Task 2: Editing techniques portfolio

Cross- Cutting 

Cross cutting also known as parallel editing, is cutting between two different scenes that are happening at the same time.This technique was created and developed by D.W. Griffith. Cross-Cutting was first used in D.W Griffith's film "After many years" in 1908. The clip below shows an example of cross-cutting being used. The clip is from the film Quantum of Solace. In the scene, A man is being interrogated, the camera then cuts to another scene to show that somebody is approaching in a car. The purpose of Cross-Cutting is to show two important/relevant events in the story that are happening at the same time. Using Cross-Cutting makes the story of a film more interesting for audience. It also allows the audience to be introduced to new characters of the story. Cross-Cutting combines shots to create a sequence which engages the viewer.Cross Cutting is a mainstream technique.

Shot Reverse Shot

Shot reverse shot is a technique in which the camera cuts between two people.This technique is often used when two characters are having a conversation. The camera would show one character looking at the other character while having a conversation.The purpose of shot reverse shot is to show the audience the character's reaction. The technique allows the audience to understand how the character is feeling, from reading their facial expressions. Shot reverse shot is a mainstream technique which is used to tell a story by engaging the viewer.

Match on Action

Match on action is when the camera cuts from one shot to another that matches the action from the previous shot but from a different angle. For example if a character were to open a door, the camera would cut from the shot of the character putting their hand on the handle, to a shot in which the character is opening the door. Match on action is used to create continuity and realism. The clip below is an example of match on action. 

  

180 degree rule

The 180 degree rule is a rule that states that the camera must not be moved more than 180 degrees from its position. The rule also states that the camera should always stay on the same side of the line of action. The line of action is where the action of the scene takes place. This rule was first developed by D.W Griffith. The purpose of the rule is to keep continuity in a scene. The 180 degree rule helps to understand where everything in the scene is. The 180 degree rule technique is a mainstream technique. The man of steel trailer below shows the 180 degree rule being used. The 180 degree rule was used in early cinema to maintain continuity. 

Point of View shot 

A point of view shot is a shot that shows the events or actions that are happening in a scene from a character's perspective.Point of view shot is a mainstream technique that is used to engage the viewer. This is because it allows the audience to feel like they are involved in what is happening. The clip below is an example of Point of view shot.

Jump Cut

A jump cut is when two shots with no relationship are put together chronologically.Jump cuts break continuity. The technique was created by George Melies in the 1890s. In early cinema, the jump cut was used by Melies to create disappearing and appearing effects. The Purpose of a jump cut is to manipulate time and space. The Clip above is an example of the jump cut. The jump cut technique is an alternative technique.

Seamless Editing 

Seamless editing is often referred to as continuity editing. This is cutting to different shots in a way that maintains continuity throughout all scenes of a production. The concept of seamless/continuity editing was created by D.W. Griffith. Seamless/continuity editing usually uses a combination of shots to tell a story. The allows the audience to easily follow the action. In a way Seamless/continuity editing manipulates time and space. This is because it makes the audience believe that what they are watching on screen is happening in real time. Seamless editing is a mainstream technique. The clip below is an example of seamless editing.

Rhythmic Editing  


Rhythmic editing is a series of shots arranged to flow with the rhythm pattern of the scene. This technique was created by Sergei Eisenstein in the 1920s. Rhythmic editing is one of the 5 methods of montage editing that Eisenstein created.Rhythmic editing can be used to create drama in a scene. The clip below is a scene from the 1960 film phycho. In the scene, rhythmic editing is used to create drama. The camera cuts to different angles in a rhythmic way, every time the man stabs the woman. The camera also cuts to the rhythm of the music. The purpose of rhythmic editing is to create pace by combining shots, to create a sequence. Montage is an alternative technique, therefore rhythmic editing is an alternative technique.

