Continuity, Speed and Style of Editing

Continuity Editing

Continuity editing in relation to film is the process of disguising the discontinuity of the editing process by making the narrative of the media production appear that it is continuous even though each individual shot of the editing is separate to create an essence of coherence within the film. There are many different elements of continuity editing to portray continuous action in film. Continuity is essential as it allows the storyline of the media production to appear realistic and also allows the audience to follow the action easily and thus understand what is happening throughout the film.

Establishing Shot

An establishing shot is an effective way of presenting the setting where the next scene will take place. An establishing shot is commonly in the formation of a crane shot which gives the audience a thorough view of the set including location, props and characters. A low angle shot is also common when using an establishing shot to present locations such as large houses or buildings. This is key in continuity editing as it allows the audience to understand where the characters are and gives indication to why they are there. The audience are not confused by a straight transition from one location with action taking place straight to another with action taking place between different characters. An establishing shot is most likely the symbol of a change in scene to help the narrative flow smoothly throughout the media text.

Shot Reverse Shot



When two characters are engaging in conversation, it would be easy to have one medium shot from the side of the two characters facing each other. However, this is not very effective and has little impact on the audience and techniques such as the shot reverse shot are useful as it allows the audience to follow the action and embrace conversations between characters to a greater extent. Also, it maintains a level of reality in the media text where the conversation becomes believable as the audience almost feel like they themselves are engaging in the conversation with the camera directly on the subject.



180 Degree Rule

The 180 degree rule plays an imperative part of continuity editing where it makes the action clear and concise, also giving the media text a professional look and not causing the audience to become confused by the layout of the setting on screen. 180 degree rule is that with the camera on one side of the action, it cannot then switch 180 degrees opposite the previous shot because it looks like the characters or the subjects in the picture have changed position which would not be possible in reality and thus breaks the naturalistic style of the media text. This relates to shot reverse shot where the 180 degree line passing through both subjects cannot be broken and the camera must stay on the same side that the 180 degree line marks in order to sustain the continuity of the media text.



30 Degree rule

The 30 degree rule in film relates to the relationship between the audience experience of the film and a 30 degrees angle from the centre of two subjects. This aids continuity editing based on the fact that it does not cause audience distortion and confusion based on the fact that it eliminates jump cuts in the editing and keeps the audiences' attention on the storyline of the media text and not the editing of the film as the jump cuts appear very stern and evident in the media text. However, alike the 180 degree rule, this rule can also be broken deliberately by editors to create certain effects such as portraying thoughts of a character or building suspense with distorted editing.



This short film made by students from Valley Park College helped me better my knowledge of the 180 and 30 degree rules in film.



Cross Cutting

Cross cutting is a useful editing technique used in film and helps sustain continuity as it creates the idea that two sequences of action in the media text are taking place at one time which is most likely not the case but the audience believes this based on the usage of cross cutting in the film to portray simultaneous events. Cross cutting normally consists of a straight cut and the action is normally in a completely different location to the previous shot and these two factors joined together can create the illusion that the two sequences are taking place at the same time.

Match on Action

Match on Action is an extremely common and essential concept of continuity editing. It is the created image from editing that the action on screen is continuous and not broken, even though the match on action filming process is broken down into two or more shots, the final product when all the shots are brought together make the audience believe that the action is happening continuously and instantaneously one after the other. A prime example of Match on action is the shot of a subject leaving a room from one side of the door and the camera then switches to outside the door where the subject looks like he/she has just come through even though two shots were taken from inside and outside the room but put together makes it appear nothing more than a person just walking through a door to the audience and allows them to focus on the storyline and not the editing.

Below is examples of Match on Action in media text:



Eye Line Match

An Eye line Match in film is the use of editing to create an illusion for the audience that one subject is looking at another subject even though in reality they may not be actually looking at anything but just looking off screen. Subject number one would off screen to the left or right and then the next shot would be the other subject in a different place in the same setting and then there is a further shot of the face of the first subject to clarify what they were looking off screen at and display their reaction and when all of the three sequences are brought together it appears as if one subject is merely looking at another subject without the audience noticing the break in the editing.

Below is short video which identifies the basic ideas of an eye line match:



Re-establishing shot

A Re-establishing Shot is very similar to the establishing shot with the only differences being the relation between the camera and the spatial/visual elements on screen and the fact that the re-establishing shot occurs at the end of the scene. The re - establishing shot occurs after closer shots of the scene are taken and the re-establishing shot offers a smooth transition into the next scene.

These are all of the different factors that make up continuity editing in the film industry and this will further help us structure our opening to a thriller for our coursework as we will be able to follow these guidelines.



