29. Editing Process

We edited using Song Movie Studio Platinum 12.0. We have yet to include the titles and we are still in the process of making our production company's ident, however, here are some images of the video in the making...

 

 

 

10. Textual Analysis of 'The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo' Title Sequence

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo Title Sequence

The title sequence for the 2011 film adaptation of The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo directed by David Fincher uses CGI to create a nightmarish sequence of images. The majority of the title sequence is in various shades of inky black and grey but the colour is made to look slick and shiny by having light coming from different places. Apart from the black/blue colour of the oil, the only colour is the bright orange of fire. This helps to make the fire stand out and gives it a more of an effect on the watcher because it is what you immediately notice as it is a stark contrast to the dark colours you are used to seeing. Not only are the objects in the pictures various shades of black but the background is also black and the models are coated in a black, oily liquid which is a computer generated image (CGI). Light shines from different angles and gives the oil a slick look which helps with the liquid effect. The oil effect is described by the creators as ‘that viscid, black ooze that seeps into everything, penetrating crevices, dribbling into lips and eyes, suffocating and sensual and silent. Each ebony form is made osmotic — surging and melding, torn apart and punctured, ensnared, set ablaze — thrashing in the deep. Through flashes of embers and murk, sticky vines creep, hands grapple, foul petals unfurl, and sable fists inflict their fury.’

The movement of the camera follows the direction of the oil and creates a flowing, oozing effect that looks like it consumes everything in its path. Close-ups of objects shows great detail and the textures of the scales in particular make the image interesting, dynamic and dangerous. To make certain images look more intimate, the camera angle is up high and when they are trying to make something look more ominous or dangerous; the camera angle is low and looking up at the subject.

Sound is important in this title sequence because of the tie between it and the editing. The music is ‘Immigrant Song’, originally by Led Zeppelin but in this case it was the cover by Trent Reznor, Atticus Ross and Karen O. The fast pace of the music was thrilling and the vocals is mostly just desperate howling and wailing. This gives the music a nightmarish quality that darkens the title sequence even more than the colours and images. There is a very strong drum beat which paces the sequence well.

The editing is very well synchronized with the beat of the music and therefore the editing is quite fast, especially at first. At the start of the title sequence, the images fade in and out really quickly with the beat, producing only flashes. After these first few clips of film, the majority of the rest of the editing is cut straight. There is also some cross-cutting for example, where is goes from the start of a clips of the fire spreading to a clip of people moving in the oil and then back to the fire spreading etc. To carry on with the oozing and liquid style of the opening sequence, they have used a dynamic, flowing font that moves too.

 

 

9. Graphic Breakdown of 'Panic Room' Title Sequence

8. Research For Film Brief

I have done some research on movies that are similar to our idea and I found three in particular that I thought were good examples. I think these will be useful to show the different possible ways we could start our film and the arrangement/order of the production info etc.

Gone (2012)
Gone follows the story of Jill and her sister Molly. Jill was kidnapped and thrown in a hole in the woods, filled with other bodies. She was the only one to escape and he comes after her again. However, when he finds that she isn't home, he takes Jill's sister, Molly. No-one else believes Jill so she tries to find her sister herself and ends up being chased by the police because they think that she is just a crazy woman with a gun.

Gone Trailer

 



Prisoners (2013)



This movie is the story of two families who come together on Thanksgiving. Their youngest daughters are allowed to go back to the visiting family's house but they never make it. They are both kidnapped and this movie follows one of the fathers as he takes drastic measures to find the two little girls with the help of a detective.

Prisoners Trailer

 

Taken (2008)

Bryan Mills is a former CIA operative who sets about tracking down his daughter after she and her friend are kidnapped by human traffickers while traveling in France.

 

Taken Trailer

 



6. Our Film Brief

We have decided to do an indie thriller about someone who is different from everyone else. We thought that this film brief was open to a wide range of ideas and angles that we could pursue. We chose this film brief because it was an area that we all found interesting and had many ideas for. Our idea is similar to the story told in 'The Jelly Baby Task' that we made. The idea is that we have two girls, best friends or sisters playing together (eg. in a park or house). We would establish the relationship between the girls and put the watchers at ease however the story quickly changes. One girl is taken or goes missing and the rest of the film would be about finding her and getting her home.

We would use fast editing and shots from a hand held camera to build tension and even point of view shots from the perspective of the kidnapper, looking out at the girls. By never showing the face of the kidnapper, we would be building tension and fear levels because you don't know who they are but you know that they are the bad guy. High angle shots of the girls will make them look vulnerable also. Lighting and colour will help us to establish who is good and who is bad. The girls will be in bright clothing and out in the sunlight, whereas the kidnapper will be wearing dark clothes and he will stick to the shadows (eg. under trees, behind corners etc).

Our idea has been accepted by Mrs Black :)