Cutaway 

A cutaway is a shot that is of something other than the current action. It cuts away from the main action for a short time. Edwin S Porter created the Cutaway and used the technique in his film "life of an american fireman" in 1903. A typical cutaway shot usually takes place at the same time as the main action sequence, showing the audience other plot points occurring at the same time. The cutaway is a mainstream technique that is used to manipulate time and space. 

Task 2: Editing technique portfolio (Cross-cutting)

Cross- Cutting 

Cross cutting also known as parallel editing, is cutting between two different scenes that are happening at the same time.This technique was created and developed by D.W. Griffith. Cross-Cutting was first used in D.W Griffith's film "After many years" in 1908. The clip below shows an example of cross-cutting being used. The clip is from the film Quantum of Solace. In the scene, A man is being interrogated, the camera then cuts to another scene to show that somebody is approaching in a car. The purpose of Cross-Cutting is to show two important/relevant events in the story that are happening at the same time. Using Cross-Cutting makes the story of a film more interesting for audience. It also allows the audience to be introduced to new characters of the story.

Task 1: Early Cinema and The development of Editing Timeline (Link)

http://www.tiki-toki.com/timeline/entry/550811/Early-Cinema-and-The-Development-of-Editing/

Task C : Technical Analysis of Single Camera Techniques (3 short films)

Short film 1: Vendetta (thriller)

Vendetta is a short film, which makes the format a single drama. The narrative of the film is non-linear. This is because the film starts off with the girl getting caught by one of the characters. The audience doesn't know how the character got caught in the first place. They are forced to work it out.

(1:39) The screenshot above shows the first scene of the film.The two characters are alone on the rooftop. Low contrast and high exposure lighting is used to convey this. The use of this lighting creates a sense of isolation and makes the atmosphere appear dull. The camera is also less focused on the rest of the surroundings apart from where the characters are standing. This makes it clear that, in this particular scene, the two characters are truly alone. The musical score for this scene builds tension and suspense.The music starts to play when the man holds the gun to the girl's head. This suggests that something dangerous is going to happen to the girl,most likely that she gets shot. The music is foreshadowing this. The sound of the gunshot ringing is mixed into the musical score of the scene, so that it sounds like it is a diegetic sound. This creates realism by making the audience feel like they are the character that is being shot at and that they can hear the ringing.The music in the scene is low and subtle, which creates mystery.The purpose of this is to tell the audience that the genre of the film is a thriller.One of the characters is holding a gun and fires it. This already tells the audience that the film is a thriller. Later on in the scene, the music changes to a much more upbeat and fast tempo style, to show that it has become a fight scene. The music goes back and forth, to illustrate that there is a struggle of power between the two characters.The music has been constructed this way to create a feeling of conflict to the audience and draw them in. The camera moves around to imply that the two characters are in conflict. At the end of the scene (3:29) the music stops as soon as the girl shoots the man. This is deliberately done to cut the tension of conflict and to bring the audience back.This is very effective because it signifies that the conflict is over. A medium long shot is used as a establishing shot. to show the location in the scene.  

The pace of the editing is faster when the two characters are fighting. The purpose of this is to create realism in the fight scene. Like the music,the pace is trying to illustrate the power struggle between the two characters.

(5:51) This is a screenshot from the middle of the film. At the start of the scene (5:36) a group of men can be seen capturing the girl and bringing her to someone. From looking at their presence, the audience can already tell that they are the antagonists of the story.In this screenshot the audience is introduced to a new character. Low key lighting is used for this specific part of the scene. The purpose of this is to point out the significance of this particular character. It also makes the audience feel on edge because they do not know who the character is.The lighting is dark which suggests that this character is evil and bad, which tells the audience that he is the main antagonist. The audience were allowed to see the faces of the other antagonists clearly. However for this antagonist, the audience is forced to wait for him to reveal himself from the darkness. This also suggests that there is some kind of difference in status between the antagonists. This character is sitting down and eating while the other characters are standing and watching him eat. This is seen as a typical way that villains behave in thriller films. The fact that this character is seen smoking at the beginning of the scene further reinforces the point that the character is a villain. Smoking is often viewed as a bad habit, and is associated with people who are bad and up to no good. Having the antagonist smoke at the beginning of the scene creates a feeling of uneasiness for the audience.This is because the character seems very calm while smoking, this leaves the audience feeling vulnerable and unprepared for what might happen next.The audience cannot tell what his motives are.

