Editing: blog task

Your final analytical blog task is to find a film or television clip on YouTube that you feel has been edited in a distinctive way and write a 750 word analysis of the clip.

This clip begins with a set up that subtly introduces all of the sequences major elements. The shot starts moving left which introduces a lady going in for a swim and a boy playing fetch with his dog which is important for later. The colour coding of the boys shirt is used through the sequence in a deliberate way. Then the camera changes direction moving right which is a reversal which forces emphasis on the young boy it's as though Spielberg is trying to tell the audience that this is what you should be focusing on as it the colour coding the the boys shorts is deliberate it's all part of a subconscious suspense initiation and a colour like red has connotations of violence death and even love but in this case it's nothing romantic. The camera continues to move with boy as if Spielberg intention is to have him larger in the frame and more focused to the audience this heightens the emphasis on him until he eventually grows smaller in the frame revealing chief Brody is completely unaware of the boy passing by this clearly states the scene we just witness was designed purely for the viewer the has been primed for the danger only protagonist is completely blindsided and therein lies the initial tension in the sequences. The suspense tactics here are somewhat more nuanced the viewer knows something bad going to happen it just the question who. Spielberg uses quick cuts in the first series which are all effective because of the lengthy setup that preceded and the shots are the general direction Brody is looking at this represents his point of view. Which conveys a message to the audience that there is no way he can keep an eye on all of the potential victims around him. This is followed by a number of shots of Brody watching that get increasingly closer. Spielberg also uses wipes to cuts this is a way to build energy and tension in the frame as well as being another method to again suggest a mass of people moving around the beach and entering the sea in all directions 

Then we cut to the shot with a rear window inspired pov reaction as at the start of this scene it starts with the generic over the shoulder shot with the blockage of the shoulder blocking the camera this creates more tension by obstructing Brody's view. The next image is a spilt diopter shot it's a split screen effect where you can simultaneously have a foreground and background image in focus. You can notice the blur on the side of the guys hair this juxtaposes the distracting in your face irritation of Brody's companion whilst his attention is really trying to focus on the girls hysterics in the sea. Which turned out to be a false alarm this is all part of the tension relief strategy that is such a staple of suspense film making and once. The next clip is his wife trying to take his attention away but most effective is the use of all the kids moving towards the sea in the background it isn't the main focus of the shot but such a wealth of movement cannot go unnoticed by an audience by doing it this way instead of cutaways keep the shot on Brody and dramatises his inability to control the environment. 

The next part of the sequence climaxes with six rapidly cut together close ups of the kids shark baiting splashing it's a visceral effect and the luminous natural lighting feels searingly wishful as if Spielberg is highlighting the childlike innocence that is seconds away from witnessing the harsh reality of nature after these cuts there is a next scene which ensures signs that there is trouble just on the horizon which Spielberg uses to create tension between the audience and the film itself. By having a child signing over the guy trying to find someone this creates a certain unease for the audience making them feel uncomfortable. Spielberg intention of using this is to reel in the audience attention creating more tension for them as this is a switch up from the fast scene. Then the suspense comes to an end with the longest running shot since the opening one this provides both a circular structural unity but it also heightens and climaxes the tension as the view is unable to look away they are forced to stay with the perspective of the shark relentlessly moving closer to its prey there is literally no way out. 

The attack is shown from afar this distance highlights Brody's ineffectual ability to prevent the tragedy and also serves to underline the clinical act of nature. Spielberg then cuts to a shot that ends like an abstract combination of water sea and blood human and then it enter the vertigo distortion effect shot which is a dolly and zoom combo the world around Brody crumbles. The uses of the vertigo distortion effect gives it a feeling of being thrusted into reality. As Brody's viewpoint is no longer clouded he finally sees clear as day whats happening. The composition is centrally framed it was his responsibility he should have demanded the beach be closed downed he will carry the burden and face the consequences and then the tension disappeared we then cut to mostly objective wide shots that just let the information unfold without any forceful direction but it was too late to the damage has been done the boy is gone. 

Spielberg is so popular with audiences is because he is so adept at putting the viewer through the ringer he doesn't just objectively play out the scene he engages the viewer directly and makes them experience the same emotions as the characters because through the sequence we are as helpless as Brody to trying to help the beach we feel almost guilty that we didn't do anything.