Speed of editing


Speed of Editing is another essential factor in film as it is the key determining the mood of the film and what effect is placed onto the audience. The speed of editing is different in relation to the genres of particular films. In a fast paced action thriller, the time between each different shot is likely to be much shorter than a romance film as a Thriller is designed to be suspenseful and keep the audience tense and on edge and fast editing is key to this as it provokes audience attention keeping them thoroughly engage as they have to focus and keep up with the action. This also helps keep reality because it is likely that in a thriller film the action as the audience know from real life will be fast and aggressive and fast editing gives the effect of fast and abrupt action and the idea that there is a lack of control on screen.

However, in a romantic film, the mood that the director is most likely looking for is a relaxed, calm and love-filled one and therefore, slow editing is required to sustain this atmosphere. The slow editing while two lovers are talking on screen is realistic as there is no need for tension and suspense, and one picture with no edit allows the audience to relax and take in the action without having to focus to follow everything that happens on screen like they have to do when editing is of a fast tempo. This further gives the audience permission to relax and experience the feelings the characters on screen are most likely feeling which allows them to relate to the film to a greater extent.

Overall, the speed of editing is the time each shot lasts and this establishes the pace of the film moving the action along and further determines the mood of the film and how the audience feel watching the film.

Here are examples from films where the speed of editing is prominent in relation to their genre and the action on screen: 



This extract from The Bourne Ultimatum is extremely effective when focusing on the speed of editing. At the beginning of the sequence, the speed of the editing averages at about 3 - 4 seconds per shot which is relatively slow compared to the rest of the extract, this allows tension and suspense to build while the women is cautiously moving around the building. This is juxtaposed to the quick and abrupt editing of Matt Diamond who is running across the buildings where the audience register is towards the women presented to them at the beginning of the sequence with each shot averaging at about 1/2 to 1.5 seconds. When the shot is taken back to the woman on screen, the editing slows down again which further builds suspense especially through the interaction with the non diegetic sound which is indication that the chase is still on in a different frame even though the camera is currently on the woman. The editing continues to be extremely fast where Matt Diamond is running and when the two agents eventually begin to fight, the editing is the fastest which implies that this is the climax of the scene and the audience know this is effective in the audience as they feel the most tense and engaged in the action at this point in time. This shows how the speed of the editing is crucial to the experience the audience have when watching the film as it is the key to suspense and tension. There is also a cool down period at the end of the scene where the audience can release some tension as the editing slows down and the fight comes to a close. This means the audience can release some previous tension and continue to follow the storyline.




In this extract from Sleepless in Seattle, the editing is much slower in comparison to the extract from The Bourne Ultimatum which can be heavily based on the genre difference in the two films. This shows how the genre can determine the technical aspects behind different films as they are designed to have different effects on their audience. As Sleepless in Seattle is a romance, it is designed to make the audience experience feelings of love and compassion and therefore the editing is manipulated to reflect this. In the opening section of the extract the editing ranges from 3 seconds to 20 seconds per shot. The long editing does not cause the audience to feel tense or even alert unlike the previous extract as the director wants the audience to understand the calm and relaxed environment of the action and for themselves to relax.


Style of Editing


The Style of Editing refers to the transitions of the different shots in a media text. The style of editing relies strongly on what effect the editor/director wants from a selected piece of a film. There are many different factors involved in the style of editing based on the fact that each different style has a particular meaning in relation to the action on screen.

Straight cut

A straight cut is the most common, basic and invisible transition between two different shots. It consists of shot A abruptly and plainly changing to shot 2. This transition normally does not have a large effect on the audience and can be used to retain reality in the media text as it does not manipulate the audiences' suspension of disbelief.

Fade

A Fade is another transition in which the action on screen gradually fades into or out of one colour. This colour is normally black, however, any single colour is considered as a fade. Fades occupy two forms, one forms is a fade in where the picture starts with one single colour on screen and gradually fades into the action on screen. The other is a fade out where the action on screen fades out in to a screen with one single colour. Fade ins normally occur at the beginning of a media text whereas fade outs are more prominent at the end of a film. Fades place different effects on the audience. A fade out into a black screen may relate to gruesome and dark elements in the media text where a fade into a white screen may be a symbol of purity and tranquillity if for instance someone has died peacefully at the end of a film. Unusual colours such as green are used in relation to the media text, such as at the end of the film Hulk where there is a fade into a green screen at the end which relates to the colour of the main character. Fades can also represent the passing of time within film.

