Editing Terminology fill the gaps

EDITING TERMS 

Shot/Reverse-Shot is a film technique wherein one character is shown looking (often off-screen) at another character, and then the other character is shown looking "back" at the first character. 

An eyeline match is a popular editing technique associated with the continuity editing system. It is based on the premise that the audience will want to see what the character on-screen is seeing. The eyeline match-begins with a character looking at something off-screen, there will then be a cut to the object or person at which he is looking. For example, a man is looking off-screen to his left, and then the film cuts to a television that he is watching. 

Graphic Match - Two successive shots joined so as to create a strong similarity of compositional elements (e.g., color, shape). Used in trasparent continuity styles to smooth the transition between two shots. 

A cutaway is a cut in film editing where the middle section of a continuous shot is removed, and the beginning and end of the shot are then joined together. The technique breaks continuity in time and produces a startling effect. Any moving objects in the shot will appear to jump to a new position. 

Match on Action is an editing technique used in films to establish continuity. In a cross-cut, the camera will cut away from one action to another action. Because the shots occur one after another, Match on Action is used to suggest simultaneity of action. However, it can also be used to link significant actions that do not occur simultaneously. Suspense is built by using crosscutting. It is built through the expectations that it creates and in the hopes that it will be explained with time. Crosscutting also forms parallels; it illustrates a narrative action that happens in several places at approximately the same time. 

In film, a cross cut is the interruption of a continuously filmed action by inserting a view of something else. It is usually, although not always, followed by a cutback to the first shot. Cutaways usually do not contribute any dramatic content of their own, but help theeditor assemble a longer sequence. For this reason, editors choose cutaways related to the main action, such as another action or object in the same location.[1] For example, if the main shot is of a man walking down an alley, possible cutaways may include a shot of a cat on a nearby dumpster or a shot of a woman watching from a window overhead. 

In film, an insert is a shot of part of a scene as filmed from a different angle and/or focal length from the master shot. Inserts cover action already covered in the master shot, but emphasize a different aspect of that action due to the different framing. An insert is different from a cutaway in that the cutaway is of action not covered in the master shot. 

Paranoia Title Sequence

Paranoia

Dexter remake - Individual edit

The purpose of this edit was to demonstrate that we could produce a video as a group, without supervision of a teacher, which involved us following a set of shot lists (that we had to interpret from the video) and recreate it to the best of our abilities. We also had to go out and buy props from shops that are used or are similar to those used in the original morning routine sequence. I then individually edited the clips, sequencing them, timing them with the music and trimming out the unnecessary and unneeded handles. I believe that the final product was great and served it's purpose well to show that we can work as part of a team and under our own initiative. Apart from a few missing shots (1 or 2, I believe) which I replaced in post production with the shots from the original, the project went great. The shots were composed well, I believe my editing was similar to the original and that the project was a true demonstration of our current ability, despite being filmed with a camera phone

Student film opening analysis

First student opening:

Cinematography

• Shaky camera, making some scenes hard to follow
• Photography and angles are good
• All in focus, deliberately shallow focused
• Well lit and light-balanced

Editing:

• Great, clear to read titles
• Flashbacks/visions are conventional and professional
• Well scored
• Appropriate uses of jump cuts

Sound:

• Sounds are synced to video
• No dialogue adds to mood/atmosphere
• Clear/appropriate ambiance and musical score

Mise-En-Scene:

• Goes against convention of cities, mostly remote
• Costumes are believeable as civilians
• Bloodwork and makeup is exceptional
• Lighting and colours are soft in calm scenes and more blue and dark in tense scenes

Overall grade: B+

Second student opening

Cinematography:

• Camera use was really good, appropriate angles
• Shallow focus used, yet important objects still in focus
• Well light balanced, characters were well-lit

Editing:

• Very professional editing
• Use of lens flares, professional film title
• Cut at appropriate times

Sound:

• Transition between one musical score to the other was unfriendly to the ear
• Dialogue is well written
• All foley is well synced except for the bridge shooting (man reacts before gun is heard)
• Music is of high quality

