Research: Editing- Miss Begum

 

                             Editing

 

What is editing and why is it important to use it in films?
 

Editing is the use of modifying shots that have been filmed, the shots are combined to create a final clip. In order to edit a clip digital technology  such as a laptop must be used in order for a film clip to be professional and realistic fitting together. It is important to use editing in films in order for proper sequencing to achieve a smooth flow of narrative. Films are joined together at certain points which is known as the speed of editing, the length of each shot determines the pace of the film and helps to determine the mood. The use of editing encourages tension to build for the audience through the transfer from one shot to another, the speed of the editing also has an effect on the audience. slow editing adds to suspense for the audience and emotional connection with the audience is made. on the other hand, fast editing creates adrenaline and excitement leaving the audience on the edge of their seats. An example is 'The shower scene' from the film 'Psycho' when slow editing is used at the beginning when the females actions are shown heightening the tension which is followed by the shadow of the antagonist approaching the shower which creates excessive adrenaline and suspense for the viewers. The fast editing approaches when the antagonist begins stabbing her to death. During the fast editing the audience are left shocked and full of excitement about further events, this signifies that the action has an impact on the audience and the startled response from the audience is expected.


Refer to all the terms that you have learnt in todays lesson and provide an example from thriller films and explain its use of causing a response from the audience.

There are a variety of editing types including slow editing, fast editing, reaction shot, fade to black, shot reverse shot, straight cut, montage,180 degree rule, jump cut wipe cut and dissolve. These are some examples editing techniques and the affect they have on the audience.

• A wipe cut is when one shot slides into another, this is not very common in thriller films.

Slow editing is when clips are put together at a normal pace. Slow editing is used in this clip  from the film 'I spit on your grave' during the conversation taking place  (from the beginning of the clip until  0.40 seconds) between the two characters. The conversation is taking place at a normal pace  and creates fluency throughout. The use of the slow editing allows the audience to make assumptions on the characters and their personalities identifying whether they are protagonists or antagonists. The normal pace determines that nothing negative  is yet to happen however, this conversation may lead to further trouble for the victim therefore emphasises the importance of the conversation.
 

 

                                 

Fast editing is when clips are put together at a fast pace creating suspense. Fast  editing is used in this clip from the film 'Fast and Furious 6'  during the rescue scene. The male and female protagonist work together to stop the antagonists resulting In them having to act quickly. As the car and truck get closer to the edge of the cliff the suspense and tension is built for the audience who are unsure of whether the protagonists are going to survive. The fast editing adds to the suspense as the protagonists time is limited and they must react quickly.

A reaction shot is any shot in which a subject reacts to a previous shot. In this clip from the film 'The Grudge', a reaction shot is evident. This is seen when the female victim arrives at the bottom of the stairs and responds frightfully to the figure that passes the mirror. This symbolises mystery and messes with the audiences mind as this is unconventional to real life circumstances. Therefore it creates tension for the audience who are left on 'the edge of their seats' due to not knowing what is going to happen next to the female victim, It also creates a chilling response for viewers who fear for the victims life.  

 

Fade to black is when one shot moves into another and there is a black filter in between. A fade to black is also noticeable in this clip from the film 'The Grudge'  (at 1 minute 13 seconds) when the flash back turns back to reality and the female victim identifies the grudge at the top of the stair case. The audience react with a chilling response as they are aware that the female victim is in serious danger and she has limited time to save herself before she is the next victim of the grudge. The use of the fade to black adds tension and represents death and danger.

 

 

 

 A shot reverse shot is usually used during conversations when one shot follows another. A shot reverse shot is evident in this clip from the film 'Se7en'. This is perceptible when the antagonist confesses to the protagonist that he murdered the protagonists wife. As he explains the audience are able to see both of the characters expressions clearly as the shots go back and forth. This causes the audience to respond with a chilling response as they are able to understand how cold hearted and evil the antagonist is as he shows no remorse or sorrow. On the other hand, the audience sympathise with the protagonist as he is heart broken when hearing the news however they fear that he will be responsible for the antagonists death as he immediately holds the gun towards the antagonist and prepares to kill him.

