Opening Scene Editing in “Mad Max: Fury Road”

The editing in the opening scene of the film “Mad Max:Fury Road” (George Miller 2015) sets the pace and tone for the film, while engaging the audience in the action. Multiple editing techniques are used intensely in this opening scene allowing the scene to be full of action while encouraging the scene to progress at a fast pace.

Clip A opening scene of “Mad Max: Fury road”.

The duration and pace of the shots in the opening scene is essential as it leads the momentum of the scene. The very first shot of the film of Max standing in a desert by his car is a length of 38 seconds long, which begins the scene with the audience curious to know what is going to happen next (fig 1a). This long take sets the pace for the scene, as Corrigan and White state “one obvious example of controlling pace is the use of long takes” (153). This long duration shot is interrupted by a series of fast paced jump shots which instantly picks up the momentum of the scene. One more long take shot is used after the jump shots, where by the end of the shot the audience is able to understand that Max is being chased. This sequence of differently paced shots set the tone for the rest of the scene as it becomes a scene about Max being chased.

Figure 1a long take opening shot of Max in the desert.

An interesting technique used multiple times in the scene is the use of a flashback. The flashbacks in the scene allows a “narrative motivation” (Corrigan and White 151) as it shows that there is something else that Max is thinking about, the flashbacks are giving him a motivation to get free. One example of a flashback is as Max is desperately trying to escape from his car (fig 2a). A flashback of a young girl (fig 2b) is shown as a voiceover of Max says “haunted by those I could not protect”, which highlights the idea that he may have regrets about his past.

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Figure 2a and 2b Max trying to escape and then has a flashback of a young girl in trouble. 

Finally, match on action is another editing technique used multiple times throughout the scene. Corrigan and White state that this is when “the direction of an action … is edited to a shot depicting the continuation of that action” (156-157). This technique allows for the audience to understand the space around Max and feel apart of the action. For example, Max comes across a car as he is trying to escape. A shot from behind Max as he jumps over the car is edited to the next shot where he is coming towards the camera (fig 3a and 3b). This technique also shows that the film is sticking to the Hollywood traditional continuity editing style, allowing all of the relationships of the shots to make sense to the viewer.

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Fig 3a and 3b match on action shots of Max jumping over the car.

 

Works Cited

Media Text: 

“Mad Max: Fury Road – Opening Scene”. Youtube. Aug 26 2015. Web Video. 21 April 2016 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-IJ8_Jf891k

Readings:

Corrigan, Timothy and White, Patricia. The Film Experience: An Introduction. 3rd ed. Boston, New York: Bedford/St. Martins. Print.

Opening Scene Editing in “UP”

The opening scene of Disney’s UP! (Pete Docter 2009) is one which captures the story of Carl and Ellie’s life together through the choice of editing. This disjunctive editing style in this opening scene allows the audience to learn about the life that Carl and Ellie had together, all in the space of five minutes. This was achieved by cutting from shot to shot of the important events and activities that the couple would do together, right from when they met when they were little, until they grew old together.

An example of the power of editing is at the beginning of the scene when Carl and Ellie are only young. A shot of a balloon with the sound of it popping is matched with the following shot of a camera flash, where the couple are then at the altar together getting married (figures 1a and 1b). This is an example of how the film seamlessly jumps through time using disjunctive editing, however the audience is not confused and do not question what happened during the time in between this match cut as the scene takes on a chronological structure.

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(b)

1a and 1b The pop of the balloon match cuts to the flash of the camera.

Editing also allows the audience to understand when an event was important in Carl and Ellie’s life as the film uses continuous editing in these important moments. These moments of continuous editing are positioned within the disjunctive editing shots which juxtaposes the two styles against each other and signifies that there is an importance of the shots. An example of this is after Ellie and Carl find out that they can not have kids, the pace of the film slows down at this point as well as the lengthened duration of the shots. It is obviously a crucial point in their lives which is why the audience is given more time to learn the emotions that they have at this time (figures 2a, 2b, 2c and 2d).

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2a, 2b, 2c and 2d show the continuity style of editing after finding out that they can’t have children.

The use of montage in the opening scene enables a smooth and understandable transition to a later time in Carl and Ellie’s life. A great example of the use of montage and the impact that it had on the scene was when there were multiple shots of Carl’s tie being done up by Ellie, each shot of a tie is cut to another shot of a tie which informs the audience that a period of time is elapsing. When they first begin, the couple are young and after the montage of the different ties, Ellie and Carl are elderly. What is interesting is that although the audience only see ten shots of different ties, the assumption that it has only been ten days does not arise as it just represents a passing in time (figures 3a, 3b and 3c)

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3a, 3b and 3c an example of all the ties used in the montage to show a passing of time.

Editing in the opening scene of UP prepares the audience for the tone of the film, it cleverly uses multiple editing techniques allowing the film to give the audience a clear introduction to the film.

 

Works Cited

Media Text: 

“UP”. Youtube. Sep 24 2010. Web Video. 19 April 2016 <https://www.youtube.com/watchv=YlGg4nt01G8&gt;

 

Readings:

Corrigan, Timothy and White, Patricia. The Film Experience: An Introduction. 3rd ed. Boston, New York: Bedford/St. Martins. Print.

