Editing Styles- Miss Georgiou

Editing is the process of bring different clips together using different techniques, including cutting. re-sequencing clips, adding transmissions and other effects which are done to affect the audience.

I have decided to analyse, scream 3 - The Cutting Room:

A straight cut is a type of transition that is a change of shot from one viewpoint or change of location to another.  The purpose of a straight cut is to show a change in location.  This is done to change the scene or to show the audience the characters movement from location to location.  The change in location shows a change in the setting. This takes place when the victim is running through the corridor and then it cuts to when she has got into another room as she has closed the door.  This helps the audience understand where specific events may happen. This is conventional to the thriller genre as it changes location to show what a character is doing and shows where they have gone, which indicates to the audience a change in setting.







Slow editing is when clips are juxtaposed together at slower pace to create suspense.  In the clip, at first it is slow paced which has the effects on the audience of creating suspense and tension making it seem scary. This slow editing allows the action to take time to be revealed to the audience, which leaves the audience in suspense for longer than time would normally would go. Slow paced editing is conventional to the thriller genre as builds suspense and tension for the audience, which will keep the audience hooked and keep watching.  The purpose of slow editing to add suspense for the audience watching, which will make them keep watching.

In editing, shots are either edited slower or quicker to add emotional impact or to create suspense this is known as timing of shots.  In the clip, it is noticeably at a slower pace when the victim is walking through the rooms and when she is hiding.  The speed is then picked up when the antagonist starts moving amongst the other costumes and picks up the knife when the action starts happening as the victim tries to kill the antagonist with knife, in order for her to survive.  This is conventional to the thriller genre as the shots which are edited slower, normally at the beginning is to build suspense, so that the audience are on edge wondering when the action is going to happen.  Then the speed of the shot seemed to have got quicker, indicating to the audience that action is happening and creates tension as they don't know who is going to survive or not, which would keep the audience watching.




Jump cuts is when the film suddenly turns to focus on something.  This is to show the audience an importance in a object, which will signify to the audience that it is important within the film.  In the clip of the cutting room from Scream 3, a jump cut is used when the knife is revealed, this is gives the audience a sense of danger, as knives give ideas of danger and murder.  Jump cuts are conventional to a thriller because a sudden picture of a weapon or something which is be important sends ideas to the audience and sends signals to them indicating that something will happen which in turn also creates suspense as the audience start to wonder what will happen.


In conclusion, there are certain editing techniques which are used for the thriller genre, in order to generate and indicate certain qualities to the audience to trigger off an idea.  For my own thriller sequence, I have taken inspiration from the scream clip including the jump cuts to show significance in an object like a weapon for example.  The slow editing and timing of shots as these are a main contribute to the thriller genre as they build tension and suspense.

Research into Cinematography - Miss Miller

Cinematography includes how the shooting of the film and development of the film, which includes camera movements and shots.  I chose to analyse the cinematography elements of SAW 1 - Waking up which is the opening scene.

Close ups are normally shown to show importance in an object or character within the film.  In the first few seconds, a close up shot is shown to show importance & significance of the victim.  A close up can show the audience, the characters facial expression and sense of feeling uncomfortable as the victim may not know what has happened to them or how they ended up in that situation. The close up also shows some movement, which shows the victim panicking.  The close of the victims face in the water creates mystery, which makes the audience focus on facial expressions and makes the audience wonder why the victim is in that situation.  It surprises the audience, to find out where he is in the next part.  This surprises the audience because they don't know what will show, to show where he has ended up.  Close ups help the audience focus on one particular thing, as it lets the audience know that, that particular shot is in their view for a reason, which makes them keep watching.   The close up of the victim creates suspense, as the audience don't know what has happened to him and the victim himself doesn't know how he ended up there in the first place.  The close up shot makes the audience relate to the victim as they can relate to how the victim feels and tries to get to grips with what is happening around them.  This is conventional to the thriller genre because close ups allow the audience to see facial expression, so that they understand the situation the victim/villain would be in.

An establishing shows the setting where the action is taking place. In this case, in SAW 1 - waking up, the setting environment is a bathroom. It helps the audience get a general idea of the victims surroundings which helps set the scene.  It shows the audience that this is going to be the setting that the victims will be in for the generation of the movie as the setting seems to be unknown and abandoned.  From the establishing shot, the audience get a idea that they are in a bathroom, as it shows the bath, the toilet and the florescent lights which are normally associated with bathrooms.  It helps the audience pay attention to detail which helps them get a feel of the atmosphere which helps the audience relate to the victims.  Establishing shots help the audience to understand what their surroundings are, this particular shot is relevant to the thriller genre as it helps set the scene.

