Editing is mostly used to keep films moving from one scene to the the next such as using traditional edits such as jump cuts and very simplistic editing (Cutting to a different shot). Although editing is used to form different scenes and keep the film moving, Editing can be used to create stylised and interesting sequences within film by using a variety of different editing techniques. To show how different editing techniques are used within cinema i will be analysing a clip from the film 'City Of God' (2002). The scene which i will be analysing is the opening sequence in which a street gang is chasing a chicken through the streets of Rio de Janeiro and we are introduced to the main protagonist of the film. The scene opens with a variety of fast paced jump cuts which shows close up shots of people dancing and cooking food which is to create a very vibrant and lively atmosphere and correspond with the people shown in this sequence of shots, We also see shots of the chicken to which the editing becomes slightly less erratic so the audience is able to focus on the chicken and to show that the animal is an important part of the scene, although the editing is not as fat paced we are still presented with jump cuts of the chicken looking around at the other animals being killed and eaten therefore i believe the fast paced jump cuts which happen when people are shown cooking food such as the sharpening of the knifes and the chicken being boiled are used to correlate to how the chicken is feeling when looking at the different people which is the chicken being frightened. The music that is also played during this sequence relates to the fast paced editing due to the music being upbeat and fast adding to the idea of a vibrant, busy street in Rio de Janeiro. As soon as the chicken escapes and the music stops the editing becomes more slow paced leaving shots longer and having the cuts more spaced out between shots, The music also stops for a brief moment in which we see the chicken looking around feeling as though the chicken has escaped creating a feeling of a 'calm before the storm', The shot last around seven seconds then is cut to see one of the main antagonists in the film. The next editing technique we see is a continuity shot, The first shot we see is a close up of the main antagonist of the film looking towards the chicken then saying to his gang to chase the chicken then looks towards his right, The shot then cuts to the same character continuing to look towards his right then pointing to his gang. This is a continuity shot due to both shots keeping the actions of the character in motion and is used to keep the shots flowing and is the beginning of the 'storm' due to the gang about to chase the chicken. The scene then cuts to the gang running to chase the chicken which is met with more fast paced editing to create an intense, fast moving sequence to coincide with the gang running after the chicken due to the gang running hastily towards the chicken.The shot is then cut, to which we see an extreme close up of the main antagonists face, a jump cut then occurs very abruptly but keeping the same close up of the face. I feel the jump cut is to match how crazed the character looks due to the shot type being an extreme close up and the editing being very abrupt and unusual that the editing matches the characters personality such as the character being slightly insane but also creates this intense feeling for the audience due to this being the first time we are introduced to this character and already we are given a very uneasy feel towards him. The scene then continues to have a mixture of fast and slow editing along with the shaky movement of the camera during the chase between the gang and the chicken to create a sense of rapid movement such as the speed of the chicken and the gang chasing the chicken and also make the scene exhilarating and thrilling for the audience. The scene then cuts to two other main characters of the film walking slowly down stairs, The camera becomes a lot more stable and still therefore creating a calmer atmosphere due to the characters not being involved in the chase and possibly being the protagonists of the film, the shot also lasts for 15 seconds rather than having shorter shots that are edited together to create a sequence that is faster paced which longer shot adds to the calmer nature of the scene. The clip then returns to the gang which we are then shown faster editing and shaky camera work but also numerous continuity shots so the chase sequence flows and does not look as though the scene is jumping. We next see what looks like an armoured police vehicle nearly runs over the chicken which the shot is then cuts back to the two antagonist of the film returning to the the more stable camera work and editing. The gang then all out from a side street which the camera then focuses back on the main antagonist of the film slowing the footage down so the audience is able to focus on the character but also to create tension due to the slow motion technique possibly symbolising that something bad is about to occur caused by this character. Further into the clip the police show up to confront the gang to which we see the main protagonist of the film. We see the main protagonist attempting to catch the chicken, instead of the camera being steady the camera work becomes shaky to show the character is in danger due to the camera work and editing being fast paced and shaky during the shots of the gang represents that character is in as much danger as the gang. We then see a full shot from the back of the main protagonist to which the camera pans around to the front of the character then cutting to see a long shot of the police force then the camera pans back around to the front of the character then is cut to see a long shot of the gang, this type of editing has been used to create an idea of a 'Mexican Standoff' between the two sides and create further tension within the scene due to the audience not knowing what is going to happen. The camera the focuses back on to the main protagonist and pans around several times the character until the scene cuts to the characters younger self standing in the same pose. When the shot transitions between the character in preset day and a younger version of the character a dissolve is used to show that the scene is changing from the present to the past whilst making the transition very smooth and create a sense of the scene changing to a different time period. Editing has changed vastly throughout the years in style and techniques therefore allowing films to feel and look more dynamic. Advances in editing software and production equipment has given film directors and editors the ability to be a lot more creative with editing during post production rather than having to use equipment with certain limitations that would only result in editing that is simple and not very creative. I will be comparing two different films one pre 1960 and the other post 1960 to analyse and compare the different editing techniques and how they differ. The two different films i will be comparing are 'Vertigo' (Alfred Hitchcock, 1958) and 'Requiem For A Dream' (Darren Aronofsky, 2000). Editing that has been used in 'Vertigo' is very simplistic due to Alfred Hitchcock using traditional editing techniques to form scenes such as using long takes then cutting to keep the scene in motion and prevent the scene from becoming to monotonous and boring whereas 'Requiem for a Dream' uses a variety of different editing techniques that keep the film interesting and modern by using a variety of fast and slow editing. An example from the film 'Vertigo' that displays slow traditional editing is during the scene in which a conversation between the films lead protagonist 'Scottie Ferguson' and the female character 'Madeleine' occurs, the editing is very simple and is used to create emotion and a connection between the two characters which is done by using long takes and slow editing so that the audience is able to feel the characters emotion through their facial expressions without the editing being to fast which would take away from the emotive feel of the scene. 