After the first day of shooting, we had some footage that we weren't going to actually use whether we were going to reshoot it later or it was a failed take. To help my editing skills I thought it would be best to use this footage as we don't have enough footage to construct a good timeline.
The footage itself also wasn’t the best quality and didn’t quite match what we wanted the shots to look like. Instead of waiting to shoot again to start editing, I decided to just mess with the footage we had to test out some of the things I wanted to touch up on.
One of these things was the way text would appear on screen.
Unusable shot that I edited text over to introduce the location
I wanted to make it look more subtle so that it wasn’t distracting when it came onto the screen. I also wanted the text to look more professional to fit the detective aspect of the film so it stays somewhat serious even if that's not the overall vibe of the film.
The next aspect I wanted to focus on was the color grading of the films but more so the resets that are available on rush. I wanted to compare overall visual styles that are film could use and see which one made the most sense with the direction we wanted to go in.
Still that we had that I applied color filters over to see which fit the film the best
After looking at all the options, I saw that I liked a less lit style more as the scene is an interrogation and it would fit that serious and intrusive feeling one might get the most. But I also wanted to keep the film a bit warmer as when I used the cooler effects, it made the film come off as too serious and created a somber tone that I didn't want the film to have.
After the first day of shooting, I felt as though we didn't make any real progress. What that actually meant though was that it was up to me to make the progress that I wanted. I learned to take initiative and not let time go to waste. I had to make the most of what was given to me which is ultimately, in a simplified way, what the main job of an editor is. I knew these shots were never going to get used in the final cut but that didn't stop me from experimenting with it and finding out things I did and didn't like. It prepared me for the journey ahead and planted the seeds for ideas I could expand on with actual footage we wanted to use
On our first day of shooting, we had a very limited time to record which included us setting up and getting into our outfits. School ended at 2:40 and we had to finish our filming by 3:30. It was not an optimal situation to be put into but we had to make it work.
Once school ended, I got changed as quickly as I could and arrived at where we would be shooting. It was our school's piano room which is very obvious from the way things are set up so I would have to remember this fact when introducing the location in editing. There was no way to act like it was some other location so I would just have to state it as it is.
Shot we took that had non-optimal lighting and didn't turn out how we wanted
We had to focus on setting the room up the way we wanted it to as well which took up more time. Once it came time to finally start shooting, we had about 45 minutes left which realistically wasn't a lot of time. We had 4 shots planned for the day and were only able to effectively shoot 2. The entire process of being in the film was new to me so it took me some time to really get into my character but that cost us time we could've used to film other scenes.
I was mostly worried about being able to fit the schedule we had planned. The shots we did get weren't up to the proper quality we wanted and didn't quite turn out the way we envisioned them. However, we did find some ideas that we could use on the next shooting day and understood what each shooting day would generally be like.
Another shot we took that didn't turn out how we envisioned
After filming ended for the day, I better understood that every day of shooting doesn't necessarily mean we will have the right shots or takes that are going to be used for the film. With a time constraint like this, we really couldn't do many shots or even many takes to create our ideal scenes. Instead of getting usable footage, we got a better idea of how we wanted specific shots to be filmed. We got to see what elements we liked such as specific angles, what was left in the frame, and camera movement in order to make our shots look the best and match our vision,
For me specifically, I was able to find out the specific aspects of my character such as facial expressions and hand movements. As the actor for Detective B, I needed to make sure I would match the traits of the character and this shooting day helped me refine my behaviors.
With our storyboard done, I wanted to start planning the way our edits would be for particular scenes and shots. Most importantly I wanted to focus on the editing of the Interrogation scene that would take up a majority of our opening two minutes.
I wanted to end the previous running scene with a cut to black. Then I could introduce this scene with a fade from black to create the mood for the interrogation. This way, it is shown to the audience that time has passed from the previous events.
Storyboard art of Detective B alone
The scene starts with just a focus on one detective and a voiceover of his thoughts that are playing at the same time. The plan is to use straight cuts and have the shots end until the end of the voiceover. I might have to mess with the speed of the shots to make this possible or change the duration so that it feels more natural and has better potential for humor.
Storyboard of actions performed by detectives during the interrogation
Then comes the main portion of actually sitting down and interrogating. The whole point of this scene is to show the incompetence of the main detectives in the film. In order to achieve this effect while also utilizing what I learned from scenes in American Psycho and Knives Out, I thought it would be best to mess with the duration of the shots. Holding on just a little too long with a split cut can make the atmosphere feel uncomfortable. It not only matches the usual feeling one might feel if they're being interrogated but also puts emphasis on the detective's actions such as writing, piece of dialogue, or zoning out.
