Editing Essay.

How are the sequences from “Pillow Talk” and “Fringe” different? Discuss the differences in pace and style of editing as well as the effect the editing has on meaning/audiences reception of the extracts.

Within the sequences from “Pillow Talk” and “Fringe” editing is used frequently to create different effects to suit the situation within the film. “Pillow Talk” is an old fashioned film so therefore uses basic, traditional styles of editing however “Fringe” is a more modern programme so resulting them to using up to date editing and using their edits more effectively. It is clear that when watching both these sequences there is a different pace used and they are both received differently by certain audiences.

“Pillow Talk” is a 1950’s romantic comedy directed by Michael Gordon which concentrates on two characters, one played by Doris Day and the other played by Rock Hudson. It portrays their bumpy relationship and how they eventually fall in love. “Fringe” is a modern, science fiction television programme which lasted three seasons.

The pace within “Pillow Talk” and the pace within “Fringe” are obviously going to show differences because of the time periods in which they were set in. With “Pillow Talk” being set in 1959 and “Fringe” being shown last in 2010 it is clear the pace in “Pillow Talk” is much slower and less upbeat than “Fringe.” The average time between each cut in the sequence from “Pillow Talk” is twelve seconds and within this time the film is being filmed with static camera movement. This is resulting in the film to come across as relaxed and gives the audience the impression that nothing significant is happening where as in “Pillow Talk” the average time between each edit is four short seconds and within that time it is being filmed in many different ways using, zoom in and out, moving panning and tilting which altogether makes it more exciting for an audience to watch and makes it more intriguing. This shows some significant differences in how ways of editing has changed over time such as the pace, making it different speeds to suit the atmosphere within the sequences therefore then creating an intended effect on the audience and it also shows how the way filming between the edits have changed, as filming has become more modern, the way of filming has developed creating many different effects on the viewers.

As well as the pace being individual in both sequences, the edits themselves are also different and are used in different ways. The sequence from “Pillow Talk” hardly experiments with using different types of edits; it sticks to the basic ways, again this probably is down to the time period. The majority of the time the edit used is a straight cut which is straight forward and sets the audience straight to the point and is particularly effective within “Pillow Talk” as the whole sequence is concentrated on conversation between two characters so by using straight cuts it makes it more realistic, as if you was there with the characters listening and watching their conversation.  A dissolve cut is used in “Pillow Talk” as the first edit within this sequence. Dissolve cuts can be used in many ways like to show a different scenery or to make it seem later on in the day. For this particular edit it starts off being a conversation between two men, talking about a female character, a dissolve edit is then used to then go to a different scene in which the female character they were talking about is. By doing this it informs the audience early on in the sequence of what the film is going to be about and also what characters are going to be the main focus. Also by the men talking about this lady it gives the audience a first impression of the female character. One more effective edit that is used in “Pillow Talk” is a wipe. The wipe is used effectively to create a split screen for a phone call conversation to take place. It is used for when the two main characters within this film talk on the phone. The reason why this is an effective edit is because it gives the audience an easy way to see and take in the conversation they are having. It also allows the facial expressions of each character and reaction to what each other is saying bee seen clearly by the audience.

The edits that are used in “Fringe” are surprisingly very straight forward and basic. The straight cuts used throughout the sequence however do reflect the fact of “Fringe” being very modern by keeping the cuts neat and precise it allows the audience to get straight down to the point of the programme. With the genre being a science fiction I would personally expect the cuts to be very bold and different to what is seen in “Pillow Talk” although the straight forward cuts are still effective due to the many ways in which the programme is filmed. An example of a way in which “Fringe” is filmed is when there is a close up of a man writing and the camera movement moves to the left showing everything on the table and then the camera is lifted up at a steady speed then focusing on the other man. This is very effective as it creates suspense and tension for the audience in what the man is writing down and it also gains the audiences likeness for the other character. This sums up that “Fringe” doesn’t necessarily portray to be modern through its ways of editing however it does by the pace of editing and also the way it is filmed. Unlike “Pillow Talk” were the editing does in fact reflect the time period it was made in.

With these two sequences having been set in two different time periods it has made an effect on the way in which an audience reacts to each of them. “Pillow Talk” was much better received within the time period it was set because the audience where adapted to this way of editing however they would also see a new way of editing because a wipe to split screen was very new and fresh creating a good reception of the film. If this way of editing was released in the modern day I would expect the audience to find it lengthy and maybe boring as the length between the edits is quite long, also they way its filmed in between the edits is not very creative and is mainly static making the audience to probably lose interest. With the editing being slow it gives the audience an easier way to get the storyline and meaning of the film. “Fringe” however is received well in the modern day due to its quickly paced edits which creates the programme to be entertaining although it can create the audience to lose track of the storyline as there is a lot going on creating the programme to be busy and in some ways confusing.

In conclusion of all these points  it is clear to see that both “Pillow Talk” and “Fringe” are very different, in the way they are filmed, the edits used, the way they are received by an audience and also the pace of both sequences. Although they are both very different, they both seem to still be successful in the way that they create an intended effect on their suited audience.

Narrative Image

Premier:

Lately many pictures of the three main characters within Harry Potter that have been taken from the premier of the film, have been seen in lots of different newspapers and magazines. When people see these images it makes them think of the film making people want to go and see it. Also with it being in many newspapers and magazines it is advertising the film to a variety of different audiences.

Magazine:

Below is the most recent copy of Then Empire magazine and it is advertising Harry Potter 7 as it is the front cover. This magazine is mainly bought by film fans but will attract other audiences to want to see the film such as the older generation who mainly buy this magazine. The image on the front cover stands out and this may cause people to notice the magazine when looking in shops attracting people towards the film.