(7:57) The point of view shot is used when the girl shoots the man.This creates realism, especially for the audience. It feels as if the audience is in the character's shoes and sees what she sees. By doing this, the audience can further empathise with character. This also creates an emotional attachment between the audience and character. The girl has just shot another character. As the audience, looking from the characters point of view, it feels like the audience have pulled the trigger themselves. All the psychological consequences that come from killing someone can now be felt and understood by the audience from this simple shot.The audience become more involved.The fact that High contrast lighting is used,further highlights the reality that someone has been killed. The only noticable thing that stands out in the shot is the red blood from the man's gunshot wound. The colour red is really important in this scene. This is because red is often a negative connotation. The colour red is normally associated with danger and caution. Having the colour red stand out indicates that something dangerous has taken place and that the audience should be prepared for something dangerous and life threatening to happen to a character. 

The setting is dark, which creates a ominous mood. This leads to the audience to suspect that something  threatening is going to happen.

A close up is used to emphasis the fact that the girl has been caught.

(3:15 -3:18) A slow motion effect has been used when the girl kicks the man. Slow motion is used in this scene to give the kick a dramatized effect. It is also used to show that the girl is strong and she is winning the fight.

Bird's eye-view is used to show that the antagonists are watching the girl. It implies that the antagonists are powerful and have supreme status. Almost as if they are God-like.

The screenshot above shows an extreme close up that was used in one of the scenes of the film. The purpose of using this extreme close up is to make the audience notice certain characteristics and emotions about this character, that would normally go unnoticed.

(9:05) This is a screenshot from the last scene of the film. In this scene the setting and mood has changed. The protagonist of the film has come out of the situation alive but has failed her mission to save her sister. The lighting is similar to the lighting used in the beginning of the film. Sunlight can be seen as the character is walking towards the gate. The two different lightings represent the fact that she is leaving the isolated area and walking back into reality. This is telling the audience that she is leaving everything that has happened so far behind and moving forward. This signifies that she has no regrets and
she is ready to get on with her life. Even though she does not actually say she has no regrets, we as the audience can tell that she feels that way. By turning her back on the camera, she is showing that she has no regrets. At the end of the scene a crane is used to lift the camera into the sky,as the girl is walking away. The crane shot is purposely used to tell the audience that the story has ended and that the girl's journey has also ended.



Short film 2: Decay (Thriller/horror)

 (2:00) Depth of field is used in this medium close up shot to separate the character from the setting,making him stand out. Doing this allows the audience to acknowledge that this character is of relevance to the story. It also tells the audience that this character is alone. A medium close up is used for this part of the scene.The purpose for this is to show the facial expression on the character's face. In this scene, the character has just discovered and triggered an explosive device. The audience can see that he is nervous and panicked about his current predicament. 

A High angle shot is used to show that the character is in a vulnerable position. In this scene the character has just been blown away by an explosion. A ringing sound that has been caused by the explosion (diegetic sound) can be heard. This alone, makes the scene more realistic.The audience feel as if they can feel the effects of the explosion.

(3:50) In beginning of this scene, The camera pans around the character's room. Cross fade transitions are also used in the scene. The camera movement and transition effects combine to create continuity. Continuity adds more depth to the scene aswell as the whole film. By using the combination of camera movements and transition effects,the audience are able to better understand the story of the film.The pan movement creates suspense because the camera is only allowing the audience to see specific parts of the man's room. The audience can see that something bad has happened, and that it involves the character on screen. The character's clothes and most of his room is stained with blood. This leads the audience to believe that the man might have killed someone or he might be gravely injured. Because there is blood, the audience can tell that the genre of the film might be thriller or horror.The heavy breathing from the man shows that he is very panicked. This is more evidence to the audience that the man is in a bad situation. 