Mise-En-Scene:

• Appropriate locations (well chosen)
• Costumes are appropriate to character roles
• Good use of props
• Colours and lighting is appropriate to mood and atmosphere

Overall Grade: A

Third student opening

Cinematography:

• Camera work is great, love the running to reveal scene
• Shallow focus use is good
• Light balanced well and good depth of field

Editing:

• Name slate animations were good
• Jump cuts were well timed

Sound:

• No dialogue, so it keeps viewer in suspense and mystery
• Foley is good, synced well
• Musical score is appropriate for action

Mise-En-Scene:

• Realism was a bit off (penetration of knee with Biro made me sceptical)
• Blood work could use some improving
• Costumes are suited for characters (subverts convention in some ways)

Overall Grade: B-

The Streets analysis writeup

The clip in question:

My analysis:

Iconography of a Thriller

Conventions of thrillers

Film opening analysis

To further my understanding of what a film opening is and what they contain, I decided to watch the opening of some movies to see if they have any conventions in them and apply this to when i film my own Thriller opening later on this year.

I chose Zombieland to create a Titles timeline map on. Here is the opening to Zombieland:

And here is my Titles timeline for this opening:

Use of sound in Once Upon a Time in The West

No dialogue to emphasise ambience and to show that characters are strong silent types who are bored and waiting for something/someone. Also builds up tension

Ambience (eg: birds chirping, wind rolling over hills) shows that they are in a rural location, no human activity nearby, creates a tense atmosphere between characters. Ambience appears edited in much like Foley

Foley (eg: Fly, rocking chair etc.) shows how silent and desolate the scene really is, how concentrated the men are and how irritating the fly is. It is so quiet that you can hear the water dripping onto man's head. Dog whimpering is loud to emphasise empathy, also emphasises the heat/conditions it lives in

Sound Motif (eg: water movement, telegram, fly etc.) used to show significance in scene as they all get interacted with. Volume of train shows that that too is significant as they may be waiting for it

Establishing sound (eg: wind, creaking) shows emptiness, sets mood and atmosphere of scene, shows that they're the only moving things (humans are still)

Here is the clip in mention (Skip to 4:00):

We originally watched this with our eyes closed, trying to note down what sounds we could hear. This helped up focus on the audio, without the visuals for distraction. We then had to analyse how this represented characters in the second viewing, which we did with video. We then analysed the sound and it's use in Foley, ambience etc. and how that created meaning

Thriller film location recce

In preparation for my Thriller opening filming towards the Christmas period, I needed to scout locations for me to actually shoot at. I decided upon somewhere industrial-looking that had nearby (potentially secluded - in case of gun prop use) areas that we could utilise within the opening

I began my search on Google maps. As most thrillers are filmed in cities, London is my closest city that I could be able to film at, and began searching around that area for a place that fell under the criteria I had set

This is the place that I found, located right in the center of London, it looked like the perfect place

Upon arrival of the site, I found that it had been even better than I had anticipated. I found a spot that I could film my Recce (below) at which I could show off the construction site and car park in the background

Below is the recce I filmed at this site:

Here is a map showing the surrounding area, edited from Google maps by myself:

Once Upon a Time in The West opening sound analysis

What sounds?
Ambience of birds, man talking in another language, whistle or creaking?, footsteps and spurs clacking on ground, some object turning (a wheel?), liquid splashing, static noise, wood creaking, coins falling and rattling, grunts, wind over hills, water pouring, dog moaning, cracking, fly buzzing, huffing, dropping of heavy object, train brakes

Analysis:
Hinge creaking (lengthy, dull), birds (rural), urgency (why aren't they speaking?), loneliness or isolation (long shot), wind, dog crying (hungry), spurs clacking suggest it's a western

How does it represent characters?

What mood does this create?

Se7en edit purpose

It was my first use of Final Cut. I remade my own version of the opening to the film Se7en

With Leah, I created this using:
-Filters (to make it look more like a thriller)
-Cut and trimmed imported media
-Sequencing media to create intercutting
-Creation of a narrative
-20 title slates (in order of original)

Title slates are used to prevent copyright infringement, it is a legal requirement

I did this to gain a further understanding of how and why title sequences are used and why. I also used this as an introduction for my use of Final Cut, as I had never used it before.