Below is an example of how a fade shot works:



Dissolve

A dissolve is similar to a fade with some different features that separate the two. A dissolve is where one picture fades out while another one fades in which differs from a fade as one picture does not just fade into one colour. There is normally a connection between the two different pictures that are together in the dissolve to make it relevant to the storyline of the media text. An example of a dissolve would be a man reading a letter with an address on it which dissolves into a shot of the same man walking towards the location he saw on the letter. This shows how similar to a fade, a dissolve can be a regulator of time either pushing the storyline forward or engaging in a flashback.

Wipes

A wipe is the replacement of one picture on screen with another. It is almost as if one image is replacing another one on screen in a sweeping manner. A wipe shot is most commonly one image pushing another one off the screen to the left which is the indication that time is moving forward. Wipe shots are effective as it allows the sequence to change abruptly and keeps the audience attentive and engaged in the film.

Below is an effective example of a Wipe shot:



Jump Cut

A Jump Cut is an unusually stylistic editing technique and is most commonly a continuity error opposed to a transition used for effect. A jump cut is associated with discontinuity and it can appear as if there is a mistake in the media text which was unnoticeable on set. A Jump cut is where the two shots are changed very abruptly and it appears as if a piece of the media text has been removed. An example of a Jump cut used for effect can be found in the film Breathless 2, 1960 where Seberg is in the car and the camera is behind him where you can see the streets around and then the picture changes abruptly and the surrounding streets are different and he is holding a mirror in his hand which the audience know would be impossible in real life which can show how the Jump cut can break reality. However, in this particular instance, the Jump cut is used to emphasise the mirror in Seberg's hand and pushes the journey in the car forward showing how Jump cuts can also relate to time.



Graphic Match

A Graphic Match is another common editing technique which aids continuity based on the fact that it consists of two subjects on screen that have a similar look and one frame transforms into the other one with these two subjects in similar positions and as they have a similar look it allows the transition between the shots to happen smoothly and efficiently where the audience can take to the change in the picture in an understanding way. Therefore, when two different frames are matched in the way they look, it is described as a graphic match.

Below is an example of an excellent graphic match;

Mise en scene

Mise En Scene

The Mise en Scene in film relates to all the elements you can see on screen. It is French terminology that translates to "What is put into the scene or frame." The different features of mise en scene are;

• Settings and Props
• Costume, hair and makeup
• Facial expressions and body language
• Lighting and colour
• Positioning of characters and objects in the frame

Setting and props

A setting is the location in which a media text takes place. The setting within a film is related to the genre of the film which makes the setting relevant to the action taking place on screen. The location is further supported by the props. Props are the objects that are relevant to the production and are used to enhance the effect of the action and the location with the characters often using the props while acting. However, many props are present in the mise en scene to better the effect of the production. These are examples of settings and props relevant to genre within film:

Science fiction - In a science fiction film the setting could be inside a space ship with advance technical mechanical machines which would be relevant to emphasise the idea that the film is based in the future as the audience will not recognise the setting in present day which enhances the effect of the location. An example of a prop in a science fiction film is a lightsaber such as in the star wars films. An example of this is the image below.



Thriller - In a thriller film it is likely that the action is rather naturalistic unlike a science fiction film and therefore the location will match the naturalism in the film by being realistic and a location the audience are familiar with and knows exists in real life. An example of a setting in a thriller could be an abandoned warehouse such as the one below from Bullet To the Head where the main fight scene is taking place. It is evident that props in the mise en scene relate strongly to the action from this example through the use of axes and the weapons on screen.

Costume, Hair and Makeup

Costume hair and makeup are relevant to the actors within the film production. These three factors are manipulated to present a charcter in a film in a specifc way. They are important within the film industry based on the fact that they portray the charcter to the audience and can allow the audience to interpret the character prodominately based on appearance.

Within a western film examples of costume are;

•  heeled mens boots
• cowboy hats
• laced trousers
• iconic belts

The makeup in a western film  may be used to enhance the image of a grubby and sweaty cowboy to make him look more grimy and unclean.

Heroes and Villains

Heroes within a film may have costume features to match what their purpose is within a film. A hero in an action film such as a superhero may be presented in a very iconic way with tight fitting costume with bright matching colours so they stand out from the other characters within the film and there is greater input into their outfit. An example of a superhero like this is superman. However, resourceful heroes in the thriller genre may have more simplistic costume as the focus is on their mission within the storyline and not in their appearance. Examples of costume could be normal everyday clothing or a more proffesional look such as a suit.

Villains costume would normally want to represent the fact that they are dark and mysterious characters or troublesome. This therefore means that their costume is often created using dark coloured materials and clothing can either be unusual and menacing such as a long dark cloak or proffesional and formal such as a dark suit and the character may be a slick villain, this again relates back to genre in films.

