Scene 34 & 37 Edit

 

As part of a task we were given a series of different clips and a script in which we were to edit too. I enjoyed doing this task as i had not had any previous experience of editing to an actual script so it was interesting to see how everything fitted together when looking at both the script and the footage. It was also interesting to look at how the script had been interpreted during filming and to see that the script had been transformed into an actual physical form.

When i had downloaded both the script and the footage onto my mac i started to read through the script so that i had an understanding of the story and what was happening within the scene. As i needed to know the feel and the mood of the scene before i began editing it. Once i had done this i then looked at the rushes and then shortened the clips taking out any unnecessary dialogue that wasn't in the script and in which i didn't need. I then started to create a rough edit of the conversation between the two characters, making sure that i was following the script correctly. I then started on my second edit and trimmed down each of the clips in order to create a pace and a mood to the sequence. However, while doing my edit i found that there were a few problems in which i needed to correct.

SOUND 
I found that there was a major problem with the sound in the footage, especially when the two characters dialogue are compared and when they are next to each other on the edit. These were some of the main problems in which i found -

• Dialogue was too quiet and could hardly be heard at points 
• Background noise such as the waves were overpowering the actor's dialogue 
• Sound dipped in various areas 

To solve this problem i looked at using a wild track to disguise these problems with the sound in the hope that the problem would not be recognised by the audience. For example, in areas in which the dialogue was too quite i looked at making the dialogue from the actress louder and then placing wild track before and after the dialogue and making the wild track at the same level as the dialogue. At this point i realised that trying to disguise problems with sound in post production is a hard task to do and is very time consuming. This also made me realise the importance of making sure that when i am filming i record the sound correctly on set so that i don't cause more problems for myself during the edit. As trying to correct the sound on set is far easier than recording bad sound and then trying to re-correct it in post.


COLOUR CORRECTING 
Once i had completed my final edit i looked at colour correcting my sequence. The original colour of the sequence had no problems other than the fact that when each of the actor's clips were placed next to each other on the edit you can tell that there is a difference in colour. However, as individual clips the colouring of the shot had no problems. So i looked at colour correcting the entire sequence so that it all matched, however i also looked into how colour correcting could effect the feel and the mood of the sequence. Did i want the sequence to look gritty by making it darker? Did i want to make the sequence seem cheerful by making it lighter? This is what i looked into next and i made the decision of that i wanted the colouring to be of bright and non-contrasting colours. The reason for this being that the dialogue that is taking place is of a neutral tone and i wanted this to be reflected in the sequence.


I liked doing this task as it made me realise how much of a personal effect an editor can have on a film, even when they are working from a script. When looking at other people's edits of the same footage they were all different to my own, however they still told the same story and followed the same script in which i was. It was interesting to see how different edit's showed a different pace and a different mood through the way in which they had put their own personal stamp on the edit.