A straight cut is when one shot moves in an edit and does not confuse the audience. A straight cut is used in this clip from the film 'Se7en' (at 0.19 seconds) when the detective discovers what's inside the box and the shot then immediately switches to detective Mills and the antagonist. This allows the audience to understand that detective Mills is yet to find out what is inside the box, however detective Somerset is to far away to notify him. The use of the straight cut allows the audience to see both situations which keep them intrigued and excited about what is going to happen next.

 

 

 

 

A montage is the speed of editing where shots are quickly juxtaposed together to create excitement. A montage is evident in this clip from the film 'Psycho' when the victim is attacked by the psychopath antagonist in the shower. The shots follow quickly one after another allowing the tension to build for the audience as they are aware that something is going to happen to the female victim. The clip begins when the victim is in the shower, this is then followed by the shadow identified by the audience and then the murder is committed. The use of the montage creates suspense and excitement keeping the viewers satisfied with the film.

 

Jump cut example from The Grudge

A jump cut is a drastic camera movement that is noticeable to the eye. A jump cut is evident in this clip from the film 'The Grudge' (at 0.45 seconds) when the female victim shuts the door then she is immediately sitting on the sofa. This allows the audience to stay intrigued as it cuts out the unimportant stuff. The audience react with a chilling response as they are aware that the victim is not safe and she is yet to suffer the consequences of the Grudges actions.

A 180 degree rule is a when an imaginary hypothetical line is drawn between two or more actors. The camera must not shoot on the other side of the line because it can confuse the audience and will disturb the consistency of the shot. The 180 degree rule is evident in this clip from the film 'The Dark Knight' when Batman and the joker are fighting (at 1 minute 30 seconds). The camera stays on the same side and allows the audience to see both the characters expressions. This creates a chilling response from the audience as they fear for the protagonists life who is hanging from a building with his life in the jokers hands.




 

A dissolve shot is when one shot disintegrates into another. A dissolve shot is used in this clip from the film 'Psycho' (at 1 minute 30 seconds) when the shot of the antagonist dissolves and a skeleton is seen. This creates a chilling response from the audience as they cannot understand the meaning of this, however may predict that it could possibly refer to him dying at the end of the film or relate to him having multiple personalities due to him being a psychopath. The use of the dissolve shot results in the audience predicting what the outcome was.

Conclusion- How has the research of editing helped you develop ideas of what you could use in your own thriller.

After researching the different editing techniques I have developed a clear understanding of what each editing technique is and how each one is used to have a particular impact on the audience. For example, at the start of the thriller during the equilibrium slow editing should be used to create fluency and allow the audience to understand the storyline and familiarise with the characters. However, during the disequilibrium there should be a wide use of fast editing to create dramatic suspense and this should be supported with montages to build tension. Important editing rules to take into consideration is for example the 180 degree rule, this is important in order to keep the film looking professional as it allows the viewers to see everything that is on screen. Furthermore, there should be also be straight cuts used during the equilibrium to keep viewers intrigued and not distracted by the insignificant things. I am going to avoid using dissolve and wipe cut editing as these are not as common in thriller films and do not look particularly professional from the audience point of view. Overall, I am able to understand what editing techniques are appropriate and essential when creating my thriller and when they should be used for particular responses from the audience.

Research: Cinematography- Miss Begum

            Cinematography

What is cinematography?

Cinematography refers to the photography within the film. It looks at the way the shot is framed, the angle it is taken and the movement of the camera.



Refer to the terms we have learnt in todays lesson and provide examples from thriller films and explain its use of causing a response from the audience.

Within cinematography there is camera shots, camera angles and camera movement.

There are a variety of camera shots including:

• Long shot- This captures the individual from head to toe.
• Close up- This allows the characters face to be seen clearly.
• Extreme long shot- The camera captures the individual, but also the surroundings.
• Extreme close up-This captures the individuals emotions on their face.
• Establishing shot- Shows a lot in the scene of the film.
• Medium shot- This captures the individual from head to toe.
• Medium close up- This this captures the individual from head to chest.




 

A medium shot captures the individual from head to waist. A medium shot is evident in this scene from 'I spit on your grave' displaying the characters from head to waist. The use of the iconography (baseball bat) in the antagonists hand allows the audience to understand that violence is going to occur and the female victims life is at risk. She stands opposite the antagonists against the wall with her arms on  her chest with her frightened facial expression, displaying her fear of the antagonists and hopelessness. This causes the audience to respond by sympathising with the female victim and feeling threatened by the antagonists.

