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Post 10 - Critical Analysis

The submitted film was around a five minute sequence exploring different techniques I learnt during my academic and practical research.

Scene 1

The film opens in darkness with a quiet non-diegetic soundtrack in the background. The emotional backdrop is then accompanied with the diegetic rings of a cell phone before a voicemail is delivered. Audiences are then met with the first shot of the film - a focus pull showcases a leaflet (‘In Loving Memory of Jack Fincher’) before drawing away to some sympathy cards. The shot is presented as Jack asserts that the voicemail belongs to him. 

This was an idea I envisioned at the very first reading of Hannah’s script - initially I wanted a slow build up (with possible shots of Jack and Jenny together in an idyllic setting; laughing or dancing together under the bright warm tones of a sunny Summer’s day). This ambiguous start would then be juxtaposed with the visually jolting shot of Jenny stood alone, listening to the sound of Jack’s voice on her phone. For this I voiced that I would rely on the cinematography and colour grading to aid in presenting the unity before the isolation. However, I like what I have done with the opening, as it settles the audience into the narrative and works well with the shots we had collated.

Additionally, Saminda had kindly provided me with various shots for the beginning scene. However, I personally enjoyed the focus pull as it allowed time for the audience to grasp the audio-visual narrative that Jack had passed away and that someone was listening to the voicemail. 

I employed a subtle dissolve from this shot to a shot of Jenny alone in the kitchen. She appears distressed. Whilst initially this shot was designed for a later scene, it felt appropriate to move this to the start. We believed that a lack of music worked well here, we found that there was power in her words and that no music was really necessary. I tried to make this shot visually dense by using a close up before a medium-shot. Whilst this isn’t conventional to film, I found that it worked well for the opening, especially in order to establish the protagonist. 

Scene 2

The next scene begins on a dissolve. I used the Quick Transition tool in order to accomplish this.  DiZazzo (2000) contends that 'a dissolve is two fades...it is meant to suggest a passage of time or a major change of location'. This is exactly the reason that I employed this. Whilst scene 1 was to present the protagonist in an earlier stage of denial, this next scene showcased her morning through aggression and isolation. 

This was my favourite scene to edit with the sheer variety of shots I felt as though I could really build up the pace and showcase the detrimental effects that Jack’s death has had on Jenny. The phone vibrating was especially important to show both visually and through audio. This was to build up the narrative to the next scene - where she apologises to Lilith (Jack’s mum) for ignoring her. This was also to showcase her decline into depression. In the earlier scene she tells Jack how his mum recommended voicemail communication as a form of therapy/ moving on. She vocalises, quite clearly, that she is still interacting with others, she is still seeking the comfort of her friends and family. 

However, I believe the editing and cinematography display a drastic change in mannerisms since then and possibly render her longing in the space of a few weeks later. 

Personally, I didn’t like the screaming and felt as though this was too direct (as if to spoon-feed the audience). However, I think it works with the next scene where she apologises for her anger.

Scene 3

This scene was initially part of (what is now) scene 1. Therefore, it was hard to cut and make sense of the shots. The producer was keen on this shot as it builds the narrative and introduces another character into the mix. I think visually showcasing a new character would have been (visually) interesting - though, with a lack of actors available, I had to substitute it with a shot and audio match the two shots together. 

I wanted the voice of Jenny in scene 3 to begin earlier in scene 2 as I believed this would help merge the two shots together better. However, my teammates weren’t too keen on the idea and found that it worked well as it is shown in the submitted version. 

Scene 4

On the other hand, Fiske (2010) argued that ‘motivated editing...tries to make the work of the editor and director as invisible as possible’. I believe for the most part this was true. I attempted to use the ‘on-action’ cutting style or overlay inserts during shot cuts. However, what I noticed during the screening is that I used many fades and dissolves to embed a movement in location, but especially a movement over time. 

I really enjoyed editing this scene also. Hannah did a phenomenal job with the direction of the actress here and Saminda did a great job with the cutaways. This allowed me to intensify the diegetic voice-over of Jenny as she claims that her life has changed since Jack’s death (which is now a year ago in the narrative). In the earlier versions, I had added a piano and violin score that builds as the emotions heighten within the final voicemail. However, the producer and director were not keen on this as they found the music to be cliche and felt as though it distracted from the voice over itself. Ella kindly found an uplifting track which Hannah was happy with and I overlaid this at a point in which felt appropriate to the contemporary styled music. 

