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.
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.