Makeup

Certain genres use makeup more prominently than others based on what features the film consists of. The horror genre would use makeup to a greater extent than the western genre as the characters within a horror film would use makeup to look a specific way and create a scary effect and makeup is a main feature in presenting a scary figure.

Facial expressions and body language

Facial expressions and body language play a big part in mise en scene within a film based on the fact that these factors help the audience understand the feelings of the characters on screen to portray a certain emotion. For example, in a thriller film a character may hold an angry facial expression when they are in pursuit of a villain whereas in a romantic comedy a woman may hold bright eyes and twirl her hair when interacting with a man that she likes so the audience understand that she has lustful feelings for the other character.

Angry

Happy

Positioning 

Positioning of characters and objects within a frame is extremely important as it can determine the importance of the object in the media text. If the character is in the foreground, it is indication that the character is of relevance at that specific time whereas if that character is in the background of the shot it may mean they are less important at that specific time. Positioning within the mise en scene is also supported by the focus in the shot and the two factors of mise en scene correspond with each other.

If characters are evenly positioned within the frame then it creates a balanced shot for the audience to watch not feeling many strong emotions. However, if characters are positioned on the outside edges of the frame it indicates a distance between the characters and can imply to the audience that the characters oppose each other.

Focus

There are two different types of focus in media, the most common is deep focus in which the foreground and background in the shot are in focus and therefore clearly visible for the audience. Furthermore, there is split focus in which one section of the frame is in focus and the other is out of focus, either the foreground or background. This focus places emphasis on a specific section of the frame anhd therefore directs the audiences attention in a certain place in the shot.

Deep focus

Split focus

Example of Mise en scene

Casino Royal - Opening



This scene from Casino Royal presentes good examples of mise en scene based on all the elements in the scene that are presented on screen. The use of the smoke and the low key lighting creates an essence of mystery from the very beginning of the scene. The darkness of the office that the two men sit in juxtaposed to the brightness of the dirty toilet area they are fighting is in correlation to what the men are conversating about as the darkness is disguising James Bond's real nature has he appears calm and relaxed in the office which is contrasted to the ravenous animalistic creature fighting in the bright toilet which suggests that the solid white light exploits James Bond's real nature as he cannot hide in the light. furthermore, all the items in the office are black which enhances the idea of mystery whereas the cricket players and the stadium is of a white colour as well as the toilet and the objects within it.

Media Blog - Munchurian candidate

The munchurian candidate

  .

                                                                         

The Manchurian Candidate is another iconic political thriller which graced the screens of the cinemas in the latter part of the 20th century. The widely credited and cherished original novel written by Richard Condon in 1959 was quickly adapted into the mighty film in 1962 directed by John Frankenheimer which received world wide credit with nominations for two academy awards and media attention based on the involvement of controversial issues of the time period such as the Cold War and the significance of the threat from communism in the east countries. Also starring Frank Sinatra, Laurence Harvey, and Janet Leigh.  Up to date versions of the film include the 2004 adaptation directed by Jonathan Demme which focuses on more recent issues such as conflict in Kuwait and the modernised audiences can relate to the features of the film. Starring Denzel Washington, Liev Schreiber, Meryl Streep and Kimberly Elise.

Synopsis

Ben Marco, captain of a platoon who fought in the Korean war and has returned to the US with recognitions of their triumphs. Once settled back in the states, Marco establishes that himself, like other members of the platoon are having recurring nightmares about Marco's sergeant Raymond Shaw who is nominated to win a medal of honour for his work in Korea, saving multiple lives but the nightmares project another story where Raymond savagely kills members of his own platoon. Marco now ventures on a pursuit for Shaw to uncover the truth and find the reasons behind this dream and why his platoon have been affected by this...

The 2004 adaptation of the film follows the same storyline but the basis of their problem originates from Kuwait fighting the first Gulf War where Marco's unit has also been tampered with in unusual ways...

1962

Trailer

The trailer to the Manchurian candidate has a variety of different effects on its audience. Firstly, the bold white writing from the outset juxtaposed to the intense black background is inviting yet threatening to the audience on first impressions thus creating an insidious environment for them while watching the trailer. This is thoroughly supported by the menacing and hypnotic whaling sound heard over the writing corresponding with booming sounds of drums which create an ambiance of destruction and vaguely hypnotizes the audience and engages them in the trailer, withholding their full attention. This relates to features of the film where characters have been brainwashed and hypnotized to think and act a certain way and implies the trailer makes the audience feel like they must continue watching to find out more about the film. This is abruptly interrupted with diegetic sound of a screaming man and while the audience are already tense, this works as an instigator of shock for the audience. The continued and sustained interaction between the sound, the peculiar bold messages and interruption by fast and iconic sequences from the film maintain a tense atmosphere for the audience to be enveloped by. The messages on screen imply that it is mandatory to watch the whole film to be able to understand and relate to the concepts involved and gives the impression that if you don't watch it then you have missed something incredible. This is provoking and makes the audience considerably more eager to watch the film.