Whilst I am not so keen on the revised score, I am happy that it meets Hannah’s vision and feels more suitable for the up-beat ending she was aiming for. 

I was also keen on overlaying some quick shots of Jenny getting ready to leave her house. Whilst it isn’t clear where she is going, we are able to notice her smiling at herself in the mirror for the first time within the entire sequence. Therefore, it is visually clear that she has ‘moved on’. 

Colour grading

Mitchell and Mitchell (2004) suggest that 'digital colour grading is incredibly flexible. The whole image, or just individual tones or colours, can be varied'. This was true in the edit of Leave Your Message (2019). 

Whilst no drastic edit was made to the colour, I did correct the shadows/highlights and contrasts which helped to make the washed out shots appear more vibrant and filmic. I corrected the tones using the shadows and highlights histograms, following the rule to spread the colour range whenever possible. Additionally, I used the RGB visuals to aid my grading. 

Overall, the colour grading went well and if I was to have more time perhaps a more drastic edit could have been attempted to further enhance the visuals. 

REFERENCES: 

1/ DiZazzo, R. 2000. Corporate Media Production. Massachusetts: Focal Press

2/ Fiske, J. 2010. Television Culture. Oxford: Routledge

3/ Mitchell, A. J. and Mitchell, M. 2004. Visual Effects for Film and Television. Massachusetts: Focal Press

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Post 9: Submission - Leave Your Message Evaluation

Final thoughts

Brief

This process involved me researching, collaborating and performing an editor’s role. As record of my editing journey, I was to keep a blog and update it during the production process, and follow it until my role as editor had been completed. There was only one final five-minute product which we could submit; for our team this was Hannah Quail’s idea ‘Leave Your Message’. 

Leave Your Message

As shown through this blog, I was extremely passionate about this project. I conducted various case studies and researched editors with different approaches in order to gain valuable insight into the general process of this role. I also returned to previous lecture notes (including those from the previous year) in order to refresh my memory on the various different ‘cuts’ we could use to stimulate the audience and effectively voice the underlying hardship of bereavement. Moreover, I practised basic editing on random archive footage prior to the role, via the avid system. This meant that I was fully prepared to conduct my editing when my time came.  

However, during the process, I was to take on various responsibilities outside of the basic editors position. I shall quote an example: during pre-production, I was keen to voice praise and concerns over the script. Furthermore, I was keen to operate sound during production and help the camera operator and director achieve their desired shots. Most importantly, however, I re-constructed a narrative single-handedly to submit as the final product. 

Version 1 - Version 1 was the exact script copy. Whilst this meant that our narrative was strong and our visuals were well varied, the entire production was way over our five minute limit. Therefore, we were unable to submit this copy. This was disappointing for us all, especially Hannah who had a distinct idea for her film. Though, looking back, the script itself was dialogue heavy and ran over seven pages. Perhaps with some finer tuning and better focus, the narrative could’ve offered more possibility and range prior to filming and editing. 

Version 2 From here, I constructed V2, with the support of the camera operator (Saminda) this version was created to better fit the brief and utilise the strongest footage we had collated. Whilst this product lacked in using the majority of the footage we had gathered, we believed that this version captured the emotive sequence which Hannah had detailed in her script. The acting too is sharp here, where it had lacked previously. Up until this point (and almost 3/4 weeks into editing) I had only established the support of the camera operator. The others seemed disinterested and sometimes even disconnected to the group - they had done their bit, now it was all on me. I felt this was a little unfair as Saminda and I had both volunteered our time from the onset and at times when I needed aid, I felt abandoned. Then, I was criticised for changing the original script idea from a 10 minute sequence to something which felt more appropriate for the time frame we had been given. 

