This morning I went to see how Dan's edit is coming along. Overall, I was very pleased with what I saw and I think Dan has done a really good job on it. I do have a few things that I might work on if it was my edit. These are as follows:
A few of the cutaways that have been used in the edit seem to be a bit 'rough' and 'jumpy'. I suggested that it might be a good idea to fade the images in and out. A particular cutaway that stood out to me was the image of Mathieu Kassovitz, Director of La Haine. Today Dan worked on a few different transitions and I think he has stuck with a short fade in/out on the image.
Another thing I noticed about the image of Mathieu Kassovitz was that there was a zoom out. Before we returned to the footage from Mark Herbert's interview, the zoom out stopped and there was a second or two pause on the still image. I explained, that for me, it felt better to cut back to the interview with Mark whilst it was still zooming out, and miss out the couple of seconds on the still image. Dan also worked on this today.
Dan has introduced some new music in to the opening few shots of the documentary. He explained that he wanted to use some dull music when the public were speaking negatively of media students. I'm in two minds about this as I do really like this idea, but I felt that the montage of shots of the different members of the public was funny and the music may take this humour away. The interviewees were asked what they think media students do, and we are taken through a number of shots of different people struggling to think of anything that media students do ('erm'...'ermmm'...'ermmmm'). This made me laugh when I first watched it and, for me, the music takes the humour away. I think that we should perhaps discuss this as a group and see what the majority vote is.
The interviews with Tom and Hussain are really interesting and I wouldn't want to cut any of their responses out, but they do go on for a very long time. I think that, if we had more time, we could spread the interviews out a bit throughout the edit, perhaps using them at the beginning of the documentary and returning to them at various points throughout. It concerns me that focusing on one person for a few minutes at a time may allow the audience to lose interest/concentration. Again, this is a very small point and I wouldn't get rid of any of their answers- the cut is fine as it is, just perhaps these sections go on for a little too long.
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Facebook conversation between me and Harry:
ReplyDeleteHarry
I agree about the music on the vox pops. I want it to be more comedic than depression.
Amy
Yeah it definitely opens the documentary on a bit of a downer.
Harry
That's why I suggested he cut the ums and ahs together in the first place.
Amy
Before it was funny, made me laugh..and I was there when we filmed it. Yeah love the ums and ahs, but the music changes the mood completely. So it's a case of deciding what we want the audience to feel I guess, my vote is get rid of the music, but I'll go with the majority
Harry
Well, I'd say change the music. I'm sure one of us can find a piece of music that sounds "funny".
Amy
Well the last time I watched it the opening was almost faultless, so I'd say use the original music.
Harry
And I agree with the Tom and Hussain thing, Tom especially, I struggle to see what's relevant and what isn't in that interview, but if we're gonna chop the stuff up and shove it in a different order that's going to take a while to figure out a new structure I think. Which we could do I suppose, I don't mind.
Amy
No we don't have time for that at all. I was just saying that if we did have more time, that might improve it. But there's not much we can do about it now, and it's not the end of the world.
Harry
Yeah
Amy
The fade in fade out thing i was saying would just make it a little 'neater' - Not a huge issue
Harry
Yeah I noticed that as well, those cutaways of stills took a lot of getting used to for me..But he altered them and they're not too bad now.
Amy
Yeah he was working on them earlier, look loads better. The thing is with editing, it should go unnoticed. Do you know what i mean? So anything that stands out at all, just point it out and we'll work on it
Harry
Yeah. Also, don't know if he's added one since I last watched it but it could do with a title. I loved soxi's opening sequence cause the title fitted with the voiceover but I need to rewatch Dan's.
Amy
Yeah I really really liked his opening sequence, the only thing I thought was that Steve could think it's swaying towards a mockumentary
Harry
Why's that?
Me
Hmmm. Just with the name of the documentary and stuff I guess...compare it to the project statement.
Harry
Yeah
Good post. Yeah we definately managed to touch on a couple of little problems here and there today which we have now altered and hopefully everyone will like.
ReplyDeleteIn terms of the music at the beginning I could not agree more. I didn't see it at first so tomorrow when I go into edit I will alter this. Harry you said you may look for an appropriate song, so if you manage to find one let me know, if not I think it would work fine without.
With the Tom & Hussain interviews, you're right, they do go on for a bit but its the information they give which is really important and probably wouldn't work as well without. Also part of the influence that Cinema Verite has had on us, warrents a very good reason for wanting to stick with this the way it is and keep the focus on them for as long as we have.
With the proposed title idea, I think we could actually fit one in with the opening few shots of Sheffield. I'm not sure what you would want to name it however. On the otherhand it is not unusual for a film to show the title at the end, and this could be flashed up right before the 'A film by Ballpoint Productions' pops up. Just an idea.
Will see you all in Documentary tomorrow, and to edit afterwards.
Dan, what music did you use for the opening originally? Or did you use nothing and then fade it in? I think whatever you used then was great.
ReplyDeleteGood point on the Cinema Verite influence regarding the interviews with Tom and Hussain. Again, I think it is all relevant and wouldn't want to cut any of it out. It might be worth asking a few people outside of the group to watch the documentary and ask for feedback? Because we've seen it a few times it's difficult to see it from a viewer's perspective, particularly for you Dan since you've been doing it every day! It might be a good opportunity to do this tomorrow in the Documentary session, I'm sure some of the other groups wouldn't mind giving up a bit of time to watch it.
I agree that it needs a name, although I have no idea what it should be called! We'll all have to have a think about it, Mr Walking-Dictionary Rollin is probably our best bet though. I don't think the title should come up until after the opening shots of the public, but this is something we can play around with and see what looks best.
We'll talk about all this further tomorrow anyway, don't forget I won't be there until 10:45. See you then.
The music was part of a song thats already in there and I dont really think it fit the tone of it.
ReplyDeleteYeah we could always get someone to watch it if possible.