A close up allows the audience to see the individuals face. A close up is perceived from 'psycho' portraying the characters facial expression clearly. The female victim is terrified and has no escape from the antagonist. The close up allows the audience to see how petrified the victim is and how hopeless she is as she is about to be murdered. The audience respond with uncertainty of the antagonists identity and fear for the victims life. Tension is created as the audience can predict what is going to happen next.

• Camera angles include high angle shots and low angle shots.

Find examples of camera angles from thrillers and explain its use of causing a response from the audience.

A high angle is when the camera is looking down on the character making them look vulnerable. The camera is placed above their head. The use of the high angle shot looking down on the individual presents him as venerable and lacking power. The use of the iconography of the gun is conventional to a thriller symbolising the weapon as protection. However the use of the high angle displays that the protagonist is in need of using the gun towards the antagonist. This causes the audience to fear for the protagonists life and creates tension for the audience who are unsure of whether the protagonist will be able to save the day.

 

 

 

The use of the low angle shot on the protagonist presents him as superior and heroic as the camera looks up at him. The protagonist stands in front of the burning building with his posture up straight and his hands in fists, this is conventional to the thriller genre as the protagonist wants to defeat the antagonist who is causing disorder in society. The low angle shot allows the audience to understand that the protagonist has confidence and is not afraid therefore will defeat the antagonist. This causes the audience to respond with confidence as they have faith in the protagonist.

Find examples of camera movements from thrillers and explain its use of causing a response from the audience.

 

camera movement includes:

• Panning shot- the camera moves across
• Tilt shot- camera moves up and down
• Crane shot- On a crane, the camera movement is flexible.
• Zoom- captures emotions or gets away from it.
• Point of view- when it looks likes its from the characters view.
• Hand held- when the camera moves with the person.
• Over the shoulder shot- when the camera is placed behind one characters shoulder and the audience can see the character opposite.
• Two shot- When the characters take equal space.



 

 

An over the shoulder shot is when the camera is placed behind one character looking over their shoulder allowing the audience to see the character standing opposite. 8 minutes and 21 seconds into the clip of the film 'I spit on your grave' an over the shoulder shot is used allowing the audience to identify the victims fear and uncertainty. Her emotions show confusion and she lacks protection which is evident when the antagonists shoulder is covering the victims body signifying the possible problems to come associated with the victims freedom. This makes the audience fear for the victim and her outcome.

A zoom shot captures emotions or gets away from it. In this clip of the film Se7en at 1.09-1.11 a zoom shot is captured. This is evident when the detective identifies the word 'sloth' on the wall above the dead body. The camera zooms close into the word allowing the audience to understand the cause of the victims death.

 

 

How has the research of cinematography helped you develop ideas of what you could use in your own thriller?

 

 After researching cinematography I now have a clear insight of what is needed in order to create a thriller that achieves realistic standards. Before deciding what camera shots to use first I must decide what I want to be captured, for example, if I want the victim to show her fear and vulnerability I know a close up must be captured in order for the audience to see their facial expressions clearly allowing the audience to feel what the victim feels and sympathise with them. In order for the surroundings to show a establishing shot should be used so the audience are able to understand where the location is and how realistic the victims escape is. Furthermore, when deciding the angle shots, if I want to make my victim look venerable and helpless I should us a high angle making them look smaller. When capturing my antagonist or protagonist I need to use a low angle making them look superior, the audience would fear the antagonist but look up to the protagonist. In order to capture the victims troubles the movement of the camera should be a zoom to allow the victims emotions to be captured. When the audience  first meet the antagonist a tilt shot should be used starting from the feet and then capturing the body then their face creating more suspense. overall, I now have a clearer understanding of cinematography and what I will need to use to represent the characters conventionally.

Research: What Is Thriller? -Miss Begum

                    

                   What is Thriller?

What are genres? Why is it important to know this?