Version 3 However, V2 did not excite Hannah or Ella (producer) and this wasn’t ideal as, for me at least, this was a group effort, and I did not wish to ignore or dampen the spirits and ideas of my fellow teammates; though this had not been the case for me. For this reason, I volunteered to return during my Christmas break to collaborate with them to produce something which they too we happy with. Working from V2, we began editing through Hannah’s vision. 

After finalising the film, we asked for Saminda’s advice - Saminda had not attended this edit and so we felt that an ‘outside’ perspective would help us in establishing weaker areas. Nonetheless, this version did not meet the expectations I anticipated at the beginning of this project. Quite frankly speaking, I found the narrative to be confusing, clunky and rushed. Saminda surprising felt the same and thus, I was determined to make one more version which would collaborate our ideas and use this as the final product. 

In Hannah and Ella’s version, though, the editing was varied and pacy, I enjoyed this. The various flashback cuts were interesting, though their placement felt improper and were unfortunately quite jarring to the eye. Their ideas (in terms of the visual narrative) were promising however they caused contradictory shots to be intensified which I believe would reduce the high standard we were aiming for with this project. Furthermore, without context I feel as though the audience would be at a loss; more needed to be done here. 

Version 4 (The Submitted Version)  I planned out a new storyline. I sent my ideas to the group and generally had positive feedback. I returned to the editing studio the next day and finished this piece. This was with the aid of Ella, who kindly supported my ideas and encouraged me to make creative decisions I felt we had lost in the previous edit. Ella also contributed in areas such as designing the credits and building the pace. We showed our teammates the final product and everyone seemed to be happy with the new edit. We also asked another course mate from outside of the group to watch the film; from this we understood that she was able to get a grip with the narrative and enjoyed the edits/shots. For this reason, we decided that this would be the submitted version. 

After exporting it back into resolve for some colour correction, I adjusted some of the contrasts and highlights to make each scene more vibrant and submitted the final copy to the server. 

Strengths and Weaknesses:

Strong group - my group we’re a very friendly and talented group. I felt as though we got on well and kept our roles professional. 

Confident on avid basics - I feel as though I can effectively create content using avid to edit my work. 

Colour grading - hindered by the time restrictions, I found it difficult to colour grade to the best standard possible. Because of this I unfortunately didn’t showcase my true potential here. However, I do not feel responsible for this as I was not given advice on the project via my teammates, until it was too late and only basic edits could be executed.

Audio - this was the most challenging area. Some footage had poor audio and this was hard to fix. In the future I aim to capture better sound during the shoot and re-record if needs be. 

Next time...

- More communication throughout the entire process e.g. weekly meeting even during post production

- Longer time period to edit content. Editing is a lengthy process so deserves time and patience. 

- Voice concerns more often and ensure that my ideas are not overlooked simply due to the position i.e. via the director/producer 

- Gather feedback and support whenever possible from teachers / peers 

To sum up: I believe that this creative journey has been extremely beneficial for me in learning the roles and responsibilities of an editor. Whilst this role did have its many challenges, I feel as though I have learnt a wealth of academic, theoretical and practical knowledge and now feel confident within the Avid software. This project has allowed me to operate in a role which I wouldn’t initially have chosen (it was my 3rd option of choice!) and also collaborate with peers for various different tasks during pre/production.

The project handed in was perhaps not the vision any of us initially had for this film. However, as creatives, there were frictions in our ideologies and finally a compromise was settled in order to submit something we were all happy with (or at least happy with in terms of working with what we had). As the time frame between submission and the V4 edit was extremely intense, I decided that only a basic grade was feasible and Hannah agreed on this. 

Though I am not fully happy at the final version, and do not believe that this is a true representative of my true abilities, I do think that I will grow and take from this. Therefore, I am happy that I got to partake in this activity and believe that these skills can be utilised throughout other modules within my University experience. 

Leave Your Message (2019) thus, was a success!

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Post 8: Feedback

During the editing process, I turned to others to others to offer their suggestions on improving the edit. 

LYM.V1 - Full 10 minute cut:

Charlotte Haylen) ‘There is potential for a good story but it is way too long. The camera work and the editing is strong but the narrative is repetitive.’