The movement of the camera zooming take place when the other victim in the room finds a switch for the lights.  This switch turns on a row of lights, one by one which makes it get brighter every single time it a row of lights turns on.  The movement of zooming in, gives the audience the ability to see greater detail which helps see the expression in the victims face.  It also makes the audience focus on the emotion of the victim and focus on the victim himself, since all of the attention will be on him.  The zooming in create tension, by seeing the expression on the victims face and makes the audience wonder what will happen next leaving them in suspense.  Tension usually arises when main characters feels threatened in films,  when the victim is put into an uncomfortable situation as this section of SAW, the victim does not know how he ended up there and does not know where he is.  The victims life seems to be threatened, because the victim has been into a unsuspecting situation.  This makes the audience feel sorry for him and suspense making them wonder if he will survive or not.  This is conventional to the thriller genre because it builds tension and suspense. 

   

                                                         

An aerial shot, takes place after the establishing shot of the bathroom which shows a body surrounded by a pool of blood, with a gun  and something else which the audience can not tell what it is at this point.   The image of the body would give a sense of shock to the audience as they would not expect to see this because from the start, the audience may have idea that the two victims are in the abandoned bathroom alone until they adjust to the surroundings after the lights have been turned on.  The fact that it's a mans body surrounded by blood creates a sense of uneasiness and shock because it shouldn't be there.  It enables the audience to see the body from a different view other than how the victims see it.  The aerial shot also shows the mans body  has an importance and a significance to the film which may be possibly a clue to what might happen next.  Thrillers can provide unnecessary uncertainty and mystery, making the audience think was happened.  Therefore, making a relationship with the character making the audience wonder what happened, how it happened and how he ended up there.

A held held camera movement is used to show a sense of chaos and urgency as the the shot doesn't seem to be smooth like panning would.  For example, the hand held shot is used in a different way in SAW, when the hand held motion takes place when the lights are turned on and shows the victim shielding his face with his hands, as the camera seems to be unsteady to show a sense of uneasiness.  This reflects how the victim is feeling as he is trying to adjust to the light.  Judging by the motion of the camera, it seems like the character is disorientated and dizzy, as he doesn't know where he is.  This helps the audience relate to the victim, letting them know how he is feeling.  This can create suspense as the audience does not know what is going on.  Hand held shots are normally used in the thriller genre, because in thrillers trouble happens to the victim, this is used to let the audience relate to their situation therefore creating suspense.

In conclusion, there are three aspects of a thriller which are called shock, suspense and surprise.  The angles/shots are used to create those three aspects to give a good effect for the audience to experience.  Close up shots are used to show the importance and detail of an object or character which give the idea to the audience that they are significant to the film and they are showing them that close up for a reason.  Close ups are effective of creating suspense as they make the audience wonder why the victim is shown or why a specific object is shown, making them think, why would that be shown to signify something.   An establishing shot is shown to show the audience to get a general idea of what is around them.  Furthermore, it sets the scene to indicate the audience which is the of what setting they are in, in that particular situation.  The establishing show may not be a effective way of creating suspense because it just sets the scene.  The establishing shot may create shock as they may not know what the setting looks like; if the setting seems to be in a any way unnatural like it shouldn't be like that.  For instance, from the scene in SAW, the audience find out what the bathroom looks like but the bathroom does not look like a normal bathroom as it looks dirty and abandoned.  The aerial shot, is depicted to show something from another point of view.  For an aerial shot, the camera is above eye level which creates another view for the audience to view something which the victim will not be able to see.

Reseach into Mise-en-scene - Miss Georgiou

Mise-en-scene is a French term, meaning what is put into a scene or frame.  What put is into the scene frame is made up of visual information in front of the camera.  Mise-en-scene communicates essential information to the audience about setting including the time, place and characters.  Mise-en-scene is made up of  5 particular elements including:

Settings and iconography, costume, hair and make up, facial expressions and body language, lighting and the positioning.

