Editing our version of Reservoir Dogs

After filming, we began editing. However, instead of working as a group it was now an individual task. We downloaded our footage onto the MAC and I started cutting each clip to get the best part of the film to use. I achieved this by using Final Cut Express.

I cut each scene we had filmed to what I needed for my scene before anything. This was so I could roughly begin to see where which clip would go where and whether it fit with the original. I went to record my voice for the voice over part that we had to do for the beginning of the scene. This was for me to use later once I had finished editing.

After cutting each of the scenes, I edited some of the transitions such as the fade to black at the start of the clip between the cafe, the credits and where they are walking. This didn’t take too long because I had sorted where all my clips were going so it was a matter of finding the suitable parts.

After doing this, I had to change the motion of each clip to 50% slower than the original filming we got. This was because the original clip was in slow-motion and I had to achieve this in my re-make. Next, I had to tackle the credits that appeared throughout the clip. Once finding the ‘title’ add-in I simply wrote and edited each of the names on to the clip where they were supposed to go. This was simple once I had figured out how to change the colour, font and size. I then had to adapt the credits at the end of ‘Reservoir Dogs’ where it is a slide transition. Similarly with the names at the end of the clip. Once I had done this, all I had to was remove the sound from the original clip and add in the music soundtrack of George Baker- Little Green Bags. Then add in my voice over that I had recorded.

Dr Who textual analysis

In this episode, to portray gender through camerawork there is a competition for power and superiority between Martha and the Master. When the Master and Martha talk the camera uses the shot,reverse technique and the 180 degree rule allows a sense of continuity in the episode. The camera is tilted up at the Master and then switches to be tilted downwards on Martha. This is perhaps to show superiority towards the Master in comparison to Martha who is made to look insignificant. The director wants the Master to look in control at this point of the episode. As a patriachal society perhaps the audience naturally feel as though the Master would be in control of the situation. Furthermore, Martha is out focus when she walks in from the lift to begin with, she is surrounded by two male security guards this shows her vulnerability and defencelessness, typical of a woman or a ‘maiden in distress’. However, the Master is focused on in a close-up shot showing his menacing attitude and centre of attention. Making him seem more powerful compared to her as the woman. The camera then switches to the male hostage, he is at the same level as the master showing the master isn’t looking down on him because he is a male; however, because he is seen in a wide-shot it distances the audience from the male hostage and from the master suggesting the hostage isn’t scared by the Master’s elevated power as apposed to Martha looking worried at this point. On the other hand, by the end of the clip the camera looks down on the master making the balance between power change to him now looking vulnerable which makes him as a male, not look as strong anymore which subverts the typical gender stereotype behaviour.

Furthermore the sound design of the flying orbs is in a female, robotic voice which subverts the typical female stereotype of playing the victim and being innocent. The voices grow louder and it makes them threatening. As the scene begins, the non-diegetic composed music sounds heroic and has an element of western-style music which sets the audience up for the competitive,dramatic fight for power between Martha and the Master.In the switching of power between the two main charactersMartha’s laugh grows louder which perhaps mirrors her elevated power over the Master, because she is confident she is winning this battle of wit. Masculine sounds are associated with the Master such as the laser and gun, which emphasises his superiority towards the other characters. On the other hand though, it limits his power because they sound like toy guns that young boys would pretend to have a shoot-off with their friends, fundamentally making him look immature and weaker. Consequently is shows Martha’s growing power counter-balancing the Masters. Furthermore, the authortitive tone the Master speaks in is almost mocked by Martha’s rebellious and quick comebacks which reduces his air of power. The pulses of music are used to signify moments of flashbacks and function to signposts Martha’s power increase.

The editing in this episode establishes an equal amount of time shared between both the Master and Martha which all in all, suggests their equal amount of importance, perhaps the equal power they both possess at this point in time of the episode. However, there is less attention shown on the male hostage an female orbs showing their lack of power as apposed to Martha and the Master. The male hostage treats Martha as the one he looks up to which subverts the gender stereotype because she is a woman acting as the ‘heroic’ character. The editing between shots (cut transitions) quickens as Martha gets more confident that she beating the battle of power with the Master, which in turn creates more tension on the action for the audience.

The Master is wearing a suit with his button un-done, which suggests he is relaxed bout the situation and in his element, almost as if he is smug about the fact he is thinks he is in control. Despise the fact Martha is seeming to gain more and more power over him. She is wearing a black, masculine suit which subverts the gender stereotype in being a vulnerable woman not willing to fight. The shift in power between Martha and the Master becomes apparent when he sits on the stairs. It’s a patronising stance as he lowers himself to her level metaphorically and physically, like he is an adult listening to her story. This may be his realisation she is stronger than he thought. The male hostage wears a blue, normal looking outfit which reflects his calm attitude towards the situation, he seems confident in what Martha is telling the Master.Although the fact he is held hostage as a male, just like Martha was, as a female, depreciates the Hostage’s masculinity. Moreover, earth is represented as gloomy and in danger, Martha is on a journey informing people of the crucial name they need to chant ‘doctor’. By her doing this, it sets her on a stool of power and ‘disciple’ like behaviour spreading the ‘teachings’ she had heard.