Anonymous 1) ‘I found that it was really hard to follow. It should be more cohesive and “to-the-point”’

LYM.V2 - 5 minute cut (with camera operator): 

Peter North) ‘Sound was the weakest area of the film. You could build the grief more...it has a nice pace and is consistent’

John Edmonds) ‘Nicely shot and flows well. Be careful not to run the music for too long’

Hannah Quail) ‘Would’ve been nice to have more scenes. The music can be a little cheesey at times…but overall I’m happy with how it is turning out.’

LYM.V3 - 5 minute cut (with producer and director): 

Saminda Sidhu) ‘There was no clear narrative/structure. The pacing is off, I found it confusing.’

Ella Mae Auchterlounie) ‘I like it. The first montage is a little confusing but the ending is really strong’

From this feedback I realised that this final editing piece of the creative process was very challenging. The team had very contradictory visions and sometimes this hindered the narrative. 

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Post 7: Music and Sound FX

One of the most iconic movies for its playful creativity and contemporary stylisation is Requiem Of a Dream (2000). Clint Mansell’s score sets up a pace which only grows as the tragedy unfolds. The epic crescendo builds with the jarring cuts and quick succession of shots, all which evoke the character’s mentality as they spiral into an unstable state of existence. Below is the final scene which brilliantly reflects the importance of sound and music within cinema. 

In order to achieve a similar hypnotism, I researched some songs which fit with the theme of Hannah’s narrative tragedy: bereavement. I contacted some artists but also explored YouTube composers who allow their music to be employed for non-profitable purposes.  

Michael Ortega - Last Goodbye 

Opening the sequence with this tune I felt was very powerful. It set a narrative pace and helped acclimatise audiences with the film’s purpose/genre. 

Cold - Jorge Mendez 

I found this piano/violin score exceptionally fitting with the final sequence. It is very evocative and encourages emotion by the viewer - it’s slow pace and subtle rise and fall of the violins accompany the voice over and help portray protagonist Jenny’s slow but steady recovery. 

I didn’t feel as though it was necessary to add much more music and found power within the script itself. However, sound effects were critical to ‘selling the story’ and this was achieved through atmos (filmed during production) and online resources too. 

REFERENCES: 

1/ Requiem Of a Dream . 2000. [Film]  Darren Aronofsky. dir. USA

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Post 6: Post-Production (The Edit)

DATES - 26/11/19 to 05/12/19

Beginning my editing journey was a lot of fun! 

I offloaded and filtered through the various amounts of C-fast card footage onto Davinci Resolve. I then loosely colour graded the shots to rid it from over exposure and poor contrasts. After this I imported the files into Avid Media Composer where I officially began my edit. 

The first day consisted of organising the rushes into appropriate bins. This was a relatively lengthy process as I watched the clips from start to finish in order to ensure that the best were chosen for the final edit. However it was very rewarding at the end and, later during the edit, I was grateful for doing this also. 

For me, the biggest problem we faced was in continuity and lack of cut-away shots. Because of this I realised that editing would be much harder in conveying a story without distracting elements which weren’t noticed during production. This was also true with undesirable camera equipment within certain shots. To hide these issues, I knew the editing would be a much lengthier process than imagined. 

The next couple of days consisted mostly of a vague outline to be formed. I gathered all the master shots and offloaded them onto the timeline. Doing this, I established a narrative. I then began a simple rough cut - I did this in a sporadic order. The irregularity of editing different scenes on different days made the edit easier for me as I was able to inflict my own creative ideas onto the piece, without the restrictions of a linear narrative. 

During the editing process, however, I also encountered some practicality issues. From the software crashing, to files corrupting and timeline disorientation - the edit itself was challenging and, at points, rather frustrating too. I attempted to effectively approach these issues. When these set-backs occurred I would find ways of solving them as fast as possible, in order to reduce the issue eating into my time further. 

Finally, the last few days consisted off fine-tuning the rough cut. I did this on multiple occasions to get to a standard I was relatively happy with. Realising that even with these finer edits that the film was 10 minutes +, I spent my time reducing the dialogue and attempting to shorten the narrative but create atmosphere and tempo through the visuals and audio. I planned to meet with the Director to solve this issue.