Narrative Image

Merchandise:

A main way in marketing films is through its merchandise. Below is a Harry Potter T-shirt advertising the new film, 'Deathly Hallows.' When people see this in shops it is promoting the film encouraging and reminding people to go and see the film. Also when people see other people wearing the shirt it creates the film to be advertised everywhere, advertising the film to all types of people.



Another piece of merchandise is sticker books. By this type of marketing it is aiming at a younger generation, widening their audience. This is a clever thing to do because the new film is seen as a scary thriller and not paticularly attracting young viewers but by creating a sticker book it might then change their minds, making them want tot see the film. One paticular sticker book for Harry Potter and The Deathly Hallows was given free within The Times, the newspaper. This is a great marketing scheme because fist of all the sticker book has been advertised on tv then making parents buy the newspaper in order to get the sticker book for their children but then to get more stickers tyou have to perchase them at your local post office, therefore marketing the film in several places to a wide range of audience.

Narrative Image

Trailers:

Another way the film has been marketed is through their teaser trailers. This is a great way of of creating suspense for viewers, giving them an insight of clips which will be in the film. Trailers are generally seen at cinemas however they are shown in screens where they are showing the same type of genre film. This limits the amount of people seeing the trailer although many people nowadays view YouTube which then widens their audience, creating them to possibly widen the amount of people wanting to go and see the film because YouTube targets everyone.

Online:

A way in which they have promoted the new Harry Potter film is by their official online website. When entering the website this first thing that comes up is the trailer, which automatically starts playing. This encourages people to watch the trailer seen as it takes up the whole of your computer screen. Once within the site the first section under the Menu is 'About the Movie.' There you’ll see a Story synopsis that covers what parts of the plot are going to be included in the film and also the cast. All of this really intrigues people to want to see the film however only mainly Harry Potter fans will check the website out therefore not broadening their audience but could be by word of mouth.

Narrative Image

Posters:

One way in which the film ‘Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows ‘ has been marketed is through posters. The reason for doing this is that the film can be advertised to the whole public in order to gain the interest of as many people as possible. This particular poster is very dark and gloomy, set in the woods creating a mysterious atmosphere. The characters within the poster are running away, straight away this achieves peoples interest because it makes the viewer want to know why they are running away and the only way they will find out is by watching the film, therefore successfully marketing the film. The poster also contains a short piece of text saying ‘NOWHERE IS SAFE’ in capitals, this is below the title of the film. This again is enigma, creating a mystery around the film, making the public want to find out why this is. The whole image of the poster is very dark and gives in some ways a horror/thriller feel to it, especially from the splattered blood on it which could gain the interest of not the particular harry potter fans and widening their audience. The splattered blood creates the viewer to question which characters blood it is, making them more eager to see the film to find out.

Tracking Shot:



This shot is taken from a scene in the film Jaws. Within this shot a tracking shot is used, the effect it had on the audience is that it creates them to see that the character Brody has realised something is going on, in this case a shark attack is taking place. It also creates the feeling that time is going slow however in his head it is rushing by.

Track Shot:



This clip from the famous horror film The Shining is a great example of a tracking shot. Here the tracking shot is used to keep up with the boy on his bike and it makes the audience feel like we are there with him experiencing what he is seeing and doing.

Wrom's eye view:





Within this video it shows a very basic example of a worms eye view. The effects of using this angle when filming can be to create a character to look dominant which it does in this animation.

Whip Pan:





Here is an example of a whip pan. It is shown in the trailer for the film Magnolia. The use of it within the trailer is that it is a good and quick way to introduce the main characters that will be in the film. It also suggests that the film maybe quite chaotic.

Panning Shot:



Here is a straight forward example of a panning shot. The camera simply pivots from one side to the other showing the view of the sea. The use of the panning shot in this case is to give clear evidence of the scenery.

Sherlock Holmes is an action mystery based film which was directed in 2009 by Guy Ritchie. Its release date was the 26^th December 2009. The film stars celebrities Robert Downey Jr., Jude law and Rachel McAdams.  Guy Ritchie is a very successful director and has directed many famous films such as Snatch, Rocknrolla and Revolver. When Sherlock Homes was released it received very positive reviews and was then to be nominated for two academy awards, best original score and best art direction however lost to Up and Avatar.  I have now seen the film twice and I have enjoyed watching the film both times because it is such a compacted film it is easily to forget certain moments which allowed me to never get bored. I love the pace of the film, every moment throughout the film you have to pay attention because you can easily miss something because the film has such a fast, sharp pace.  I also enjoy watching the stunts and special effects used which always engages the audience.  Something that I really like about the film is that it provokes many feelings because it is funny, dramatic, adventurous, shocking and plenty more. The lighting and the costume in the film both create it to be very clear for the audience at what time period it is set in. The lighting is dull and therefore gives the impression that it is old fashioned alongside with the costumes which are also dull coloured and aged. The use of slow motion in the film is done very effectively. It is used to show into the future and while the actions of the future are in slow motion Sherlock Holmes narrates what is happening.  Also while this is happening the sounds of movements are emphasised making it more dramatic. Extreme close ups are used throughout the film for example close ups on the mouth when something important or significant s being said. This makes it clear to the audience to pay attention at what is being said and creates the situation to stand out.  Everyone in my age group that I know have watched the film has said that they really enjoyed it and have said it’s a great film. I think if Sherlock Holmes pleases my age group I think it will definitely appeal to older age groups too. The ending of the movie is good because it has allowed the opportunity of there being a sequel which makes the audience wants to see more. Overall I enjoyed watching the film and believe it will be for many people that watch it because of it being original and different to any other action film.