Editing and Characters


Fourth entry!! By now you’d think that was I getting good at this….but I’m not. I really don’t know how to start. Once I’ve stared then everything’s fine and dandy, but it’s the getting started that’s the problem. Well here goes!
When we started on this subject I couldn’t believe how important and complicated- to my mind anyway!- the editing part in film and television is! I just thought that a plain old cut was used for everything, but had ’fade’ in front of it if it was to fade, or ‘dissolve’. Shows how little I knew!
Up till last week, I used to think that the moods and atmosphere was created just by the actors and their lines. But now in studying the editing from other dramas, I’ve realised how wrong I was. Well it only took 16 years for common sense to kick in!. Not bad huh?!
Editing creates character bonds. The camera angles and types of shots are a key feature to the succession of the editing process. Depending on where that edit has taken place, determines the relationship of the characters on the screen, to the viewers watching. So for example, if a character walks into a room, and there is a cut to another persons face. It shows that the two already know each other, or will know each other. It is then the actors work that portray each characters mood, from the facial expression and dialogue. So with the cut being where it was tells a part of the story. Showing us- the viewer- other angles and points of view of the same scene.
Editing also makes the programme interesting. Editors use editing to keep the viewer on the edge of their seat. This could be showing a characters face with a scared expression, but not showing us what he/she is scared of. Or showing us the back of a character doing something. But not what they are doing.
I think I may have wondered off track a bit. But I’m just sooo ecstatic that I’ve found out the true beauty of editing!!! (you could either portray that as sarcasm, or that I’m having problems with the actual task!) I’ve even tried to make the writing bigger, but that just looks to obvious!
Right, back to it. I think I’m going to have to have a look at my notes. Which is ruing my theme of doing things from memory! L
Ah! I know! Let me list all the editing types!
Cut- sudden change
Matched Cut- where characters maybe talking
Jump Cut- from I scene to another
Motivated cut- moving from one shot to another
Cutting rate- to set the pact of the scene
Cutting Rhythm- set the atmosphere
Cross-cut- Changes from one character talking to another replying,
Cutaway- Two shots at the same time
Reaction shot- showing a characters reaction to something
Insert- close-up shot into a larger context
Buffer shot- Same shot taken with two different cameras for the same scene
Fade, dissolve- gradual transitions; may be used to show time gone by
Superimposition- two images placed directly over each other
Wipe-optical effect, the image being ‘wiped’ from the screen
Split screen- see several smaller images on the screen at the same time
Stock shot- footage that’s been filmed before the scene- e.g. Old documentaries.
Inset-special visual effect, reveal close-up detail
So I’ve done the deed. That sounds like I’ve just murdered someone!J (the smile face isn’t at the thought of killing someone- though how tempting it is sometimes- its at the ‘deed’, just so there’s no confusion, and you don’t mistake me for some psycho!)
Well that’s all I can think of to write about the relationships between characters and editing.
“Ciao belle!” as the Italians would say.

My use of the media

I have found out that i am a Telly addict!!
On the average day i can watch around five hours of it; I didn't actually realise i was that bad! Its terrible, I'm slowly turning into a couched potato. I'm not like that just in my own house either; when ever i go round my friends, and we're stuck for something to do, i suggest that we should watch the television, whilst demanding to have total control of the remote.
I love the remote, its my best friend, i feel lost with out it! At my grandparents I'm even worse, if I'm not reading then I'll be glued to the screen. That shows exactly how much of a social life i have!
I don't really mind what i watch. It can be anything from old white and black films, to the news to dramas and factual programmes. I think my favourite is period dramas. or possibly reality shows, IE last choir standing.
I do think that there should be more historic programmes on 'normal' TV (BBC1 and 2, ITV1 and C4 and 5), as i don't have sky; i really enjoyed 'Prince John the Windsors secret' on Channel 4, it was a real insight into his life, and his families thoughts and feeling on his 'problems'. I feel that as a nation we don't know enough about our own history, and we should do, to unionise us.

Films, i love these more than television! Its not just the content and storyline of them, but the technical side and the people behind the product. Its fascinates me how someone can create and idea, put it to paper and film it. All the people involved, from the producers, to editors, and location scouts to costume designers; and all the contributions are put together, ending in a film. Its magical! The genres that i like are the same as the Television ones- Everything. My favourite used to be horror, but now i prefer thrillers, as they are more suspense orientated and jumpy, whereas horror's are mostly obvious as to what will happen. For example Saw is a really good thriller as you're never really sure as to what will happen, or who the villain is. But in Jeepers Creepers you know that the bus full of teenagers will break down, and that the creature will be on top of the bus when the students look out of the door. I don't like obvious films, i prefer ones that keep you in the dark until the very last minute. I'll watch anything from war films to comedy; though I'm not a big fan of romance because i think they are to unrealistic. They're for the day dreamers in society, who like to believe in things because it looks good. But its never going to happen in real life.
Films like V for Vendetta i love, as they're history with a twist.
Actually come to think of it, i do have a favourite film genre. Musicals. The Moulin Rouge is my all time love! The songs are captivating!
Spoofs are really
I don't think that there could be any different genres of films. Though a few more musicals wouldn't hurt!!!

I'm not really a music fan, i don't object to listening to it, but i don't find it that entertaining. This probably sounds strange since i love musicals so much, but that's me. Weird. I'll maybe listen to it once in a fortnight. I don't have a favourite type of music, though i wouldn't listen to rapping on my own accord, and i think that music with out words is just plain silly.
My grandparents listen to country, and all though i wouldn't admit this out loud i do actually really like it!
As you can tell from above i am more of a visual person than audible, I'm too lazy to visualise what music means if it has no images. You could watch the music channels on sky, but as I've said, i don't have it, so that may cause some technical difficulties!
As I'm writing about music, i may as well throw in Radio. I'm not a big fan of this either. The only time i listen to it, is in the car. And that's not religiously. If its on i listen, if its not i don't. When its on, its on the station 96.7 which translates to KLFM, this is my mothers doing, not mine. Radios are a good source of collecting knowledge of whats happening in your local are, or nationwide, when you are travelling.

Magazines. I go through stages where I'll have several in a month, or go with out for ages. I do like them, but I'm not in a life of death situation as to whether i have one or not. If you have too many, you are most likely going to be reading the same stories over again. When i do have one, i mostly read it cover to cover, and I'm not to particular as to which on i have, as long as they're for my age group (even though i do read my little sister's- Bratz, and my Nana's-My Weekly)

Newspapers. Before college i never really used to read them. But as for politics i have to know whats going on in the world, i do now. Though as my family are more 'Sun' or 'Lynn News' readers, i mostly read the than the Guardian' or 'Independent' which is tabloid news. Newspapers are good insights into the world events- if you read the right type of paper!

So to conclude, I'm a television remote hogger who loves films, but who doesn't really click with music and radio, and has a medium relationship with newspapers and magazines!