I have decided to analyse SAW 1 - The Awakening in Abandoned bathroom:

The setting is in a dirty, wet, bathroom, later on in clip it shows a dead body surrounded by a pool of blood.  This creates a sense of vulnerability and helps create mystery because it makes the audience wonder how he got there in the first instance.  The fact that the setting is abandoned, it is conventional to the thriller genre as many settings in thriller are in isolated  desolate, abandoned unfamiliar places. Thrillers are normally set up in desolate, secretive places, so that people will not be able to find them easily which creates suspense making audience question if they will escape or not.  The audience can get a general idea of what type of film they are watching.  Sets are either built from scratch or great deal of time is spent to find a setting which already exists.  I believe, the set on saw was built as the placing of bath and toilet had to be a in particular place, in order for it to work.  

Iconography is a term, which is used to describe an object which we are able to see in a scene.  These items can range from props or any object which may be in the setting. These objects may have a significance to the film which can add a meaning to the scene.  In saw, a close up of a gun is shown, this would be related to the thriller genre as guns are what an antagonist would use to kill someone.  This should have the effect of sending shivers down the spine as the audience don't know in what way the gun will be used.  Guns are associated with death as they signify the ideas of murder, brutality, violence and death.  It is a way of introducing the object into the scene, indicating the audience that it may be used later on in the film.  In Saw, the two victims seem to be trapped by chains.  In thrillers, if chains are involved, the chains signify, isolation, restriction and trapped because when people are chained up to something, they are restricted of movement.

Costume refers to what the characters wear, it signifies a character and allows the audience to make assumptions of why they are dressed in that way.  In the Saw clip, it shows the victims in crippled, damp casual clothes showing they are just normal characters.  But there would be a story as to why the clothes seem to be wet and crumpled.  The dead body on the floor, is clothed in a plain white t-shirt and shorts.  This would give the audience the idea that this man is innocent as the white colour gives annotations of purity and innocence.  The director makes the audience believe something which is not true as they find out what happens with the dead man later on in the film.  If characters were wearing normal, casual clothes then the audience would be able to relate because that what they would probably wear on a day to day basis.  However, if a person was wearing all black, this would indicate to the audience that this person was a dark, mysterious character.  Thrillers would generally use more make up because they have to use make up to make bruises or paleness.  The audience don't get a glimpse of the antagonist, as they would expect to see a person wearing dark colours which give off a sinister feel.

Facial expressions are a clear indicator of how someone is feeling.  Changes to somebody's face can lead the audience to make different assumptions e.g. if someone is smiling, the audience would assume the character is happy.  Body language also indicates to the audience how the audience is feeling, for example if a character was clenching his fist, the audience would get the idea that he/she is angry.  In Saw, one of the victims turns on a light switch, as soon as these lights are turned on the other victim is shown with the hands in front of his face.  This shows audience that they are too bright for him, until he gradually adjusts.  His facial expressions is screwed up which also indicates that the light are bright and the audience can relate to this. 

Lighting and colour help to create the mood and atmosphere.  The audiences attention can be guided by lighting an object.  The only lighting which seems to be used in Saw, are the top lights.   This helps create an atmosphere showing the little amount of light around.  The lighting is quite high key as this give it a realistic feel.  

The film maker makes certain  decisions on the positioning of characters and objects, to ensure the audience pays full attention to these details.  A moving body or object which are placed against a stationary background will immediately draw attention as it would in real life.  If characters or objects are positioned evenly within the frame, it will give the frame a balanced feel to the shot.  If characters are shown at just one end of the shot, therefore making the shot look imbalanced.  Film makers can also use positioning to indicate relationships between people.  Although, in Saw, the character are only mainly chained to one particular spot because they are trapped.  But the spacing of the characters indicates that they aren't close but the positioning of the dead body on the floor, gives the audience an idea that the dead man on the floor will be a significant part later on in the film.

In conclusion, mise-en-scene is used to indicate specific things to the audience which includes the five elements.  Iconography can impact the audience by showing showing certain features of a character or object, which can trigger a sense of shock or suspense which is in relevance to the thriller genre.  A setting can create a sense of suspense as the audience may question how they got there, if they have just woken up in an abandoned space where they are confused in that situation.  Costume, hair and make up can is a big element as it tells the audience what the character is like just by how the character themselves looks like.  There are many different ways to light a frame or scene, but particular things are decided to make the audience focus on certain assets.  Decisions of the positioning of characters are carefully thought out to make the audience pay attention to a particular part. This clip has influenced the idea of my own thriller clip, as I can use some of the ideas of showing iconography to show importance in an object and to carefully think of how characters and objects are positioned.