Mother scene

This scene is an extremely iconic scene within the film despite not containing any dramatic action sequences or fast pacing conflict. Raymond is seen to be lectured by his mother about what is wrong with his involvement with the people who are of a communist nature and belief. There are messages behind this scene for the audience to register based on the period the film was made. The statue and picture of Abraham Lincoln in the foreground and background represent the idea of freedom as he is renowned for abolishing slavery in the states. This idea has a positive correlation with the ideology of Shaw's mother Eleanor where she states, "Stand up for what's right and freedom" which relates to her views as a right wing politician. The overall message given off to the audience is that the political views of right wing parties are positive and right and that communism is threatening and dangerous with references such as "communist tart" in the description of the girl Raymond is associated with. The speed of editing is extremely slow using up to only 3 shots throughout the entire scene which shows that the main purpose of this scene is not to present fast and engaging action but to send subliminal messages out to the audience and almost utilise Eleanor as a tool of indoctrination for the people watching the film.

2004

                           

The trailer



In contrary to the 1962 version of the Manchurian candidate, the trailer is modernized and fast paced with tension sustained throughout based on the tempo. This is evident of the technology advancement that has taken place in between the years each film was made. The editing of the trailer is many times faster than the 1962 trailer which has more visual impact as the audiences' attention is rapidly changed with each shot where each clip only lasts for roughly 1-3 seconds.  This supported by the fact that most of the sequences have highly significant aspects of the film in each. Furthermore, the sound throughout the trailer has a significant part to play in the effectiveness of placing impressions onto the audience. Similarly to the 1962 trailer, there are menacing and unsettling mixture of diegetic and non diegetic sounds playing within the background while the action on screen is taking place. The discussion between the characters on screen gives hints to what the film might be about which increases the audiences' desire to learn more about the film and may encourage them to further make the time to watch the film. Similarly to the previous trailer, the correlation of the fast editing and the thunderous and menacing diegetic and non diegetic sound in conjunction with each other sustains suspense and allows the trailer to hold its audience at its mercy. 

Interrogation  

The scene opens with extremely horrific images of the corpse of Corporal Al melvin and the effective usage of the extreme close up on his blood shot eye to induce feelings of terror and dread into the audience. It captures their imagination and is a thought provoking beginning to the scene based on the fact that it is not clear how Al Melvin passed away and it is left to the audiences' imagination to decide for themselves how he died. Furthermore, throughout the scene while the men are questioning Ben, their is a low essence of music which reflects the nature of the conversation and appears quite mysterious. This is then amplified to more bold and threatening music when Ben starts discussing the implant in Shaw's back, highlighting this aspect of the interrogation as important and the audience can register this through the use of the non diegetic sound. As the discussion progresses, the intensity also increases and the man manipulative of Marco leans in closer and closer to him, vocally provoking him and suspense increases until we reach climax and the man is punched.

Unofficial trailer




This adapted advertisement of the film for channel 4 places the exotic music at the forefront of the sequence. It is powerful and outstanding so the audience are kept thrilled and stimulated while watching. The cooperation of the extremely fast editing in sync with the music creates suspense especially as the selection of sequences chosen from the film by channel 4 are key moments and are disturbing and terrifying, therefore inducing intrigue and stimulation into the spectating audience.


Opening scene

The audience are subject to the opening battle at the very beginning of the film which takes place in Kuwait. By setting the battle within modern history, the events are much more immediate for the audience and they are able to engage in an relate to the setting and atmosphere of the film better. The graphical developments and how sophisticated the editing is makes the action that much more significant to the audience. It is contrasted to the original film based on the fact that the action is on an advanced set using some real locations instead of a fake grassy mound with the leading characters battling in an unusual manner. The technology developments means CGI filming can be used in correlation with special effects and features such as explosion and night vision can be used to enhance the impact and impact that the action has on the audience. This also makes the film realistic and believeable.



Production Values

•The modern film:

•Floods the screen with red in the ‘flashback’ scene – blood and the subconscious mind.

•Has non-diegetic music that sounds like blood pumping around the brain in the flashback scene.