 

 

 

 

Opening Scene Editing of “Saving Private Ryan”

In the film “Saving Private Ryan” (Steven Spielberg 1998) the use of continuity editing in the opening scene encourages the audience to engage their emotions into the scene. This style of editing gives the film a sense of truth and allows the audience to understand the tone and atmosphere that Spielberg is creating.

Clip A the opening scene of Saving Private Ryan

The continuity editing style of the scene allows the audience to feel at ease while watching the film, as they are able to focus on the subject matter and the experience that the characters are going through. The scene follows the “Hollywood continuity tradition” (Corrigan and White 166) filmmaking conventions which allows the audience to “follow the logic of human interaction” (166).

Clip B explanation of the 180 Degree rule that is present in the film.

One aspect of Hollywood’s continuity tradition that is used in the film is the “180 degree rule” (147). The rule allows for a “spatial continuity” (147) which means that the shots will relate in a sensible and expected way [Clip B]. An example of the use of the rule is when Private Ryan and his family are walking towards the cemetery. A mid shot of his wife where she is walking on the left side of the screen, looking towards the right side of the screen, relates to the next shot. It cuts to an extreme long shot of the family, where the wife is still on the left side of the screen, looking in the same direction, and they are still walking in the same direction on the screen [figure 1a and 1b]. The use of this rule allows the scene to flow and gives all of the shots a continuity.

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Figure 1a and 1b example of the use of the 180 degree rule.

The duration and pace of the shots in this scene allows a relaxed atmosphere as there is a steady pace throughout the scene. The “[d]uration denotes the length of shots” and in Saving Private Ryan all of the shots are medium or long length which means that the pace of the scene is slow and easy to follow. It is a scene where there is a lot of emotion, instead of creating a fast paced scene where the viewer would have to think more about what is happening, Spielberg instead creates a flowing scene which allows the audience to focus on the important aspects of the scene such as the subject matter.

An example of a long duration shot which gives a lot of depth and emotion to the scene, is the long shot of Private Ryan walking across the grass in the war cemetery field. The camera tracks along side him in the same direction as he is walking, in this same shot white crosses begin to appear on the screen which solidifies to the audience where exactly he is. The impact of this long duration shot signifies the importance of the scene and finally explains where the characters are [figure 2a and 2b].

 

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Figure 2a and 2b long duration shot of Private Ryan walking towards the cemetery. 

 

 

Works cited

 

Media Text: 

“Saving Private Ryan”. Youtube. Jun 1 2014. Web Video. 19 April 2016 <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0HUf68gFGEE&gt;

Readings:

Corrigan, Timothy and White, Patricia. The Film Experience: An Introduction. 3rd ed. Boston,   New York: Bedford/St. Martins. Print.

 

Opening Scene Editing in “Gladiator”

The opening scene of Gladiator (Ridley Scott 2000) captures the audience’s attention through editing as it allows an understanding of the historical setting of the film and the importance of the main character, Maximus. Through the editing in the opening scene, Maximus’ character is quickly developed and the audience is able to understand that he may be of some significance to the film. Along with this, the tone of the film is set in this scene which is what will allow audiences to decide whether they are intrigued by the film or not.

An editing technique used multiple times throughout the scene is the point of view (POV) shot, which is “as if the camera (and hence the viewer) were seeing with the eyes of the character” (Corrigan and White 150). This is the shot which helps establish the importance of Maximus’ character as it directly shows the audience the way in which others look at him. As Maximus walks through the crowd of other soldiers, the POV shot is used where the audience can see from Maximus’ perspective that all of the men around him are bowing and paying their respects to him. (fig 1a, 1b and 1c)

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1b

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1a, 1b and 1c show the way that the POV shot has been used in the film to show the importance of Maximus’ character.

This enforces the idea that he must be a highly respected fighter, who these men look up to. Already in this opening scene, just through the use of this one editing technique the audience has learnt a lot about Maximus’ character which demonstrates the power that editing can have.

Another editing technique used in Gladiator that helps set the tone for the film is the use of juxtaposition. This is used between the two opening shots of the film. The opening shot is of an unknown person running their hands through grass as they walk through a field (fig 2a). The duration of the shot, the subject matter and the music create a calm atmosphere, however, this is disrupted by the next shot where it cuts to a flashback/forward of a mid shot of Maximus in a battle field (fig 2b). This shot is dark and gloomy, and is nothing like the previous shot. By placing these two shots next to each other it shows the audience the two extremes of peace and war.

2a

2b

 

The continuous editing in Gladiator allows for a great understanding of what is to come in the film. It provides the audience with a lot of information in such a small space of time which is what makes the editing in this opening scene very important.

 

Works Cited

Media Text: 

Gladiator. Youtube. Aug 30 2015. Web Video. 20 April 2016 <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-MYxtpGxGJI&gt;

Readings:

Corrigan, Timothy and White, Patricia. The Film Experience: An Introduction. 3rd ed. Boston, New York: Bedford/St. Martins. Print.