as they shorten later on in the sequence, additional suspense is added. Just as we see in the previous clips from the film, there are many eye-line matches shown for both of the characters. I personally enjoy The Coen Brothers films, because they're entertaining from all angles ; sound, editing , camera language etc. This example, is one which demonstrates the effectiveness of parallel editing, when two things are happening and they're both shown at the same time , it adds an element of distraction. By this I mean although it is good for keeping us interested and engaged to keep watching , it can also distract us, this is because we're naturally not used to multi-tasking or simultaneously doing two things at once, which spares us away from feeling comfortable watching this. The Coen brothers in this case or any other director may choose to include this technique for multiple reasons, for example to get a feeling of intensity , as we see in many action movies the action is built through parallel editing . They may also choose this technique to allow their audience to instead of look at two things happening at once , consider each one individually and judge for themselves.
Transitions : Wipes
A transition in editing is done to join two scenes together this of course comes in many forms, for instance a wipe would be a transition. A wipe is where there is a wipe across the screen and the wipe is between the last scene going on to the next, in a way it is a more welcoming way of introducing a scene than using abrupt cuts. The example I am going to be giving is from the animated film 'Puss in Boots' where a series of wipes are used in line with the slow pace of the shots. This is done in this instance to slow down the action where the milk has been thrown on the floor, also as milk is quite a priority to cats it is done on purpose to emphasis this. The wipes are positioned on the screen quite cleverly as well, where as the action happens there is a reaction to it with another wipe underneath, showing the other cats reactions. This technique is a manipulating one because it almost guides our eyes as the wipe is wiping, the audience don't have the freedom to look where they want. This benefits an audience because they aren't following the action through the normal cuts but in another different way, which is always interesting as it's not a commonly used technique. A director could benefit from this because it means that by the digital editing their work because easier, as they won't have to think of how they're going to portray a scene like this one.
Transitions : Fade in/ Out
Fades are also a type of transition in editing, fading in is where the screen gradually goes black and fades out again into the next scene. It is done for many reasons; for instance to show a development of something you may want to use a fade in and out, a past of time is also a reason for using this technique, or perhaps events that have happened in a film means you need to show the characters moving on by fading in and out.
The example to the right is from the movie 'To Catch A Thief'. This shows good use of the technique of fade in and fade out.
Transition : Dissolves
Dissolves are a type of transition used in editing. A dissolves will occur between two scenes and is a soft 'dissolve' of the scene to the next, as an editing technique it is used quite commonly because of its purpose which is either to show a lapse of time or to introduce the next scene. The example below displays what a dissolve looks like. As the character walks away the dissolve happens when he leaves the room, and it dissolves into the next scene where we see a newspaper held by a man. The audience are benefiting from this technique because they aren't given an abrupt cut which is perhaps more of an aggressive way introducing the next shot. The director may choose to add this as an editing technique in order to allow for their audience to feel relaxed when watching the film, so that they're are led peacefully throughout each shot.
Storytelling is a vital element in film making, it is the overriding part of the whole production which makes it the thing which needs the most attention, I think. Editing is said to be another way of storytelling a film, as you can change the narrative and play with the sequence as you wish.
The example, I will talk about is from the children's film 'Horrid Henry the Movie' which is about a young boy called Henry, otherwise known as 'horrid henry' who gets into mischief and ends up having to save his school. There are many times in the film where there is a use of direct address and Henry is talking to the audience, however I am going to be explaining using one example why it is an effective editing technique and the audience's benefit.
Firstly, when a character talks directly to the camera, this is rarely seen in films, perhaps more often in documentaries but not as much in films. This is because the whole purpose of a film is that it is not supposed to be interactive in that sense, and the characters are supposed to act in the story, not verbally tell it to us. Therefore, when using it, it has to be done pretty well for it to be effective, this example is good for direct address because of the films target audience and the characters.
I think the target audience for this film would probably be people between the ages of 7-25 , all races and ethnicity's and a socio economic of D's-B's. The fact that children are predominately the ones who will watch this type of movie means that by having a child directly address them, they can feel relatable and comfortable watching.
When Henry talks he is either asking questions, making statements or just having a conversation with the audience which to me is effective as it allows for the audience to feel welcome and interested, it is also an interactive way of watching something. This is effective also for storytelling because it changes the normal way of a film putting across a story to its audience, where in this case we have the normal way with characters acting and not looking into the camera mixed with the direct address which occurs often throughout this way the audience are kept engaged.
Engaging the viewer
This is another way of making your film stand out and gain viewers, it is important to engage your audience as much as possible to make sure that you don't lose their interest or attention. One way you could engage your viewer is by having a musical or series of songs, this is therefore useful because you can use quick cuts to cut to the beat. The example I will use is from the 2014 film 'Annie' which was a remake of the original, this is a film which includes many songs and the editing is done effectively to go with it. The techniques used in this film help to convey the story effectively to the viewer, and engage them. The way the viewers are engaged as a technique is done through using camera language, sound and lighting and not for getting the eat the film is cut and edited.