A genre is a particular category that a film is placed into according to regular patterns, filming techniques and conventions such as themes, plot and settings. A genre is dependent on the various factors such as storyline, who the director is and what the audience expectations are. Some common examples of genres include horror, action, thriller, adventure, science fiction and fantasy. It is important for the audience to know the genre of a film before watching it as they can make a decision as to whether they want to watch it depending on the content involved and how appropriate it is for their age.


What is the thriller genre?

The thriller genre is an extremely broad genre and consists of certain characteristics. These include fast pace action, intense story lines and suspense. Thriller films are usually created in order to mess with the audiences psychological state of mind.



Examples of thriller films.
Some examples of thriller films include Se7en and I spit on your grave:

Se7en- Se7en is a thriller film due to the common conventions present in the thriller. There are a number of victims who are killed by a demented serial killer for committing one of the seven deadly sins. Throughout the film there is suspense and tension due to a psychological twist in the film. There is a clear structure throughout the film as it begins with a clear equilibrium at the beginning with the detectives following their daily routines, then disruption is caused when the killer beings murdering in the duration of seven days. Then there is a new equilibrium when the killer is shot dead putting an end to the chaos. The conventional characters include a killer antagonist, two detective protagonists who save the day and the victims who are killed.

I spit on your grave- I spit on your grave is thriller film involving a female victim who is kidnapped, tortured and physically abused by two psychopaths. The victim sacrifices her body by raging into a river washing her away. The antagonists believe she is dead however, she survives her ordeal and gets vengeance on them by horrifyingly torturing them. The violent scenes and the conventional characters make the film a thriller with continuous tension and suspense present.






Sub genres of thrillers

A sub genre is a subcategory within a main genre. Thriller films have subgenres within them including crime, disaster, mystery, psychological and conspiracy. Examples of films with these particular sub-genres include:

 

       Se7en is a crime thriller as there is a psychopath committing crime which is murder.

 

2012 is a disaster thriller as victims fight to save their lives due to a natural disaster taking place and cannot determine their future.

 

 

vertigo is a mystery thriller due to a detective investigating a female who he becomes obsessed with. This a mystery as the audience also take part in uncovering the crime apparent.

Psycho is psychological thriller as it plays with the audience mind and shows the mentality of the antagonist.

Awake is a conspiracy thriller as the mother of a victim wrestles her own demons as a turn of events unfold around her.


Common themes of thrillers

All thriller films have certain themes throughout including death, revenge, violence, obsession, guilt .

In psychological thrillers the main themes evident include guilt and obsession. In the film "Shutter island" the main character experiences guilt leading to his mental state deteriorating and making him fantasise.





 In the film "Se7en" the main theme is death as the psychopath kills the victims and is killed himself by the detective.







 In the film "I spit on your grave" the main themes are violence and revenge as the psychopaths violently attack the female victim, she then gets her revenge by torturing them painfully.

In the film 'Seven Days' one of the main themes include rape as a man rapes a young girl leading to her father seeking revenge.

Audience response to thrillers

The audience response to a thriller film depends on the age and gender of the audience, generally the younger audience are more likely they are to be frightened while the male audience are more likely to be less effected by it as they have dominant gender role they have to follow. However, in general the common responses thriller films create is a chilling response from the audience. The audience are left in suspense and tension builds throughout the film creating excitement and adrenaline. The audience may also respond psychologically by feeling emotional by the events that occur such as murders or deaths which affects the audience mentally.

    

 

How has the research helped your understanding of thriller films and the coursework requirements?
I now understand that when creating a thriller film all factors must be taken into consideration including genre, sub genres, the audience it is aimed at and the response wanted from the audience. Common conventions must be followed in order for thrillers to have the same impact on the audience. Conventions include high tempo music creating suspense during the disequilibrium, conventional characters, which includes victims, an antagonist and protagonists. Having these conventional characters allows the film to adapt to its genre. The antagonist frightens the audience by their appearance and their behaviour towards the victims while the protagonist is seen as dominant and heroic, and the audience can sympathise with the victim who is distressed as their life is a risk.  The location is likely to be in suburban areas such as demolished houses, fields and empty factories creating more fear and uncertainty for the audience. The lighting is expected to be low lighting causing more threat and under lighting creating shadows causing tension. This research has enabled me to understand what is required in order for my coursework to be successful and achieve its thriller status.