It is comprised entirely of stock footage and stills that we used effects to appear animated, this gives the viewer something to be engaged with, rather than a boring old still or a slow, uneventful clip.

Here is our Se7en opening remake:

Match on Action - Edited clip

A Match on Action is created by filming a shot from another closeup angle (not to reveal any scene changes) to act as a filler between a cut in a long sequence. We do this by cutting at a point where the action overlaps eg: hand grabbing and opening a door. This way, it does not remove any of the story, but shortens a potentially boring scene.

We use this in place of Jump cuts to keep the realism and to make it the scene less jarry, keeping the continuity of the sequence.

To do this, we try to overlap similar positions of characters and objects during their cycle of action. So it looks like a continuous shot, which is much nicer on the eyes and keeps continuity

We created this Match on Action sequence using stock footage provided. We then edited this, sequencing it into an order that was appropriate and made sense, as not to break the continuity of the story. We then did our best to match the closing stages of the door (how far it was through the cycle of opening or closing), making the transition as smooth as we can.

By learning how to do this and what it is, I can apply it and keep it in mind upon filming and editing my thriller's opening sequence

1.4.1 - Clip analysis

The Sopranos
Main character is mob boss, he beats people up and tries to be macho to show he is alpha. He picks biggest guy to fight to look even harder. He pukes blood into toilet, behind closed doors so noone else can see it

Alpha male - uses physical strength

Trapped by his own masculinity

The clip can be seen below (embedding disabled)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W_AoiGVVjrY

Transformers
Uses low camera angles to cut up body into sexual parts, focal point. Objectifies women if face is cut out.

Alpha female uses physical attraction to manipulate

Sex object

The clip in question:

Doctor Who
Doctor who is being more feminine, needing rescuing. Amy pond is the "action chick" - acting in masculine way, phallic object of swords as well as a beard

Doctor who is said to be a Post masculine man

The clip in question:

GENDER CHANGES OVER TIME, IT IS AN ACT, VARYING FROM PERSON TO PERSON

Headroom note

When shooting, regard headroom.. Too much, viewer will expect something to happen there.. To little, cut off actors

7 Common mistakes of filming

Show shoulders in closeup
Don't use above head-shot, chars look small
Don't shake whilst moving
Don't zoom during shooting
Snapshooting (excessive random cuts)
Sweeping the scene (jerky camera)

As deduced from this video:

I will take special care to ensure that I enforce the rules that I had listed above during the filming of my opening, to make sure that I can produce something of the highest quality for my coursework

1.2.2 - Camera Operation & Continuity

Camera operation techniques will be taught in how to create suspense and mystery

White Balance - Blue & Yellow
Exposure - Lighting
Focus - Sharp and Blurry

"How is camera being used to create suspense and mystery in Usual Suspects opening?"

-Lighting is dim to hide characters features
-Camera was never directed at face to also do the above
-Characters have little back story
-Tight shots to create suspense
-Only light is made by fire, connotations of hell, the character is the devil

Clip in question:

Opening:

This is a opening that has end of film at start

It is an opening because it sets the story up, it is a thriller opening because mystery and suspense is created

Enigma Codes: 

Questions set at the start of film, answered at the end. Cannot be solved at start

"Who is the killer?"

Character types: 

Bad guy, victim and dead guy

Characters are not set in stone, have to analyse. (Eg: Shadow guy is actually good, despite looking bad initially)

Victim and bad guy know eachother
Victim is a bad guy - Dead bodies, knew his death was coming, petrol on boat
Both guys look bad because of black clothing

Don't use bad guy, expand on "villain" (eg: hitman)

Sub genres: 

Crime thriller

Sub genres break up thrillers (easier arranged) - Each have specific features

Summer Assignment work and 1.1 work

Click here for all the summer work and Week One, Module One work