Before, I felt that the storyboard was just a visual medium for how the scenes were supposed to look but I found that it was much more useful than just that. It allowed me to brainstorm what I could do in order to make our planned shots fit together. This helped me prepare the skills I would need in order to make these planned edits possible such as knowing when to cut a scene so it lasts just the right amount of time and working with the sound designer on getting down a split cut. Planning your edits tells you not only what you need to work on, but also helps you see how the film moves along which you can take back to your crew. The storyboard was just one tool that helps you create that plan.
One of the main scenes that would be included in our film is something running away from a crime scene. This would have to have more specific stuff going on that requires more work. For one, I had to find a way to introduce and create the title of the film.
Our film planned to start on the title with a black background. My biggest concern was how to go from this title to the first scene of the criminal fleeing the screen of the crime. To do this I thought we could have audio play before the visual switch through the use of a split edit. The actual cut would just be a straight cut as the viewer is already anticipating something due to the sound cues. This brings them right into the action without time to prepare besides the auditory build-up.
Storyboard of the first half of running scene of the film
The actual cuts used of the suspect running would also be straight cuts that occur very frequently just like in Baby Driver or Drive where there chase scenes are very tightly edited so the viewer's tension builds up and the viewer is immediately hooked into the film.
Once the key item is dropped, I will hold on for longer on the item to emphasize its significance to the plot of the film. There can then be a fade to black in order to end the scene and transition into the interrogation to resemble the movement of time which indicates a movement of story events.
Storyboard showing the switch from running to the dropping of the object
Planning your edits I can now see where to utilize the specific techniques I've learned and what the best way to apply them to our film should be. During my first film, I just went through all our footage, trimmed down shots and cut them together in the best way I saw fit. However, planning ahead gave me a better idea of what specific ideas I wanted to execute to make our film better. The editing wouldn't be spur of the moment but instead designed in a way to evoke specific emotions from the audience. These specific techniques were what I've spent time researching to refine my editing skills and experience.
After wrapping up our production portfolio, we began thinking about how our film's serious tone and thriller elements wouldn't be believable to an audience if two teens were in the main roles. We decided to make our film more light-hearted. This made me think that my previous analysis of thrillers like Drive and Nightcrawler might only be somewhat useful and not entirely helpful as it wouldn't fit the feel of the film.
In order to have a better grasp of what a comedic detective film looks like, I decided to look at Who Framed Roger Rabbit.
Clip of R. K. Maroon's death from Who Framed Roger Rabbit
Narrative elements unfolding in the movie Who Framed Roger Rabbit
These scenes seem like prime examples of those normally found in Detective and Crime films. Big reveals on who's behind everything or intense confrontations. The editing is actually somewhat similar to what I looked at before. During the big conflicts, cuts are very quick to keep the scenes tense. This is seen in the death of R. K. Maroon where the shots from the pistol and the events after occur right after each other. Just like in thrillers, intense events are made up of quick cuts. Something similar occurs when Jessica Rabbit comes and saves Eddie but it's framed as if she is going to kill him. The moments before are more drawn out to create suspense while the accrual events of action come quickly with lots of cuts like the chase. Both scenes also have very loud gunshot sounds when a pistol is fired to draw attention but it also sticks out from the more quiet dialogue.
After watching some clips of Who Framed Roger Rabbit, I learned that the editing that happens between genres doesn't necessarily change, but it's the elements of your story and how you use editing to enhance that which forms your film's genre. Watching the murder of Maroon, I was reminded of the opening to Zodiac. The actual events were somewhat similar but Who Framed Roger Rabbit plays up everything through slapstick behavior further emphasized by the editing. The actual events happening are comedic such as driving a cartoon car or spraying water in the attacker's face and by holding onto these shots, you feel the ridiculousness of the situations. The way the thrillers I analyzed used editing was to mess with the audience's emotions and expectations which I now understand can be applicable in more scenarios. It's not about changing the style of editing, as the focus is still on a detective film with the basic plot points an audience expects, but more so using what's actually in the film and the editing around that to make it more comedy-orientated.
One aspect of editing that I really want to explore this time around is color correction and color grading. I failed to really explore this part of editing on the creation of the chess film which made the overall product look a little flat at times. Some of my favorite films have distinct color gradings such as Whiplash and La La Land.
By now, I understand that some movies have specific color gradings in order to achieve a unique visual style that sets them apart. It could also be used to highlight the time period that it might take place as well. Color correction and grading are then also used to make something more cohesive and cinematic looking.
However, I wanted to look at why certain films decide to have a specific color grading for other reasons. Things that weren't totally obvious and one of those that stood out to me was Whiplash. I remember the film being mainly yellow and thought it was there to just make the instruments pop out which in itself was beneficial to my understanding of how color grading is to be used. Upon further research into the film, I saw there was more to it.
