Research into Editing

Research into Editing

Film editing is part of the process of film making. Film editing is used from the traditional process of working with film, but now it involves the use of digital technology. Within this essay I am going to analyse the editing techniques used from a scene in the film "Texas Chainsaw Massacre".

Firstly, the technique of shot reverse shot is used. This is mainly used when a conversation is taking place between characters and a shot quickly follows another. This can be seen when the elderly man is speaking to the woman tied up in the chair. The purpose of this is not only to listen to the flowing conversation to understand what is happening within the scene, but to create an atmosphere and realise each characters individual emotions within the scene, and how they feel towards the other character. This technique is conventional to the thriller genre as it begins to create suspense and tension, raising high anticipation levels, making the audience want to continue watching on.

One editing technique that has been used in this clip is slow editing. This is when clips are juxtaposed together, at a slower pace. This can be scene when the antagonist who is an elderly man, turn the woman's head around to face the knife that he is pointing at her. The purpose of this technique is to exaggerate and focus that she could possibly be harmed within the next few seconds, building suspense and tension for the audience. The use of the slow motion technique could represent the fact that she is a victim/prisoner that is being harmed and could portray each day, how slowly it goes for her as she can't escape. This helps to make the scene more engaging as the audience watch on with anticipation, hoping that the character they have built a relationship with does not get hurt, as they now sympathize for her as they begin to imagine themselves in her current situation. This technique is conventional to the thriller genre as it creates a high level of anticipation for the audience, and can clearly see how terrified the victim is. 

After this scene, editing is used as the camera begins to zoom in on the pool of blood in which the woman is laying face down in after her throat has just been slit. This creates an emphasis on the red pool of blood which portrays danger and foreshadows the characters safety throughout the scene. In addition the audience will begin to not only empathize for the character as she has lost her life but will also begin to fear for the remaining people that are being tortured as it is likely they will end up in the same position. 

Continuing throughout the scene the pace of the editing begins to speed up and becomes faster, this is as the narrative gets more intense. This happens as the woman begins hitting the man that has lifted her up carrying her for torture. The pace of the scene could also portray the heartbeat of the girl being carried, as the pace of the scene increases the heartbeat of the women would also increase as she becomes more terrified of the torture she is possibly about to encounter. Furthermore the use of editing the scene is shown when the woman has escaped from the creepy man and is now trying to escape by running as fast as possible throughout the field with the man running after her with a chainsaw, the pace of the editing has increased and is speeding up. Not only could the fast paced editing of the scene represent the woman's heartbeat but could also represent her desperation to escape and the speed at which she is running as she is desperately trying to escape. I think that this makes the audience sympathizes for the woman as they begin to realise how scared she is and will also begin to fear further for her safety as the man begins to run after her with the chainsaw.

From this research I have learnt and researched different techniques that help to create different atmospheres and techniques that will help to make my own opening thriller sequence more successful.  The sequence that I have analyzed creates suspense, surprise and shock, which each individually make an impact on the audience, keeping them intrigued in the clip. Moving on from this, this has helped with my inidividual research as it has given me many ideas for my own opening sequence, and how it will create an impact for my target audience, keeping them engaged.