Transition: Contextual Role Research How To Edit Sci-fi/Thriller
For the transition unit my group has elected to re-create an episode of Black Mirror. Now since this show crosses in to both the Sci-fi and the Thriller genres it is imperative that I know how to edit for both.
I will be going over my research findings about the rules of editing these two genres, using the show Orphan Black as my source material for this blog post.
Orphan Black is a show that ran for five seasons and crossed into both the sci-fi and thriller genres during its run. It utilised tension, as well as action sequences to keep the audience on the edge of their seat. Its character-focused narrative made for intense shooting and editing.
Pacing
When editing any genre it is important to make sure the pacing is appropriate for the film. Film academy online says that the pacing for a thriller needs to be fast at times and slow at others to make sure that tension is built properly.
Looking at Orphan Black we can see that in scenes of mystery or on a lead up to an action sequence, many shots are long and drawn out, however, once the tension is cut you could switch between a series of quick cuts, or stick to one wide master shot (which I plan to use in my project). This ensures the audience are able to to take in as much scene and background detail as possible while still following the action.
Visuals
Orphan Black is a big fan of close up's and low angle shots, and if your editing a thriller or a sci-fi you need a lot of close up shots. Not just of characters either, it is key to make sure your scene puts emphasis on the objects characters interact with (especially within the scifi genre) so that the story flows nicely. Orphan Black does this often when a character uses a gun, we would get a close up from the front of the gun making us as the audience feel victimised and powerless (with the use of low angle shots). That kind of reaction is what I want to get from the use of a gun in our project and I have planned a series of close ups to try and replicate this.
Sci-fi in particular always has a certain look to it. The editor working in this genre would apply filters that make certain colour tones stronger than others. In the case of Orphan Black, they bring out the white's in their sequences to generate a subtle atmosphere and symbolic meaning.
Sci-Fi is also well known for its light blue tones and high exposures that tend to generate a false sense of calm, this is why I want to bring out the blue's in my project when I colour grade in the edit.
Music And Sound
The thriller genre is one that heavily relies upon its sound design. Music, atmos, foley and dialogue all come together to create this wholesome and immersive atmosphere that generate an emotional response from an audience. Thriller is well known for its high-intensity music at moments of panic, usually with a long build-up that drops in to a fast-paced track that the visuals can match with a series of quick cuts.
When watching Orphan Black it combines atmos and foley along with the music which commands and steers the reaction of the audience. There is a scene in Orphan Black where one of the heroins of teh story is in a life or death situation. The scene starts off very slow mainly using its dialouge to control the pacing, then as she starts to panic, atmos sound is brought in before we reach the climax at which background music is faded up and acompanied by the loud firing foley sounds of the guns. This gradual build in tension is somehting I hope to try in this project.
I will be going over my research findings about the rules of editing these two genres, using the show Orphan Black as my source material for this blog post.
Orphan Black is a show that ran for five seasons and crossed into both the sci-fi and thriller genres during its run. It utilised tension, as well as action sequences to keep the audience on the edge of their seat. Its character-focused narrative made for intense shooting and editing.
Pacing
When editing any genre it is important to make sure the pacing is appropriate for the film. Film academy online says that the pacing for a thriller needs to be fast at times and slow at others to make sure that tension is built properly.
Looking at Orphan Black we can see that in scenes of mystery or on a lead up to an action sequence, many shots are long and drawn out, however, once the tension is cut you could switch between a series of quick cuts, or stick to one wide master shot (which I plan to use in my project). This ensures the audience are able to to take in as much scene and background detail as possible while still following the action.Visuals
Orphan Black is a big fan of close up's and low angle shots, and if your editing a thriller or a sci-fi you need a lot of close up shots. Not just of characters either, it is key to make sure your scene puts emphasis on the objects characters interact with (especially within the scifi genre) so that the story flows nicely. Orphan Black does this often when a character uses a gun, we would get a close up from the front of the gun making us as the audience feel victimised and powerless (with the use of low angle shots). That kind of reaction is what I want to get from the use of a gun in our project and I have planned a series of close ups to try and replicate this. Sci-fi in particular always has a certain look to it. The editor working in this genre would apply filters that make certain colour tones stronger than others. In the case of Orphan Black, they bring out the white's in their sequences to generate a subtle atmosphere and symbolic meaning.
Sci-Fi is also well known for its light blue tones and high exposures that tend to generate a false sense of calm, this is why I want to bring out the blue's in my project when I colour grade in the edit.
Music And Sound
The thriller genre is one that heavily relies upon its sound design. Music, atmos, foley and dialogue all come together to create this wholesome and immersive atmosphere that generate an emotional response from an audience. Thriller is well known for its high-intensity music at moments of panic, usually with a long build-up that drops in to a fast-paced track that the visuals can match with a series of quick cuts.
When watching Orphan Black it combines atmos and foley along with the music which commands and steers the reaction of the audience. There is a scene in Orphan Black where one of the heroins of teh story is in a life or death situation. The scene starts off very slow mainly using its dialouge to control the pacing, then as she starts to panic, atmos sound is brought in before we reach the climax at which background music is faded up and acompanied by the loud firing foley sounds of the guns. This gradual build in tension is somehting I hope to try in this project.
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