Video discussing Whiplash's use of Green and Yellow by Movie LUTs
The colors used in the film are essentially there to be tied to a specific emotion. Yellow usually depicts Andrew's triumphs with his music. It is a warmer color which is most common in the creation of comfortable scenes and shots but creates a different meaning within the context of the film as Fletcher is shown to be very abusive within Andrew's world of music. It symbolizes that Andrew feels comfortable in this space and environment but it's not one of ease. That is why it constantly pops up within the film as he is in conflict with Fletcher throughout the film but still enjoys what he's doing as he is obsessed with his music.
The green coloring reflects Andrew's feeling of failure and uncomfortableness. This feeling is further emphasized by the fact the colors are cool colors which don't create that warm comfortable feeling that yellow does. When a scene or shot is in green it lets the viewer know that the main character is out of their element. There is a clear contrast in emotion within the main character that is told to the viewer through the use of color. There is then a short segment where these color gradings are not present and the film feels more mundane just like how Andrew's life has become.
I now understand that color grading within a film plays an essential part in how the viewer interprets and feels during a scene. The use of color grading can both convey a certain feeling and also stand for a specific idea within the film. The yellow shots in whiplash would usually create a cozy feeling but within the context of the film it does something more and things aren't cozy but instead when the character feels at peace. Using a contrast in colors also can hint to the viewer how certain characters feel such as the use of a warm yellow and cool green within Whiplash where one is tied to success and the other to failure. Then there can be the use of a lack of color grading to get the audience to see things in a neutral way even if the rest of the film used a very distinct style. Color grading allows the viewer to understand what emotions the characters are feeling and how they themselves should be feeling. This is done by creating expectations with the use of color by tying it to specific events that can be normally seen as good or bad. It not only provides a distinct style but engages the viewer with what they are seeing.
During the editing of our chess film, one aspect that didn't seem quite right to me was the title. Both in the way it looked and also the way it was introduced. My initial thoughts about titles were that they were there to just let you know the piece of media you were watching. However, as I kept watching films to get a better understanding of the other aspects of editing, I saw that titles were very intricate and felt as if they had more meaning.
"Start Making Better Titles with a Few Basic Tips" by Film Riot
The first key point brought up in this video was the choosing of a correct font, This was one aspect of the edit of the chess film that I struggled heavily on. My main concern for the title was to just make it as legible as possible for the short time it would be shown on screen. I also initially used a thinner font that made the movie seem more serious and professional than the light-hearted tone we were looking for. The video explains that when selecting a font it should not only fit the tone of the film but also the context of the film. The font you choose gives you some insight into the general feel of the film.
Furthermore, you want to make sure that the title should contrast against the background. This way the text is easy to read for the audience. This was something I struggled with as well and overcompensated by just making the text appear very big. Although size is a way to create contrast, it can also be done by using color. Having a contrasting color from the background of the text allows the title to pop out without taking up most of the frame. Size can then be used to create meaning for each individual line of text.
Opening title sequence from Scott Pilgrim vs. the World
A film that immediately came to mind when I thought about stylized intros was that of Scott Pilgrim vs The World. The font used is very unique and matches the overall aesthetic of the film. It uses the musical elements from the scenes before it to create the first line of the title, spelling out the character's name. It then gets continued by a different font which helps distinguish that the story revolves around Scott Pilgrim. The title is also very bold and animated which is the overall feel you get from watching this movie.
After watching the Film Riot video and the opening sequence of another film, I have a better understanding of film titles. The main thing I learned was the role that a title plays within the film and the elements that make up the title. Titles are supposed to make the tone and feel of your film very apparent from the get-go. This is mainly reflected in the font choice for the title and these are available on numerous sites that you can access. Other contributions can come from the color and size as well to add meaning to the title and enhance the tone it creates. Finally there is the way you introduce the title. After looking at Scott Pilgrim and Joker, I saw that their titles appear right after a sequence that encapsulates the feel of the film. In Joker's case, it comes in right after Arthur is beaten up and lying on the ground which is symbolic to the entire film. In both films, it also acts as the end of a scene. The edit of the title coming in should feel like a natural part of the flow of the film and its positioning in the timeline should make sense.
To better prepare myself for when it comes time to work on the actual film, I decided to look at different techniques to use in the editing room. Even though I've edited a film before, I felt as though the experience was just learning the bare bones and basics of the editing process. This time, things are different and it's time to improve my skills as an editor.