(3:03) A point of view shot is used when the man wakes up from being unconscious. For a brief moment,The audience is able to see what the character sees. In this scene, the man wakes up to find blood on his hands. There is also a dead body not too far from him. Once again the director is hinting to the audience that this character is involved in something dangerous. Allowing the audience to the see from the character's perspective creates mystery and further adds to the feeling of suspense. 

(0:41-0:46) Match on Action is used when the character opens the front door.The purpose of this is to  create continuity and realism in the scene. 



(0:53) The movie title bumper has a horror effect. This tells the audience that the genre is horror/thriller. 

The music used in the film is echoey, this creates mystery and suspense. This aids the audience in understanding the narrative of the story. It also allows the audience to know what genre the film is.




Short film 3: Red (Thriller)

(0:28) Camera tracking movement is used in the beginning of the scene. The purpose of this is to show to the audience that at this particular moment, this character is important.The tracking shot is also used to maintain and catch all of the action on screen The shot also keeps the character within the frame.The music in the scene (non- diegetic) uses a low continuous note. 

Narrative structure Emaze presentations

Task B: Section 2 and 3

Formats and Narrative Structures


Formats are the way in which the final production is presented or laid out. Single camera  productions have different formats. One example of a single camera production format is a serial.A Serial is when one main story is told through several episodes. The story continues to develop one episode at a time, never deviating from the main plot. Serials do not have a set amount of episodes, episodes are created until the main story is complete. Serials always pick up from where the story stopped. For example the second episode of a serial would start from where the first episode ended.Most serials have episode recaps at the beginning of an episode to recap what happened in the last episode. Utopia is an example of a serial that uses recaps. The video below is a season 1 recap.It tells the audience what has previously happened in all the episodes of the first season. Episode or season recaps tend to be short,this is so that the audience don't loose interest. As you can see from the video below,the season recap only includes the important events that have happened in the season. By doing this, people who have missed  episodes can be caught up without having to watch the whole season. Shows such as Game of thrones and Heroes also fall into the serial category. 

A Series creates and develops characters to tell stories. A series is similar to a serial in that it has a main plot. But unlike a serial, one story isn't told throughout all the episodes. A series uses multiple stories across episodes. Each episode will tell the story of a different character, and no episode's story will continue onto the next, unless it is a series finale or special in which case the story will probably carry onto the next episode. One reason why series often tell the story of a character is to introduce them. Episode Writers introduce characters to the story by dedicating certain episodes to them. Sometimes these dedicated episodes can be filler episodes,and are used to build another story for a completely new episode. Filler episodes are episodes in a series that are made just to fill time.This gives the show writers time to plan for future episodes.Sometimes filler episodes are used for character development. 

Friends is a comedy series that tells the story of 6 friends living in Manhattan. This particular episode is about Rachel,Joey and Ross. One thing that is typical of comedy series, is that one episode might be about more than one character. This allows the audience to understand the relationship between the characters.The clip on the left shows one of Rachel's "parts" of the episode. 








A single drama is a show that has one storyline and it is broadcasted once .The story starts and finishes, there are no episodes.Films are categorized as Singles because they have one self-contained storyline told in a specific amount of time. Films such as interstellar and King Kong are examples of singles. TV dramas are also examples of singles. Most singles  are single camera productions. This is because a single camera set up is the most suitable set up for films.Using a single camera setup means the directors and editors can go through the shots and choose which ones work and which don't. Multi- camera production may be used to shoot specific parts or scenes in a film. For example, Stunts. Different angles may need to be filmed when shooting stunt scenes. 