Development of Drama
Development of drama in a film with editing is significant when showing for instance bad and good (conflict). The theorist Levi-Strauss, came up with the theory of 'Binary opposites' which means that every film needs a good and bad character in order for the audience to stay engaged. This means that the purpose of editing to develop drama is done to engage an audience through for instance having two opposite characters.
This is an example of development of drama, from the film, 'Scream 4' where at first the cuts are slow as the atmosphere is calm and the characters as relaxing. The cuts then speed up faster and faster as the climax is built. Many techniques are used in this scene, such as a point of view shot where it is corresponding with what the other character on the phone is saying. This cut helps build up the atmosphere and more importantly, allows the audience to feel as though they're in the room too and experiencing everything as the camera is acting as their eyes.
Relationship to Genre
A film genre is simply a category which the film is placed in according to the narrative/characters or generally what the film makes us feel/ think etc. For instance a horror genre in a film would make us feel frightened. The purpose of relating the genre to the film, can me done easily with editing. By this I mean, for example, if the film was an action film then we would expect the editing to be at pace , because there is a lot happening in an action sequence that holding still on one shot will take that sense of urge, this is why quick editing cuts in action movies get us as an audience excited.
Editing, as it has developed has changed the way in which it tells the story of the film, the clip below shows how a horror film is editing to relate to the genre.
Creating Motivation
Creating motivation can be done very effectively and successfully using many editing styles. Not only this but also lighting and sound is a key to create any specific emotion from your audience, this is good when trying to motivate them into doing something.
The example which best displays this seen in the film 'The Pursuit of Happiness'' where Will Smith is talking to his son (character not real life). The scene convey's many aesthetics which
Firstly, the audience feel emotions such as happiness through the music we hear which is quite calm and slow in pace, it reminds me a bit of resilience and feeling as though their is success somewhere for you. The character is portrayed as a caring father who watches over his child and looks out for him, guiding him to success. A father watching this may feel motivated because he can personally identify with the father character, also he may want to either improve his relationship with his child or start again. I think it is truly motivating in terms of the music and if the scene didn't have this element it would take away from the intended feeling the producers want from the audience.
An eye-line match is also used where the camera is at the same level as the Jaden Smith character
whilst he talks with his father and the camera is seen at the same level as the Will Smith. Through these high and low angel shots an eye-line match is created to show two things; the first being authority, this means that the camera is at a high angle to show the vulnerability of the child and how he has many years to come for which he needs the support and motivation from his father.
The low angle makes the father character look superior to the child where it an This editing technique is useful when trying to represent the character, in this instance the father character is represented as an aspiration person for the child because of this we feel motivated as well.
Combining shots into sequences
This technique is similar to shot variation in the sense that many shots are put into a sequence and together make up the scene. The example I will be looking at is this famous scene from the film 'No Country For Old Men', where the shots that are combined into the sequence make up 14 mins worth of footage. Firstly, at 0:06 we see a long shot showing all three characters, where two are in the far corner in the background and one is much closer to the screen showing more of him than the other two. Following this at 2:21 we see three medium close-ups of each character, one by one. This sets the context for what is about to happen, which works well as the audience are made aware of what may potentially happen next.
Creating pace
Creating pace through editing can sometimes be a challenge, but for some of the world's most successful films, this challenge seems to be overcome quite easily. The film 'Mission Impossible 2' shows this editing purpose being used effectively.
0:23 there are a total of 10 different shot types being used to convey a build up of plot and action. We can see from these first 23 seconds , that there is something which will happen, even though the characters didn't speak at all. An audience would find this interesting to watch as they would grow more excited, having experienced this build up through a number of fast pace 2-3 second shots.
Task 1: 10 Step guide for uploading your footage into Final Cut Pro.
Step One: Plug the charger and USB lead into camera. Then press the ‘On’ button.
Step Two: Go into the footage section in the camera. Select the footage you’d like to use.
Step Three: Open up Final Cut Pro, once up click ‘File’ then ‘New’ then ‘Project’.
Step Four:A pop up will appear, where you will need to give your project a name, then press Ok.
Step Five: Either press the arrow facing down on the navigator bar with the tools OR go to file then hover the mouse on the import button and click on Media.
Step Six: A ‘media import’ window will appear, on the left hand side you will see sub-titles named ‘Cameras’, ‘Devices’, ‘Favorites’.
Step Seven: You will then see your camera’s name pop up in the ‘Cameras’ section, click this and double click ‘Import all’ your footage should automatically upload to the projects window.
Step Eight: Click on the footage, you may want to select your first scene.
Step Nine: Drag this down to the timeline and continue doing this for all the scenes until everything is on the timeline.
Step Ten: Once all the scenes are on the timeline, your virtually ready to start editing your film, there are tools and features that are available for you to include in your film, should you wish to. Now your footage is uploaded you can drag it to the timeline and start editing!
Here I have tried hard to get a graphic match between the two girls, where I used Hannah's ear ring and Elizabeth's earphones, and added a dissolve for it dissolve into the other. This graphic match works well here because it is the same idea with the parallel edit, where one twin is working hard the other has her earphones on and is not being serious about school. This is a good way of contrasting two personalities and especially them being twins.