'Vertigo' is a fantastic example of pre 1960s cinema and the use of editing techniques as the majority of film directors such as Alfred Hitchcock using more character driven films therefore edits where only used to keep the film motion by moving from scene to scene rather than to create something that is visually appealing and stylised. Although the editing used in 'Vertigo' is simple, editing techniques such as an 'Eyeline Match' to show who the characters are talking to are used which is a technique which is used in various films numerous times before and after the 1960s. An example of stylised editing within the film 'Requiem For A Dream' is during a scene in which the female character takes diet pills leading to an intense, frightening episode of psychosis. the editing that is used in this scene contrasts with the way the character is feeling such as the more paranoid the character feels the faster the editing becomes therefore correlating with the events within the scene. Pre 1960 films such as 'Vertigo' did not use this form of stylised editing therefore creating a more simplistic tone of film rather than the more stylised films that were produced post 1960s. The scene in 'Requiem For A Dream' also mixes together slow and fast editing to create a varied pace that is used to create something visually engaging and captivating for the audience rather that having editing that just keeps the scene moving such as the editing in 'Vertigo' and other pre 1960s films. Traditional editing techniques have also been used in the film 'Requiem For A Dream' such as the 'Eyeline Match' which is used various times throughout the scene to show what the character is looking at is also used in the film 'Vertigo' therefore showing that although editing has changed from pre 1960 to post 1960 traditional editing techniques are still used in modern cinema. 'Vertigo' (1958) 'Requiem For A Dream' (2000) Parallel Editing-When two events are happening occurring at the same time and are crossed back and forth during editing, Example -'Silence of the Lambs', Parallel editing is used to merge two unrelated or related events together. The effect this editing technique has on the audience is it creates drama and builds tension due to the two scenes possibly building to an explosive, huge event. This also has an impact on the character as parallel editing leading the characters to an unexpected event therefore building tension. Continuing Editing-Continuity editing is when the directer try's to keep the narrative as linear and as clear as possible by using editing that keeps the scene in motion and look as though everything has been linked in real time preventing any editing that would possibly create jumps within the scene and time, Example 'Hot Fuzz'. Continuity editing is used to keep events in real time and smooth without jumping between events. Continuity editing allows the audience to feel as though the scene keeps within the realms of reality and creates something visually appealing. 180 Degree Rule-180 Degree Rule is used when two characters are stood opposite one another in which the director uses an imaginary axis (Line) between the two characters keeping the camera to one side of the axis, alternating between various shots that keep within one side of the axis filming at a 180 degree arc. Example-'True romance'. "Crossing the Axis"-Crossing the Axis is when the 180 Degree rule has been violated by crossing the centre axis therefore breaking the 180 Degree rule. Example-'The Shining', Crossing the line is used to disorientate the audience and create uneasy tension which is shown in 'The Shining'. Cutaway-Cutways are when one continuous shot is broken up/Interrupted by a different shot then is cut back to the original continuous shot. An example of when Cutaways can be used are during walking sequences in which the shot is continuous therefore allowing the shot to be interrupted then continuing with the original shot. Example-''Ferris Bueller's Day Off'. Reaction shot- Reaction shots are used for when characters are shown reacting to a situation that requires an emotional response, Reaction shots are usually silent due to the type of shot capturing emotion through facial expressions that doesn't need dialogue to show a characters reaction. The majority of film directors use reaction shots to emit emotion, An example of when reaction shots are used is in Albert Hitchcock's 'Psycho'. Eyeline match-Eyeline match shot is when a shot of a character is shown looking at someone or something then cutting to a shot of what the character is looking at such as if the character is looking down at an object on the floor then a high angle will be used to show what and how the character is looking at that object although the shot is showing what the character is seeing, a point of view shot from the characters perspective it is not necessarily used. An example of when an Eyeline match is used is in the film 'Star Wars'. Shot Reverse Shot-Shot Reverse Shot is when one character is looking at another character not in the shot then reversing to the character off screen looking towards the first character shown in the scene who is now off screen. Shot reverse Shots are usually used during scenes when character exchanging dialogue to each other. Cross Cutting-Cross Cutting is when two scenes are edited along side each other such as the two scenes are occurring at the same time therefore the editing swaps between the two events during the scene to create Cross Cutting. An example of when Cross Cutting has been used is in the film 'Inception'. Cross Cutting can be used to create tension through fast pace editing between shots due to action sequences in films using this technique. Jump Cut-Jump Cuts are when a scene is edited abruptly creating a within the scene/time such as two shots creating one continuous sequence where the second shot is shot a couple of seconds after the first shot yet still using the same imagery as in the first shot to create a jump in time. An example of a Jump Cut is in the film 'Old boy'. Dissolve-Dissolves are used to transition between two shots such as the first image slowly becoming the second image through the use of a Dissolve transition which the first image will eventually disappear (Dissolve) and the second image will come into the frame. An example of where a Dissolve is used is in the film 'Citizen Kane' |
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