Lighting Exercise

Macro features - lighting



Lighting

Lighting is a prime factor within the film industry. It is used to enhance the picture on screen as in effective in declaring clarity within media productions. Without lighting, films can often appear dark and thus unprofessional, which makes it mandatory to have appropriate lighting when shooting sequences in film. However, lighting can be used in different styles to manipulate and give the picture on screen a particular look. The image below is an example of a standard lighting set up: 

These different styles of lighting put together in this particular set up is effective as the it creates an overall light that presents the subject on screen to a clear and better quality than without the lighting. Breaking down the separate aspects of this lighting set up, there are names for each separate element of the set up as follows.

Key light

 The Key light in film is known as the first, brightest and arguably the most influential, however, this varies based on many relevant factors within the filming i.e. the subject. The key light's main function is to effectively portray the form and dimension of a subject on screen so that it has a specific effect on the audience. Positioning of the key light is also very relevant with a focused picture that can be described in film terms as "hard" and a diffused shot on screen which can be described as "soft". Normally in a three point lighting set up, the key light is normally at a 30 - 60 degree angle from the camera, however, the level that the key light stands can be varied to embrace different effects. An example of this is a low level key light can make out a silhouetted effect in which the subject on screen can appear mysterious and thus the audience only see their movements and not too much of their appearance. In contrary, a high angle key light can be effectively used to present the subject on screen with a greater appearance and present and the audience can relate more to other features of the subject such as facial expressions and subtler gestures. The key light can also be affected by different factors such as background and colour. 

Filler light 





In the media industry, Fill light plays a major role as it is used to reduce the contrast of a scene to match the dynamic range of the recording media. It is effective as it is used to diminish shadows and dark spots that can be created from key and back light in the three point lighting set up. From a picture on screen that would be considered as normality, an increased or decreased use of Fill light can allow shadows and darkness to show greater on screen or reduce darkness on screen making it an effective way of provoking the audience to feel a certain way when watching the action on screen. Furthermore, the fill light in correlation with the key light is an artificial way of creating an illusion of natural fill when the fill light is positioned on the camera with the key light in its normal position. The fill light is most commonly positioned to the right or occasionally left hand side of the camera where it is at a similar degree angle as the key light around 30 - 60 degrees, however, the positioning of a fill light is strongly based on what type of effect the lighting cameraman or cinematographer is after. Overall, the fill light is effective as it corresponds with the other factors of the three point lighting set up in order to portray a subject on screen in a certain way to provoke audience reaction, based on its movement and positioning and how it manipulates the features on screen.

Back Light

The back light translates into the phrase "light from behind" where the light is emitted from behind the subject present on screen. The back light alike the fill and key light is part of the three point standard lighting set up. The back light's key function is to counteract the effect of the key light and thus sustain a balanced picture on screen in relation to the subject. The back light can be used to create a rim of light around the subject from behind and thus placing emphasis on different parts of the body such as hair, shoulders and other extremities. The back light is important as it levels out the overall picture within a three point lighting set up. However, on its own, the back light directly behind a subject will create a silhouette of the subject with their features not visible to the audience. This can therefore be effective for specific genres of film such as horrors or thrillers with an intense vibe as the back light can create tension and suspense and cause an essence of mystery for the action to have a great effect on the audience.  

Under Lighting


Under lighting is an effective lighting tool used in film to inject the action with suspense, tension and mystery where the main source of light comes from under the subject and thus illuminates specific parts of the subject such as their face leaving facial shadows which causes the subject to appear vague and unclear which can make the audience feel confused, intimidated and frightened by the subject which is a major reason why this use of light is often seen prominently in thrillers and horrors where suspense and intensity are two major factors involved in the content of the film. This demonstrates how under lighting can manipulate features of the subject to provide a scary effect for the media production and its audience.

Top Lighting

Top lighting refers to the lighting source that comes from a source above the subject, and is often from the left hand side for specific effect. The top light from the left hand side can traditionally preserve a contrasting convex-concave ambiguity so that the audience can become suspicious of the subject on screen and the effect can even be to the extent of confusion. This is effective especially in genres such as thrillers where there is a need for factors such as tension and suspense which can be created from aspects such as ambiguity. Top lighting is used in a more modernised way, straight from above the subject where it efficiently highlights the features of the subject which can make the person or object on screen appear glamorous and therefore desirable

Low Key Lighting

Low key lighting is another key element in film and the media. It is used to manipulate the picture on screen to create a specific effect for the action on screen and the audience that will be spectating. LKL is done through using a single key light in a position that placates the cinematographer for the sequence on screen with the occasional input of a fill light or a reflector. LKL can also be held responsible for the Chiaroscuro effect within film where the contrast between dark and light areas on the subject can highlight important or relevant aspects of a picture and can also provide the picture on screen or an image with a certain volume which can make a 2 dimensional image appear relatively 3 dimensional. Furthermore, low key lighting is accompanied by a dark background to sustain the effect of a mysterious and darkened atmosphere of the shot.