"6 Ways to Edit Any Scene — Essential Film & Video Editing Techniques Explained" by StudioBinder
Some of the editing techniques shown in the video were great to use later down the line on different projects but didn't quite feel right to use for this film. Using an intellectual montage would take the viewer out of the narrative of the film which I think plays a stronger role in storytelling than the use of editing in this case. Cross-cutting would make sense when used later on in a film when there is proper building but doesn't have much use in the intro. There isn't enough going on yet to cross cut and if you do, it might make the intro more confusing and muddy to watch.
The first technique that the video goes over that I was more interested in was eyeline match use. This is something I somewhat utilized in the editing of the chess film but I don't think made the best use out of it. In an eyeline match, a cut is made to a shot of something that the character just had their attention on. It can play an essential part in the film's storytelling. Having a cut from the character's expression to what they look at helps the viewer understand what they are feeling about what they see. This can be used to emphasize and highlight specific details important to the film's story, such as a item left at a crime scene or details a detective picks up. It can also mess with an audience's expectations by deciding not to show what the character looks at to build mystery and intrigue or delaying the cut to make it more dramatic.
Another technique that stuck out to me was a split edit. Split edits are when the sound or image of your film changes before the other. This technique can be used to make conversations feel more natural and smooth. I noticed that this was subtly used in the interrogation scene in American Psycho when some characters speak and the cut is made a little while after. Our film was going to be crime-focused so lots of conversation would have to go on as the case progresses and action wouldn't be at the forefront. Utilizing this technique more during scenes like this makes the conversation that is happening more interesting to view as it doesn't cut as soon as someone speaks and it allows the viewer to pick up on the character's thoughts and emotions about a particular subject through their expressions.
Overall, this gave me a better understanding of the ways you can cut from one scene to another. More specifically, why you create a cut, what you are cutting to, and how you are doing it. Different types of cuts work better for different scenarios. Cutting isn't just about the best looking transitions to use in order to get from one scene to another but more so about the way you present a series of events. The specific cuts you use can contribute to the story you are trying to tell and affect the viewer's perception of events. When cutting from one shot to another, it should have a specific reason to switch what is being shown and the way you make that cut affects how an audience may perceive that reasoning. It's about knowing how to use these specific techniques to create the meaning you want.
In order to further explore the crime aspect of our film, I wanted to analyze a recent film with more crime elements so I decided to look at Knives Out.
Unlike the previous films I analyzed, Knives Out immediately sticks out with its color palette. It feels a lot more lively compared to the other films. Nightcrawler was shrouded with darkness and minimal lighting and Drive had moments of brighter color but still had a darker tone to it overall. In Knives Out, characters either pop with color or are brightly lit which makes characters more distinct and the overall setting more fantasy-like.
Still of Wanetta from Knives Out that shows diverse color (Left). Still from Nightcrawler showing darkness that is typical of the film (Right).
Nightcrawler grounds itself into a more realistic world than the one of Knives Out so it reflects that in its color grading just as Knives Out does so with its more unusual events.
Scene from Knives Out where Ransom exposes himself and gets caught
A big aspect of most crime or mystery films is the reveal. When I normally think of reveal I think of quick cuts to increase tension which the film does do once Ransom picks up a weapon. This is similar to the editing style in Nightcrawler and Drive in those high-intensity moments. However, this scene utilizes slow motion to further emphasize the events that are taking place. By making these scenes last longer, it has the viewer writing for what's next to come and more time to realize the reality of the situation. It overdramatizes events and with big mystery/crime films like this, the reveal should be one of the most dramatic parts. Drive does something similar where one of the robbers gets killed in an overly dramatic way due to the slow motion that was added to the shot.
Interrogation scene from Knives Out
This crime film also had an interrogation scene that I wanted to look closely at. In this scene, cuts are made once a character speaks in order to show that character speaking. There are also moments where it cuts between characters sitting in very similar positions in the same setting to reveal information about a specific character. The way that the characters are all cut to immediately following one comment and in a very similar visual position alerts the viewer that they are speaking on the same topic. Cuts are also present immediately after Blanc presses a key on the piano to see their reaction to his presence. Cuts aren't overly frequent and are kept tame as the scene doesn't evoke any high-energy emotions.
My main finding from this research was the key differences and similarities in the editing between crime and mystery-oriented films and full-on thrillers. This film and the films I've discussed before use similar cuts when it comes to more mundane moments in the film such as the interrogation scenes. However, there is a bigger difference when it comes to the build up of and release of tension. In Knives Out these moments are long and drawn out to make the moments suspenseful while in thrillers they are more quick and rhythmic. The use of color grading is also very different. In crime/mystery films they seem to pop out more to make the large cast of characters that make them up stand out more. In the thrillers I've mentioned before, we see characters try to be hidden so a more dark grading is used. As the editor I now get it's my job to find a happy medium between the methods used in both of the genres. There are already some similarities between the two but depending on the direction our film goes, I could bring out the more fictitious elements from mystery films or the more grounded and anticipated parts of thrillers.