Here are two clips from a single film Interstellar.The first clip  is the opening of the film.The title is shown at the beginning to show the audience that it is the beginning of the film. The second clip is the ending of the film.The film concludes by fading out and showing the credits. Single dramas always have a definitive ending. 

The webisode that me and my group filmed is an example of a thriller serial. This is because it uses a non-linear narrative aswell as an open narrative. thrillers often use non linear narratives. Using a non linear narrative creates creates suspense and tension, which are essential for thrillers.





Single Camera production Formats can have different narrative structures. Narrative structures are the ways in which the story is told. Linear narratives are stories that have a beginning, middle and end. Because of this,linear narratives are also known as 3 act structure stories. Linear narratives tell stories from the beginning to the end. One example of a linear narrative is Disney and Pixar's movie,Up. The clip below from the film shows how Carl and Ellie's relationship begins.This would be considered to be the beginning of the narrative. 

A Non-linear narrative is a narrative that does not start from the beginning. Non- linear stories tend to start from a certain point and then build up. It is up to the audience to work out what has happened.Non- linear stories mostly include flashbacks or somekind of skip in time to let the audience know what is happening and what has previously happened in the story. The story must have a reason for using flashbacks or time skips, otherwise the audience will not be able to follow the story. The clip on the left is an example of a non-linear narrative. Fight club is a non linear narrative film that uses flashbacks to show that the main protagonist is in a predicament, in which he is living as someone else and not as his self. A non- linear narrative is often used to create suspense. This is typical of productions within the thriller genre.

A narrative that is episodic is a story that is told through a series of segments or episodes. A episodic story is often linked together with each episode. Episodic narratives will also have recaps at the beginning of each episode and a cliffhanger at the end of each episode, Like a soap opera. The main purpose of this narrative is to keep the audience hooked on the show and to leave them wanting to find out more. One example of a episodic narrative is Gotham. 

Realist narratives are stories based on real events that have happened.A Bio pic also known as a biographical film is an example of a realist narrative. 42 is a Biographical film based on the brooklyn dodgers team and racism in 1946. Anti- realist narratives such as doctor who and The flash are fictional stories. Unlike realist stories,They are not based on real life events and are made up purely for entertainment.

An Open Ending Narrative is usually found in TV soaps. In these narratives, the story does not have a final ending. The ending of open narratives will always be somewhat ambiguous, allowing the audience them self to ponder the conclusion of the story. By using an open narrative, a sense of mystery and suspense is created. A Closed Ending narrative is one in which the story has a definite ending. All the events that build up the story end and there are no cliffhangers. The audience will have some idea as to how the story will end. Single dramas and films tend to use this kind of narrative. A closed narrative is similar to a linear narrative, but differs in some aspects. 

A Single stranded narrative is when there is one main character of who is surrounded by other supporting characters. A narrative that is multi stranded is telling a story from different characters point of view or telling the story of multiple characters,which then come together to make one main story.One example of a multi stranded narrative is Skins. Skins tells the story of a group of teens and how they survive the pressures of sixth form life. The group of characters are introduced as the shows goes on, and all their stories create the main plot of the show. 

Task 1: B) Section 1 Comparing Single Camera Production and Multi- Camera Production

Comparing Single camera production and Multi- camera production 

Single camera production uses a single camera for all the various shots. Productions that are used with a single camera are usually low budget. Music videos, adverts and TV dramas tend to use single camera production. When using this kind of production, scenes are filmed altogether. So if there’s a dialogue scene, all the lines of one person will be shot together and the same will happen for the other person. The scene will then be edited so that it looks like the two people are having a conversation. Unlike Multi- camera production,Single camera production gives the directors more control of each shot.