High Key Lighting

High Key lighting is evidently the opposite of Low Key lighting where there is a much greater use of fill lighting accompanied with the key light so that the lighting ratio is affected to create the right effect for the cinematographer. The higher the lighting ratio, the higher the contrast of the image, the lower the lighting ratio, the lower the contrast of the image. Overall, HKL accompanied with a bright background creates a very realistic feel to the image on screen where the audience understand that the action or picture is very naturalistic and the audience can strongly relate to it as being a representation of the "real world." Contrary to this, extreme HKL can be used to develop an on screen environment where it appears very abstract almost spiritual. An example of this would be an extreme white background and necessary construction on screen to portray.

Nosferatu



The film Nosferatu, made in 1922 relied dominantly on the use of lighting with much of the action taking place using pure lighting to fulfil the scary effect of the film. This is evidence that lighting has played a major role in film throughout history. Without modern day effects and graphics to create a certain effect for a film, filmmakers in the early 20th century had to be resourceful and develop techniques of portraying or creating a desired effect without advanced editing and graphics and lighting played a vital role in sustaining horror and mystery throughout film. In this specific film, most of the action on screen was supported by low key lighting to sustain mystery and suspense for 1920s audiences to feed off of while watching.

Film Noir

Film Noir is French terminology which translates into "Black film" created by Nino Frank and is used to describe a group of Hollywood films from the early 1940s to the late 1950s which focused on many cynical attitudes and sexual motivations of the time period and the films are normally classed as a representation of the dark and more sinister side to humanity. Films regarded as Film Noir use Low key lighting throughout most, if not all of the film. This makes the film appear black and white and the lack of colour and the predominant dark nature of the picture reflects the action taking place, with most of the action in Film Noir productions being very dark and sinister and to some degree even misogynistic.

Media Blog - The birds

The Birds



This trailer of the film the Birds effectively manipulates its audience to feel a certain way. Both the fast editing and the graphic sequences shown within the trailer make the audience focused and engulfed by what they are watching on screen. Putting the trailer in its context of 1963, the audience would be extremely disturbed by hostile and aggressive Birds where they know from real life that birds are generally passive creatures and no harm to humans, and therefore, this comes as a shock to them and can make them feel uneasy. It would also provoke their thinking and question whether any such things could happen. At this time, horror/thriller films by the lights of Alfred Hitchcock were rare and themes and storylines like the Birds were effective and impacting and the audience experience discomfort by this. On the technical side of the trailer, Hitchcock does well to portray most of the major aspects of the film with large explosions present on screen, conflict between the characters on screen, and attacking Birds, especially coupled with extremely fast and bold editing, there is a feeling of a lack of control within the world of the film. Therefore, the audience feel like they also have a lack of control of themselves while watching the trailer.

Film infrastructure

Running time: 119 minuets
Genre: Thriller/Horror
Director: Alfred Hitchcock
Writers: Daphne Du Maurier (the story) Evan Hunter (Screenplay)
Stars: Rod Taylor, Tippi Hedren, and Suzanne Pleshette

Synopsis

A Spoiled socialite and infamous practical joker Melanie Daniels (Tippi Hedren), meets Mitch Brenner in a San Francisco pet shop looking to buy a pair of love birds, he recognises Melanie but decides to treat her as if she was an assistant in order to talk to her. As one of her Jokes, she buys the birds before he does to get her own back and heads for a coastal town in Bodega Bay where Mitch happened to spend his weekends with his mother and sister. However, as Melanie takes a trip across a lake in a small boat, she is randomly attacked by a seagull which was not thought very much of after the event. However, has her stay pursues more and more birds gather and attack the civilians of the town, it soon evolves into a desperate drive for survival.

Archetypal elements

There are many archetypal features of a thriller within the film. A McGuffin ironically takes the form of 2 passive love birds as Melanie plays her practical joke on Mitch. It can be argued that a Red Herring is the aggressive and hostile nature of the seagull that attacked Marion as the storyline could have easily been blown in the direction of a romance between Melanie and Mitch but the Seagull changed the direction of the plot where it becomes are quest to survive the birds. There is much suspense and tension within the film. The section of the film where the birds are at the school is a prime example in the film of a build in tension and suspense where more and more birds gather on the climbing frame at the school, and effective editing means that it is very suspenseful for the audience. The children must leave the school, but the only way to do this is to face the birds, the audience therefore anticipate the worst as the children are vulnerable and the result is Hitchcock deducing the audience to want to protect the children from the birds and as they do not have the ability to do so, they stay engaged and tentative to the action on the screen.