DATES - 06/12/19 to 14/12/19

In my final week of editing, I resorted to making drastic creative decisions and made major adjustments to the edit. This resorted in producing a short film which met the brief John (lecturer) had set us. I had help from the Camera Operator in achieving this. 

However, after consulting with the Director*, she felt as though the original plot had be lost. I will be returning to make further changes during the holidays (see Post 9 for this). 

*In hindsight I believe more support from the Director and Producer during the editing process would’ve been ideal. Only after three weeks of editing and persistent questioning for feedback was any given - a little too late. I only truly felt supported by the Camera Operator who encouraged me to make creative decisions which felt appropriate to the flow of the narrative and met the expectations of both John and Hannah. 

(09/01/20) After airing this to the teammates, however, we met up and created a third version that the Director and Producer were happy with too. This time I felt supported and enjoyed listening to their ideas. 

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Post 4: Production

Our shoot days were generally very successful. Whilst we had a reasonably delayed start and encountered a few set backs during both days, I believe we managed to pull-trough as a team and work effectively in the time and restraints that we had. 

I was on sound for both days - I had to take responsibility of operating a boom pole and catching the sound of both the actress and atmos during our shoot. One of the issues we faced, regardless of whether it was the mic or the camera being used, there was a lot of background noise. This was strange as we had opted for a directional mic, so we weren’t expecting or prepared for this. Unfortunately, when playing the clips back we realised the sheer size of the problem itself, but it was too late in the day to re-record. We decided that I would try to fix this problem in the edit. I would help in adjusting the volume and gain, as well as add sound fx and music to mask the undesirable sound. 

Another challenge we faced was regarding the practicality of the camera lenses and equipment in general. Due to a lack of pre-planning, there was a lot of improvisation on the day and this caused a few practicality issues. Because of this, the shoot became problematic at times - we had to go back and forth between set ups. Nevertheless, after the first shoot day I believe we realised the problems this was causing and attempted to minimise this in the next shoot. Additionally, we were able to still remain within the time limits and even finish beforehand at times. Plus with the team-effort mentality, both days, regardless of these issues, were a success in that we achieved all that we had planned to prior to recording.  

Below are some pictures of the shoots. 

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Post 2: Pre-production, Research and Planning

Script - my initial thoughts.

In terms of the script, I was very impressed with Hannah’s first draft. It was certainly a captivating and moving article and this made it easy for me to visualise it as a short film.

Below I’ve attached a copy of my initial suggestions:

https://www.pdffiller.com/jsfiller-desk12/?projectId=353071187&expId=5756&expBranch=1#170ee8cb159b92eeab8f9373e000249d

After this, the Director made several readjustments and finalised on script which she believed captivated her idea best.    

The Meetings / Online Discussions

I think for the most part we were a very cooperative group. During the meetings, we all listened to each others ideas, debated and constructively fed back to one another. In the initial phases the Director and Producer were more communicative with one another so that the scheduling and practicalities met with the deadlines and aspirations. Later, the Camera Operator and I explored the ideas and voiced our visions to make this a more unified project. 

There were little disagreements during the visual and narrative process however. As creatives, it was difficult letting ideas go and accepting others, and I believe this effected all of us at one stage or other. The hardest part for me during this development stage was feeling uninspired by some of the content we had created - sometimes feeling as though the film was a little short of my initial expectations. 

Finding Inspiration - discussions with the Director.

Whilst I saw potential for (what I believe) could’ve been improvements on the script, the general understanding and agreement between teammates was present. Thus, to feel more educated on Hannah’s final idea, I asked for some of her inspiration and learnt ways to compromise my stylistic vision with hers.  

I took inspiration from the Director to visualise the narrative - visually, narratively  and poetically. To me, it was important to help blossom her ideas into reality. Nonetheless, it was equally a prioritisation to incorporate my own inspiration into the final project - after all, this was a collaboration and team effort was to be central to the success of the film.

My vision: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1w6JvEdNpWHWuOmo99ovfZWmokaZoHAZ-COepdjt_TxE/edit?usp=sharing

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Case Study: 12 Years a Slave

After its initial release in 2013, and now a globally recognised critique of the 17th century African-American slave trade, the Biographical Period Drama 12 Years a Slave (2013) has been awarded as one of the most capturing adaptations within such genres. Commended for its explicity and gripping tale, I believe this is a good film to study. 