This Is England 86, episode 4.

I will be analysing the camerawork, sound design, mise-en-scene and editing of the montage scene before the climax of the episode. Initially it sets us up for the end of what is about to come and the overall feel of this particular montage with dialogue and diegetic sound in is bittersweet. Because it is contrasting emotions of different characters. Each character is shown for an equal amount of time showing their joint importance in the scene. For some characters in the scene for example Lol and Trev shows simply a moment in time; however, for others like Woody and Milky there is still an element of exposition.

The camerawork during this scene begins with a close-up shot on Lol and Trev promoting a sense of intimacy and the 180 degree rule again shows every emotion they are feeling. This is because the audience know what Trev is going to tell Lol, about her tragedy. There is a wide shot used on the garages and houses to show to the audience where this is set, in a deprived urban city area perhaps to show a sense of lifestyle of these characters to the audience. When the camera focuses on Shaun the rule of thirds is applied, making it more intimate with the audience and it is shot in darkness similar to the way Lol and Trev’s scene is filmed to mirror the emotions in both scenes and connect the two together. The camera then switches to a mid-shot of Mike(the dad) and Kell in the bedroom. The audience worry what he will do showing her vulnerability because they are aware, unlike Kell, what he has done to Trev. In comparison though, the camera tilts when Milky is talking to Trudy out the window, it looks down on him as if from her point of view, the placement of the light-hearted scenes such as this and the scenes showing tragedy creates a balance for the audience. Finally, Combo in the shower s filmed from above and it is a close-up of him for the first time in the movie showing his vulnerability.

The editing in this scene begins when Trev explains to Lol about the tragedy and it is in slow motion, this intensifies the emotion and hurt in the scene. However, faster paced action is used on Woody and Milky because they are still unaware of what is happening around them, they are still going about their normal lives. There is a lot of cross-cutting between each scenes, showing they are happening simultaneously and there is a relationship between them. Fast cuts are made between Woody and Milky, again, to show what they are doing at the same time everything else is happening. There is then the scene where the dad is sat on the bed with Kell, to Trev hugging Lol which includes another story into the mix so the audience is now aware of someone else’s life.

At the beginning of the scene when the music begins it makes the audience automatically feel sad. It is a composed, non-diegetic piece played throughout the duration of the scene. There is a sound bridge between Trev’s scene and Woody’s scene again merging the two together and showing they are happening simultaneously. The music’s dynamics and pitch quitenes when there is dialogue such as when Woody and Milky are speaking because this scene isn’t as tragic compared to the others. The music tends to reflect the mood of the characters mirroring thei emotions, it is quite a dark and depressing peice of music showing making the audience empathise with how they are feeling.

The mise-en-scene in this scene, to begin with is the dark, depressive weather used to film in. The happiness and optimism of woody is juxtaposed with the grey, oppressive weather. The weather may be overshadowing the tragic event that has taken place hanging over everyone. Furthermore, the main props in this scene are the mods that Woody and Milky used, this is to perhaps create a nostalgic feel to the scene back to the 80s, again making it more believable for the audience. Moreover, when it is the scene between the father and Kell, it is clear that they are in her room which is a child’s room, to show her innocence and vulnerability.

Preliminary Exercise

What does this preliminary task consist of?
A continuity task involving filming and editing a character opening a door, crossing a room and sitting down in a chair opposite another character with whom he/she then exchanges a few lines of dialogue.
This task must demonstrate: Match on action, shot/reverse shot and the 180 degrees rule.

Match on action: is an editing technique used for continuity within a scene. Where one shot cuts to another shot portraying the action of the subject displayed in the first shot, thus creating a ‘visual bridge’ and a sense of continuity.
This is an example of match on action being used within a scene, it cuts to another shot without a break.

Shot/reverse shot:This editing technique is usually used during a conversation between characters looking at each other. For example a point of view shot or an over the shoulder shot is used, where the camera is viewing over character A’s shoulder at character B and then it switches to looking over character B’s shoulder seeing character A. 
This an example of shot/reverse shot being used in a movie. It appears to be a conversation between two people and demonstrates the idea of the camera overlooking from one person’s point of view to then switch to the other person’s.

180 degrees rule: In film making this technique is usually used as a ‘spacial awareness’ guideline between characters or objects. The camera operates across an imaginary axis down the centre of the action and it allows cuts to be made between scenes, or to perhaps disorient the audience for effect such as a car chase; where if a vehicle leaves the right side of the frame in one shot, it should enter from the left side of the frame in the next shot. If the car leaves from the right and enters from the right in the next take it is fulfilling the effect of disorientation for the audience.

This is just a simplistic way of explaining how the camera stays one side of the ‘axis’

This video is a preliminary task done by previous media students showing the three rules.