There are many advantages of using single camera production. One advantage of using Single camera production is that it is low budget. This is because you are using only one camera instead of using multiple cameras. Another advantage is that it is easier to sort and edit shots because all the footage will be on one camera; this allows the editing team to have more flexibility. Single camera production can easily be linear as well as non linear.This is because the scenes are normally filmed in sections rather than continuously flowing which is very typical of multiple camera production. Using single production means a single camera set-up has to be used. A single camera set-up is when one camera is set-up to film a whole series or a whole film. The camera is constantly being moved to get various shots and angles for scenes. A single camera set-up allows the film-maker to capture shots and build a scene in more detail. This is because the camera can be moved and placed in different positions to create certain angles and shots. However this can also be a disadvantage because moving the camera could possibly break continuity. Which could result in the scene having to be filmed again.

 There are disadvantages in using single camera. One disadvantage is the editing time involved. Using single camera production means that there are going to be lots of shots to edit and put together, this can be very time consuming. Another disadvantage,probably the most noticeable is that it is shot at one angle at a time. Unlike multiple camera production which allows you to capture several things happening at once from different angles. 





Doctor who is sci-fi drama serial which is filmed using a single camera set-up. a single camera is used for doctor who in order to create drama and suspense. These are vital aspects for productions in the sci-fi genre. The clip below shows a scene from doctor who. In the clip at 0:15 it shows the Doctor in a passive position. This effect is created by using camera angles (low angles & high angles). The purpose of this is to show that the woman is in control. This is one of the reasons why Dramas typically use single camera set-up. To build on the character development on screen by using various camera angles. at 0:53 the woman says "you can trust me". The camera then cuts to a medium shot, letting the audience know that she is a "good guy" and is relevant to the story. Again, camera angles and shots are used to make the audience understand  character status. This is the purpose and advantage in using a single camera set-up for dramas.

X-men days of the future past is a single film that was also filmed using a single camera setup. A Single camera was used to film this so that it would be easier to edit and put scenes of the film together. The way that scenes and shots are put together in films and movies are different from tv shows. Camera angles and Camera shots are essential in films and other single camera productions. Although films are often shot using single camera production, scenes including stunts sometimes are filmed using a multi-camera setup. For example if a character was jumping out of a burning building,a multi- camera setup will be used to film different angles simultaneously. This allows the camera operator to capture the character jumping from different angles. 

In my single camera production (on the left) i filmed with my group, we were able to use different kinds of angles and shots to create suspense. Because i was creating a thriller, i needed to use a single camera setup. My group and i were able to create suspense in specific scenes by using close ups and camera movements.

 the screenshot on the left,shows a close up we used in the production. A close up was used to show the audience that the main character was having a text conversation with her mother. It was also used to foreshadow the events that were going to happen. 









Multiple Camera production is when multiple cameras are used to film different shots. Using multi camera production is often more expensive due to the amount of cameras being used. This type of production is used to shoot live events such as concerts and live sports. Multi camera production is often used to make editing easier and to cover as much of an area as possible, which is why this kind of production is used for live sports. Multi camera production also looks a bit more realistic compared to single camera production. This is because with multi camera production, you can shoot from many different angles and narrate from different perspectives. Multi camera production can also capture more emotions and reactions. One main advantage of using Multi camera production is that the transition from one person to another is a lot smoother. This is because the production is being filmed together rather than being filmed one at a time like single camera production. Though Multi camera production may seem like the better set up to use, it can be very expensive and can take long to set up. Also using multi camera production means that there is a possibility or risk of cameramen getting in the shot.  Another advantage with multi-camera production is that if something goes wrong with one camera, the cameraman can easily switch to another camera and film from a different angle. 

This Live Arsenal vs Stoke City Match is an example of Multiple Camera Production.There are multiple cameras filming the match from different angles. The purpose of using multi- camera to film the football game is to cover everything that is happening. 

The BBC Glastonbury concert was also filmed using a multi-camera setup. The concert was shot from different angles. All the cameras were placed in specific places to capture certain things happening in the concert at once. For example, in the clip on the left, you can see that one camera is on the main singer,another camera is filming the crowd, and there is also one camera which is filming the rest of the band. The camera operator can choose to cut to different cameras.