To me, the success of the film relies heavily on the editing - or the lack, thereof. Joe Walker, the editor of 12 Years a Slave artfully masters the ability to convey the horrors of such a time and disturbing consequences which still, arguably, remain prevalent within our society. 

With the slow-moving, uncut nature of the film, the audience are confronted with the uncomfortable and unsettling realities behind the exploitation and brutality of the slave trade and slavery era. This technique, often overlooked by amateur editors, is, perhaps, the greatest persuasive approaches within film craft; insomuch as it was marked as a movie not to be ‘enjoyed but endured. But there lies its disturbing genius’ by the Times of India. 

In one of the most compelling sequences within the entire film, Walker lengthens what could’ve been a rather short and graphic clip to a 90-second segment. The audience unable to disengage with the hanging body and the helpless workers (who, paradoxically, continue with their daily tasks) produces a raw and authentic sense of realism to a deeply cheerless and melancholic scene. This powerful stand-alone frame exemplifies Walker’s ability to draw attention towards the harrowing lynching (which so realistically portrays the actuality of the era), in his resistance to cut away from the truth. 

In an interview with Moviola’s Glenn Garland, Walker reveals his inspiration behind the gut wrenching sequence [see Fig.1]. He claims it was this postcard which drove him to immerse the audience amidst the horrifying ‘slave experience’. Mimicking the execution of the burning brothers (as shown below), Walker reminds the modern day audience of the barbarisms of 17th century America. To add to this, the visuals and helplessness of both the protagonist and the audience, themselves, instils an immediate sense of regret, urgency and desperation - all of which were felt by Walker as he read aloud the text which accompanied the image: ‘went to a fantastic barbecue last night’.  

[Fig.1]

Another aspect of Walker’s work which I appreciate is the subtle (or in some cases, not so subtle) teasing of time. The way in which he echoes the freedom  and compassion in his bed (within the flashback sequence) and then juxtaposes this to the later scene where in a similar position, he is tied down with constraints; it is an intimate moment, an allusion for just the editor and audience to share. 

Moreover, Walker cleverly compresses time in a number of shots. For example, prior to the hanging sequence we are met with the build up to the ‘execution’. The multitude of clips which are cut, unfinished even, allow the audience to ‘play catch up’ amidst the commotion of each action filled sequence. Nonetheless, Walker juxtaposes this - a motif within the film itself - where the action of the shots prior is then met with the stillness and silence of the 90-second clip. This successfully depicts the absence of humanity within the culprits - most of whom resemble those sat within the audience themselves - and thus is why I deem Walker’s editing as an artistic piece rather than a filmic one. 

Since its release, further critiques have arose from this genre including Jordan Peele’s Thriller Get Out (2017). This film about human cost at the hands of merciless hegemonic identities, thus, has driven a movement within film and its power as a storytelling medium. For this reason, I will pay close attention to my editing and thought process when examining Hannah’s script (see Pre-production, Research and Planning) and putting the script into action (see Post-production). I plan to use Walker’s lack of editing and his non-linear mode of storytelling within my own work to depict a gripping and heart-felt tale, much like that which was explored within the masterpiece: 12 Years a Slave (2013).

REFERENCES:

1/ 12 Years a Slave. 2013. [Film]  Steve McQueen. dir. USA

2/  Unknown. 2016. 12 Years a Slave Movie Review. The Times Of India. 

3/ Moviola. 2014. A Conversation With Joe Walker, Editor, 12 Years a Slave. [Online]. [Accessed November 2019]  Available from: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZrsTCVEhOTg

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Case Study: Whiplash (2014)

One of the greatest editing masterpieces of modern-day cinema is, one might argue, Damien Chazelle’s Whiplash (2014). Paralleling the brutality, disorientation and action echoed in Martin Scorsese’s sports Drama Raging Bull (1980), editor Tom Cross successfully scored himself a BAFTA award for ‘Best Editing’ during the 2015 Oscars. 