After looking at Thelma Schoonmaker's approach to editing, I wanted to see a different perspective on more technical aspects of editing. That Person was Paul Machliss who has edited for some of my favorite Edgar Wright films and the main thing that captures my attention is the use of transitions. Getting the right transitions was a big struggle of mine when I edited my first project.
Opening scene from Baby Driver (2017)
I found two things very interesting from this opening scene in Baby Driver that Paul Machliss edited. One was the way that the film cut from scene to scene on the beat of the soundtrack. The editing plays around the diegetic sound in the film in order to transition from shot to shot. This sound is used heavily to introduce the set of characters. As soon as the beat hits, we cut to a new character's face. Things are very punctual and organized. I also noted down the amount of cuts that are taking place within this short time span. It makes sense to me that a lot of cuts occur during the getaway portion as that is an intense situation that only feels more intense with the more cuts you make. However, before the heist officially takes place and the robbers are just entering the bank, we get scenes of Baby in the car messing around that are full of cuts. It mimics that high-intensity feeling you would get from the chase without it actually happening which I took as the editing getting the viewer ready for the events that will transpire. A partial thing I noticed was the use of a person's legs as a wipe transition.
One shot from Baby Driver
There is this one shot in the film that is seen a little while later that helped me better understand what editing was. There were a lot of behind-the-scenes decisions that created the scene here that I thought were important. This scene has no cuts as that was the main objective when shooting the shot however there was still a lot done in the editing room to perfect the scene.
Words from Edgar Wright discussing the scene in an interview with Ain't It Cool News
The scene had lots of work down to it like added text and color that is very evident in the scene but would create too much of a problem if done practically. Editing allows for these ideas to come to life such as the changing heart color near the end to symbolize the love that Baby is feeling and graffiti on the walls that display the lyrics that are being heard. It adds emphasis on the effect of music and sound in the film.
Series of scenes from Scott Pilgrim vs. The World showing off its unique transistors
In these scenes from Scott Pilgrim vs. The World, there is a unique type of transition between scenes that I have rarely seen anywhere else. It looks like characters just teleport to new areas as they maintain a similar interaction from the scene before. This is seen with Scott as he looks straight ahead with an empty expression that is then interrupted by the next scene where that expression acts as the beginning. It happens again when Stephen Stills begins walking away after Scott asks him a question where we are in a new environment with him answering that question. Finally, there is a wipe transition similar to one in Baby Driver where someone walking is used to transition to the next scene. Things are kept natural and hidden as opposed to super obvious cuts to get to the next scene.
The main thing I learned from researching Paul Machliss is what one can do in terms of cutting or transitioning from one shot to another. He uses natural elements within the film and its story in order to go from one shot to another. In Scott Pilgrim vs. The World, there are a lot of instances where characters hold a position and then go to another shot where they have the same position. There is the use of intense light from the sun to fade into other shots as well. The main thing is that the transitions look natural and aren't tacky. Unorthodox methods used like texting going from scene to scene in Scott Pilgrim or cutting on the beats of the music in Baby Driver actually fit within the world of the film so it still looks natural. You should plan around specific transitions so that when it comes time to edit, your transition between shots should be seamless and fit within the context of the movie.
This research also helped me understand what editing truly is. It's not just about cutting shots together but also altering shots to get a desired outcome. In the one shot scene, Wright speaks about the fact that were prepared to cut to separate one shots together in order to create the scene they wanted but that would take away from the fact it's supposed to be one continuous shot. He also speaks on the fact they can take one of their shots and just adjust it to get that same scene which is what ended up occurring. There are multiple ways to go about things but it's about how you alter these individual shots to get you there.
To understand my role as an editor better, I wanted to look at the professionals within the movie industry and try to learn from them. I thought the best way to do this was to look at long-term editor director relationships to see their overall editing style across various films and how they might change things up. One that stood out to me was Thelma Schoonmaker who worked with Martin Scorcese across various films.
Interview with Thelma Schoonmaker about her experiences with editing
This video above gave me insight into Thelma Schoonmaker's process as an editor. For instance, she doesn't primarily focus on what the script has to say but more so on the actual footage that was taken. She then works closely with Scorsese to create the intended scene. The two also review raw footage together and there is discussion on what the film may need in order to be better, what specific shots are the best ones to use, and to provide ideas in order for the editor to cut things together to make it happen.