Bodega Bay

It is common in Alfred Hitchcock's films that he will leave the characters in exposed locations where they're vulnerable to the threat of the villain. In this instance, the villain is nature taking form of the birds and Bodega Bay is a reflection of this where it is a very subtle and quite natural place and the violent and hostile actions of the Birds contrasts the setting and therefore the action has a greater impact on the audience making them feel more shocked and bewildered by the behaviour of the Birds.

Scene Analyses

Media assignment 2 - Sound exercise - Evaluation

In our second filming exercise, we explored the use of sound in media. Our short video sequence The Final Deed contains different sound forms in order to enhance the quality and effect the visual aspects have on the audience and how sound is extremely mandatory and essential in the film industry.

1.

We utilised non diegetic sound effectively in the opening section of our exercise. We decided to begin with this particular sequence of the film as it is a prominent and significant part within the  entire production and the audience can then register this section later on within the exercise. This specific sector portrays the main character played by Corey in a point of view shot being pursued in a chase. We decided to make the screen black and white and utilise slow motion so the audience can infer that it is an important part throughout the film. This was supported by a non diegetic heartbeat sound effect played while the picture is running on screen to create tension and suspense and is keenly related to the nature of the footage as running induces an increase in heart rate  is relevant for this particular section. Furthermore, this heartbeat is an example of parallel sound based on the relevance it has to the picture on screen.

2.

In the second scene of our exercise which occurs before the previous section in real time is an example of non linear narrative. We did this to envelope the audiences' attention at the start of the film and capture their imagination and create tension. The scene is a discussion between both suspicious characters, one the audience has previously seen running and a mysterious figure who appears dark on the screen. Diegetic sound is used while the mysterious characters are in discussion and we used a wired microphone to enhance the quality of the spoken words. Another source of diegetic sound was the ruffling of the envelope across the table when passed across to the hooded character. I believe we could have improved the sound within the scene by extending this particular part of the film and view the hooded character leaving the room so we could use the sound effect of the door slamming to increase the tension within the scene. In addition, I also believe that we could have improved this particular scene of the exercise by including low level, non diegetic and unsettling music to add to the suspense of the visual setting and support the mystery of the conversation taking place.

3.

As our third scene opened and the victim Leigh is present on screen I believe we could have used a booming sound when the hooded character Corey appears behind her on screen to make the impact of his presence more shocking for the audience. However, we did input a screaming sound effect when Leigh (the victim) is taken by the hooded villain. This made the action more impacting for the audience based on the fact that the sound works as an extension to the action on screen and it makes the event so much greater than it would have been without the scream.

We utilised contrapuntal sound effectively when the hooded character is stabbing the victim on the floor. This was effective as laughing when performing an action like this is not related as the action is violent and gruesome and laughter is something that occurs when someone is experiencing pleasure. Despite this, the two features placed together could also illustrate the idea of a psychopath which could make the sound and the action relevant for each other. In this case, we could have used some happy or soothing music instead of the hysterical laughter to present contrapuntal sound which may have been a stronger use of contrapuntal sound in our exercise.

4.

We used diegetic sound when the two police officers appear within the scene as I shout "Oi" at the hooded character who is stabbing the vulnerable victim. This is effective use of diegetic sound as it suggests that authority is now present in the film and the audience can then register this. Furthermore, as the chase begins and one of the officers run past the camera, we used the non diegetic sound of police sirens to show the audience that we were authority figures if they were unsure and this is also used to create suspense as the association with police sirens is danger and trouble.

When the shot changes to a POV shot of the police officer running after the hooded criminal, the diegetic sound of me heavy breathing is a source of creating tension and suspense for the audience as it can be used as a tool to show desperation and effort and corresponded with the POV shot, the breathing makes the audience feel like they are part of the chase and can relate stronger to the action. As the audience has already seen this chase at the beginning of the exercise, they can relate the heartbeat sound they heard first to the sirens and the heavy breathing the second time they see the chase which has allowed them to view the event in both illusion and reality making this a main aspect of the exercise.

We could have improved the sound at the end of this specific sequence by allowing the police sirens to fade when I come into contact with the hooded character and not cut out directly and quickly like the sound does as it would be smoother for the audience when watching the film.

5.