In Whiplash (2014), it is the fast-paced cuts and action styled rhythmic editing which works in conjunction to the music, actors and tempo so effectively to create such intensity and drama within and throughout the film. I believe this clip sums up the film’s tonality best. 

Additionally, what sets aside Cross’ work of art from other editors - and I believe his editing is deserving of such a term - is his collaboration with Sharone Meir’s cinematography. It is this, one may argue, which drives both the narrative and visuals so compellingly. In one of the most famous sequences, Cross builds pace and emotion simultaneously. With protagonist Andrew Neiman (Miles Teller) already late to his very first rehearsal, the audience are positioned as ‘one step behind’ of music instructor, Terence Fletcher (J.K. Simmons); playing ‘catch up’. Due to this, the rehearsal itself seems rushed, off-beat, unsettling. 

Furthermore, Cross conventionally resides with the codes found in violent or action-based genres. This works well with the discomforting screenplay and acting of those within the film. Strikingly, though, in many interviews, Cross refers to the use of ‘smash cuts’ and ‘jump cuts’ within his work. Notice the repetition and emphasis on the term ‘cut’ - unlike the disregard of such expression in Post 1: The Editor,  this term is arguably appropriate to use here. Therefore, I believe it is essential to consider the rhythm and mood of the screenplay - who is in the frame, what the motivations of the character are, and how I can convey this.

Considering all this, whilst Whiplash (2014) is one of my favourite films, I do not believe I will be using Cross’ editorial influence within my own project. That being said, I will use Cross’ work ethic to guide my genre identification, researching and prepping of Leave A Message. I do believe, therefore, that researching Cross and Whiplash (2014) was worthwhile in accomplishing my goal. 

REFERENCES: 

1/ Whiplash. 2014. [Film]  Damien Chazelle. dir. USA

2/ Raging Bull. 1980. [Film]  Martin Scorsese. dir. USA

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Post 1: The Editor

In the most simplified sense of the word, to ‘edit’ is to ‘modify’ or ‘emend’. Perhaps, thus, when we say we ‘edit’ video or film, we are saying that we, as editors, are the mediators, the story tellers. That we hold the power to subjectively navigate a storyline and feed it to an audience however we deem suitable. I believe, therefore, it is imperative for my involvement in this project from the very onset and throughout. 

Of course, it is the writer who constructs the narrative, the plot, the characters. But he who edits, who ‘cuts’ - though a controversial expression - brings these seemingly separate elements, all together. Cutting, however, implies the removal or serration of unwanted footage. Whilst editors do cut out some unnecessary visuals, their role is not to erase away the ineffective sequences but to montage the clips in a cohesive and coherent manner. 

Additionally, editing was first popularised in cinema through Edwin S. Porter’s Silent Western, The Great Train Robbery (1903). In cutting non-related sequences together, Porter created a narrative never to have been viewed before. It was a revolutionary method, something to change the history of cinema and this movement remains to influence editors today. Another influential editor theorist, however, is Lev Kuleshov who coined the term ‘The Kuleshov Effect’. Kuleshov investigated the interactions between shots and the meanings they build when two isolated shots collaborate with one another [See Fig.1]. 

[Fig.1] 

Editors, therefore, are artists. For that reason, an editor must (and often does) experiment. No successful editor practises his art in the same manner. Below are some example editors who I will investigate for this project. 

CASE STUDIES:

1. Joe Walker: 12 Years a Slave (2013)

2. Tom Cross: Whiplash (2014)

Finally, this blog is for me to document my journey as an editor on the COMM2890 -Short Film Production module. From the initial research to group meetings, practicals and beyond - I intend to educate myself on the skills of a budding editor and, by the end, hopefully illustrate the knowledge that I have acquired via a final product too. 

                                                                               REFERENCES:

1/ The Great Train Robbery. 1903. [Film]  Edwin S. Porter. dir. USA

2/ No Film School. 2019. The Kuleshov Effect - Everything You Need To Know In Six Minutes. [Online]. [Accessed October 2019]  Available from:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OVwKItbgd3s

3/ 12 Years a Slave. 2013. [Film]  Steve McQueen. dir. USA

4/ Whiplash. 2014. [Film]  Damien Chazelle. dir. USA