Video containing Thelma Schoonmaker's views on certain aspects of editing
From the start, Thelma Schoonmaker explains that she works with the director of the film and edits in specific ways such as inputting an unexpected cut, holding on to scenes for just a little longer than they should be, and including those "bumps' in editing as so everything doesn't feel slick, in order to add on to the film's vision. She then explains that she provides the director with multiple edits of something instead of just one to look at which is something I never thought of before. Creating multiple cuts means less time is spent on going back and tweaking it just for the process to have to be repeated again. The editing should also suit the film such as the tight editing found in Shutter Island which purposefully makes the viewer uncomfortable or the simple cutting of The Irishman which was the intended feel of the film, simple.
Clip of Thelma Schoonmaker talking about working with improvised work in Raging Bull
Thelma explains that having to cut together two different pieces of improvised footage from two talented actors and make it construct a scene was difficult even for her. As the editor she gets a start point and end point from the director and it's up to her to fill in that middle. In improv scenes like this, there are normally two locked-down cameras to maintain consistency within the film but that was not done here which made it more difficult. Thelma was able to pull all the clips that best brought out the traits of the characters represented such as keeping the portion where one of the non-main characters in the scene speaks and a main character has a reaction to it.
I believe that the most important thing Thelma Schoonmaker that I didn't think about before was the relationship and dynamic between the editor and director. In Thelma's work, she shows time and time again that the decisions she makes are those that capture the director's intended effects and vision. She works closely with the director of the films she works on in order to craft a film with a specific direction and style. Editors and directors should go over footage together to see what could be potentially missing or fixed to create a better product when it comes time to edit it together. She comments on how some editors try to make things look slick or cut many times and ultimately questions the reasoning behind these decisions. The decisions you make in the editing room aren't influenced by what's popular and what doesn't let your viewer look away in fear of missing something but on the goal of that specific scene. That could either be a certain mood or emotion that you want your viewer to feel or the capturing of the best parts of a take.
Our film includes a detective role to solidify the fact that the film is part of the crime genre. There is a real chance that I will be filling this position within the film so I decided to study the aspects of a detective to have a better idea of how I should be acting.
A character that I was recently drawn to was that of Detective Donald Kimball who I recently saw through analyzing the interrogation clip in American Psycho. He doesn't appear a lot throughout the film but when he does show up, I find myself drawn to his character and wanted to see why and how I could possibly replicate that.
Breakdown of Willem Dafoe's acting styles in American Psycho (2000)
Upon seeing clips of his performance in the film, I saw this video above that discussed the acting methods used when filming the movie. They had Willem Dafoe act out the same scenes in three different ways, unsuspecting/oblivious to what Patrick Bateman did, suspicious of him, and aware of the fact that Patrick is responsible for the disappearance of Paul Allen. I found this interesting as when watching without this knowledge, Willem Dafoe's character seems does show a difference in responses from what Bateman says but it isn't super obvious. It mainly seemed like a wide range of emotions coming from the same person instead of 3 different character types being spliced together.
Upon further investigation, the main distinction between these takes could be seen in the way Dafoe responded to something or asked a question as well as his facial expressions throughout the scenes he's in. It doesn't come from what he says or even his mood necessarily, as he mostly stays calm and collected besides bits of joy, but from the manner in which he speaks to Patrick Bateman.
Dafoe's character never truly reveals nor even hints at how he views Bateman as a suspect due to his differing emotions being put on display all at the same time. At times he's friendly while at others he is judging Bateman's response such as when trying to locate where Patrick was the night Paul Allen disappeared. At times of extreme suspense for the suspect, a majority of the time Detective Kimbell came off as friendly even if it might not be how he's actually feeling. For example, after confronting Patrick Bateman about his alibi for the first time, he simply explains he heard something different and then pulls out a CD in a cheery tone. But this CD was the same one Paul Allen had in his apartment the day Bateman Killed him and the detective uses it to shine a light directly into his eye, showing no physical response from Bateman as he's hyper-focused on the CD and soulless. Things are purposely confusing to the suspect as the Detective tries to gain information that has not been said out loud.
Patrick Bateman holding up a CD in Paul Allen's apartment
Detective Donald Kimball holding up the same CD during Bateman's further questioning
This character analysis helped me see that word choice or clothing wasn't going to be the only thing to sell to the audience that I am an experienced detective, but instead I have to be in the right state of mind. As the detective, I can't give out any signs of my true emotions, feelings, or thought process as it can possibly be used against me. It is my goal to be deceptive in a way that may provide me with more information about a case, unlike the suspect who would be deceptive in order to escape trouble. This can be achieved by displaying a mix of emotional responses that may not make entire sense from what has just been said or established but would make sense for a person who is trying to absorb as much information as possible and tries to get a read on people. Smiling with a relaxed tone can make people open up. Following directly with a stern expression and serious tone like I know something may make people feel more uncomfortable or nervous and spill what they know which shows the audience how information is gotten. Willem Dafoe's character of Detective Kimball pulls this off flawlessly as he acts confrontational and friendly in order to confuse the audience about where he stands. I would have to use these similar ideas instead to confuse other characters about where I stand.
Additionally, the way in which the character was filmed in the three different takes gave me an idea of how I can use the same ideas when it comes to my editing. They take three completely different and merge them together to create the character and his traits. I can do something similar, I don't have to make my group shoot the same scene multiple different ways to create a final product, but I can take different takes we may have of the same scene and find ways in which they can fit together in order to create the effect presented in the film or just make a scene better by using the best parts of each take instead of one entire tale if possible.
The film concept we have created so far falls into the crime genre. As part of the opening, we wanted to include an interrogation scene to make the crime genre of the film evident. However, I have never attempted creating a scene like this before and my exposure to these types of scenes was very limited. I would be editing a scene like this and possibly acting in it, so I needed to do more digging. The one I can remember watching most clearly was the one in The Dark Knight, but I felt as though it didn't match the vision of our movie. Upon further browsing, I decided to analyze the interrogation scene in American Psycho.
Office interrogation scene from American Psycho (2000)
Patrick Bateman is responsible for the murder of Paul Allen and a detective comes in to question him as they are work associates. Patrick, as the interrogatee, doesn't want to have to deal with this confrontation as it can get him caught. He seems nervous and uncalculated, something that completely goes against the view Patrick has of himself. The interrogator, Detective Donald Kimball, shows a wide range of emotions from friendly banter to deeply suspicious questioning.
Patrick, as the interrogatee, doesn't want to have to deal with this confrontation as it can get him caught. He seems nervous and uncalculated, something that completely goes against the view Patrick has of himself. Kimball, as the interrogator, is trying to find any information he can about Bateman and see what relation he has with the case.
The cinematography of the scene emphasizes the dynamic between these characters. At the start, as soon as the detective sits down and it cuts, the characters rarely share the same shot. When they do, it is Patrick Bateman who is taking up a majority of the frame. To me, I understood this as the characters not having any meaningful interactions just yet as they have just met each other and Bateman is feeling in control of the situation. This all changes as soon as the questioning starts, a reverse shot now paints the detective as the one in control as he takes up the majority of the frame with Bateman looking small. There is a change in balance and control that we usually don't see with Bateman as he is usually very controlling, evident by his dismissal of the detective's wishes to not have something to drink and the way he treats his assistant. The interrogation puts pressure on him however, and even powerful characters don't have more control than the interrogators in these situations.
Shot from before the questions start where Patrick Bateman fills up most of the shot
Shot from when the questions first start with Donald Kimball filling up most of the shot
The character's actions are the key thing that stands out in this scene. The interrogatee, in this instance Patrick, is trying his hardest to maintain an emotionless expression and flat tone even when asking questions himself to gain the information he shouldn't previously know without seeming suspicious. He is trying his hardest to not expose what he does and doesn't know. He only breaks when he was complemented and when he had the urge to place a coaster showing how obsessive he is with his high view of himself which becomes evident to the detective. The interrogator on the other hand is full of different facial expressions and various ways of asking questions. At times he's smiling and being more polite while at other times he seems more stern and like he's trying to dig deeper. Although acting completely different, he is also not trying to give away what he knows to the potential suspect while also trying to see any reactions he has to his questions which is why he changes the way he says them and how he reacts to different pieces of information. Both also sometimes take pauses before they speak as if they were absorbing what was just said or are wondering how they should respond, it is more seen in Patrick Bateman.
The editing was also something I wasn't used to. Normally with scenes like this where characters are speaking across from each other, there is a cut made the moment someone starts talking in order to put the focus on them. Instead, in this scene, shots linger for longer than I would have expected. The other person will start talking but it will hold on to the person that last talked and show how they react to what is being said momentarily until the perspective finally switches. It gives the audience a feeling that the characters are actually taking in the formation that is being said and not just transitioning from one point to another. What is being discussed is of importance and it should be perceived that way.
Watching this scene mostly taught me that interrogation scenes should be seen as moments of simultaneous balance and unbalance as the characters are trying to figure each other out. There should be somewhat of a flow of information without each character giving away too much as the characters are trying to fight for the gain in knowledge which results in a balance by the end. There should also be an established dynamic between the interrogator and interrogatee where the interrogator should be the main one in control. The suspect/interrogatee can be calculated, meticulous, and good at hiding their emotions and thoughts but they shouldn't be the ones in control of the situation, just responding to it. A good way to show these aspects is through how the scene is edited. I learned that delaying the time a cut happens compared to an auditory switch allows the viewer to see reactions to information which is what the key point of these scenes is, seeing how the other person reacts to what you say or know. There is no real tension being created unless the truth is closer to being discovered so cuts can be spaced apart until those moments come when the editing becomes tighter to signify how a character would feel. Time to think about what's happening is limited and the experience can feel too much to handle.
For our film, we have decided to focus on the crime/thriller genre. My last film was more comedy-oriented, so I was not entirely in my element this time and wasn’t really sure what to expect. It was best to start researching and looking more into the genre to see what we should include in our opening to get our vision across. I mainly wanted to see the key elements of the genre and how editing would play into achieving them.
I thought back to any films that fit this mold and instantly thought of both Nightcrawler and Drive. I think these films encapsulate what it takes to be a thriller while also having crime elements to them that can come in handy when creating our film.
Nightcrawler (2014) directed by Dan Gilroy
This film Nightcrawler centers around a sociopathic character named Louis Bloom and his journey as a cameraman that turns obsessive to a dangerous degree. This character wants nothing more than to become famous and successful and will get there no matter what he has to do.
This film sets up a visual and editing style that I normally see and think of when relating to thrillers. Things are dark and hard to see which keeps the viewer on high alert in times where suspension is trying to be built. Even when normal activities are going on there is still a melancholy feeling to the way scenes are portrayed to keep the viewer uncomfortable. That is something the film does very well and translates to the editing. The film is, at moments, hard to watch as you want the scene to end and cut away to something else or the next event, but it usually lingers for longer on the harsher and harder-to-watch scenes to increase that tension or cringe feeling. Moments like Lou's partner getting shot and Lou moving a crash scene around the height of the scene like you expect them to but instead linger on.
Drive has similar elements to Nightcrawler but also has its own aspects that I found fascinating. For one the idea of playing around with the audience's expectations is played with a lot more in the film. These are only intensified by the way they are edited.
Scenes from Drive (2011) of a failed robbery attempt
In the robbery scene, we have the main character Driver waiting for people to come out with the money which emulates the beginning of the film. In that situation Driver had to wait on one of the robbers and it kept cutting between him and the door to build up suspense due to the time constraint they had. Here there is something similar with Driver waiting for another character to come back that is edited somewhat similarly as it cuts from him waiting and staring to the point of exit.
Before, things turned out somewhat fine as the other robber was able to make it to the car but this time things go completely sideways in the blink of an eye. It seems like things will go fine again as Standard starts walking out until suddenly, he gets shot. The way the scene replicated the beginning messed with the audience's expectations of how things were going to go. Even more so, Standard's character was built up throughout a heavy portion of the story just for him to be the first to die in the film without warning. The film built itself on the idea of a getaway driver being a part of robberies but that was simply a red herring to what in actuality is a revenge plot. Nothing could have prepared you for this moment as it denies expectations that it previously set up in its opening and narrative. With a similar event playing out and being shot and edited in a similar way, the audience expected a similar outcome. However, it's this moment the story completely twists into something else.
This happens once again in the film as you assume that after the failed robbery and chase scene that follows you have room to breathe that the previous run time of the movie was mostly filled with. However, there is only more action that happens as Driver and the other robber are attacked. He harmfully gets answers out of the robber, and it seems like the suspense has gone down. But through editing, the shots are slowed down, and we vividly see the extreme death of the other robber and the tension is back to 100 again.
Analyzing these two films helped me learn what to expect and the key details of thriller movies. These are most specifically the fact they should be building suspense, tension, and uncomfortableness within the viewer and denying the viewer's expectations which can be heavily impacted by editing. Things seem to go normally until suddenly something unexpected happens like Lou's partner's death or Standard's death. Timing is key when it comes to creating suspense which is evident in the use of rhythmic editing and shot length in the films. To produce that feeling so closely tied to thrillers, the viewer should either not have enough time to think or too much time on one specific subject. It should ultimately mess with the way the audience perceives events. You can cut clips and pack them together such as the chase scene in Drive does in order to create tension as Driver has to think very quickly to exit the situation. On the other hand, you can increase the length of scenes through slow-motion or just decide to create a cut later in the clip to have the audience see something that creates discomfort like the movement of a dead body or the impact a weapon has. Editing in a similar style to what you did before like in Drive can also create expectations and allow you to deny them as the viewer sees a familiar situation but is met with a different outcome. Denying expectations prevents the movie from feeling stale and repetitive.
