Film Standard level

Production portfolio Commentary

Editor

Personal Code: gcp602

Session: May 2018

Rationale Word Count: 98

Word Count: 1199

Ra t io n ale

Envision is a dramatic film about a young screenwriter who wins a screenwriting competition that will turn her screenplay into a movie. However, when the studio requests changes to her script, she must decide whether to accept the changes and lose her dreams or take the road not taken. The themes are indecision, gender inequality, and studio manipulation. I was inspired by George Tomasini’s, the editor of Rear Window (1954), use of the Kuleshov Effect to synthesize ideas as well as coordinating the editing pace and sound.

The production role I have assumed for this film is editor.

Word Count: 98

P r e - P r o du c tion Pre-production started with difficulties. Our director who was put in a different class period from the rest of the group members. This made communication challenging and delayed processes such as generating the script, adding in transitions. To solve communication problems, my group met at Panera afterschool to discuss the script and the director’s vision. This allowed me to start reflecting on sequencing the shots. Before adding transitions, I familiarized myself with transitions and their effects on film. Reading this,

on The Elements of Cinema website prompted me to avoid overusing fades (Moura). At first, I was going to add a second fade to the end then decided to add an iris instead.

I chose transition that would bridge different scenes smoothly. Adding them to the script now will save me time once I must edit the footage since I’ll already know what transitions to use instead of wasting time figuring out which one works best.

I checked and documented the equipment I had at my disposal to perform my role like a card reader and a micro SD.

After completing the main schedule with our shooting dates, as shown below, as well as a detailed shooting schedule with the basic needs for that shooting day, I could plan accordingly when it comes to editing.

After each shoot, I planned to retrieve the files from the camera, rename the files and begin the editing process. This way editing could be completed by the deadline as shown below.

Produ ction

As editor, production involved managing the video and sound files for our production as well as reviewing the footage. After I retrieved the video files from the camera, it was important to start renaming them according to the shots list as shown below.

As expected, it made separating good and bad shots easier. Bad shots were bad video files because the actors forgot their lines or broke character. However, in each bad shot there were aspects that were potentially valuable which is why I stored then in a B-roll folder.

When reviewing the shots, I was heavily influenced by the research work I did during the summer which was composed of researching and reading articles regarding my role. An interview with John Gilbert showed the significance of looking for genuine shots that do not look like a performance (Hullfish).

Reading that over the summer influenced how I wanted to go about selecting footage and reviewing footage as shown by this personal reflection on my film blog.

Also, when reviewing the footage, I checked to see if it had continuity. Before, that was not something that had come to mind but then I read an article about The Fault in Our Stars editor Greg Borkman during the summer (Sotonoff).

I referred to my personal reflection during production to remind myself of the importance of continuity and obstacles of continuity that could present themselves in my film Envision (Sotonoff).

It was my role to create a backup of the footage which is why I copied the files from the production’s USB onto a personal USB for safekeeping.

(TOSHIBA, Production’s USB)

(PERSONAL USB)

Post-Production

A problem occurred when the editing software, Hitfilm Express, refused to play the video files. To solve this, I had to download QuickTime Player. Secondly, although the editing software now played video it was slow and lagging. I was worried that this would reflect in the final product. To solve this problem, I placed a couple files on the editing software, rendered it, exported it then viewed it. When I reviewed it, the playback was smooth and reflecting the

footage as taken on the camera. The problem was with my computer’s processor but I could resume editing.

I placed the film’s title on a notebook and added lights and flare to give it a cinematic and movie star feel which relates to Quinn’s dreams. Its dream-like feel is interrupted by the next shot of Quinn’s mail being dropped on the notebook, which feels like she, and the audience, is snapped out her dreams and into reality.

As said in my rationale, my influence when it came to editing was Alfred Hitchcock’s film Rear Window. In this scene of the film, Hitchcock edits the footage so that it cuts back and forth between close ups or medium shots of Jeff, the main character, the people or objects he sees and lastly his reactions to those people or objects (Morrow). His use of the Kuleshov Effect was one I wanted to incorporate into my film to make the audience emphasize with Quinn, the main character, but to also lead them to the synthesis of new ideas.

In my film, I used a jump shot between the Quinn reading the letter and her reaction, which leads the audience to understand that she has received good news and they can share in her excitement.

I used the Kuleshov Effect again when I edited back and forth between close ups of Quinn’s face as Missy first commends Quinn on her script then goes on to explain the three major changes they want to make to her script. This was to show the progression of impact of Missy’s words on Quinn.

I added a light blue tint to show the sadness Quinn now feels after hearing the continuous changes they want to make in her script.

The wall of photo as well as Quinn in the car were two familiar images. The first expresses to the audience that something is taking place in Quinn’s room. The second expresses her back and forth journey between the safety of her home and the studio.

I ended the film with an iris which gives the impression of an eyelid closing. This signifies the end of the film as well as the end to her vision which has been realized in a blink of an eye.

Self-Reflection

A major problem arose and we needed to reshoot the entire film with the director as the main character due to our actor’s unavailability which delayed my editing process. After reshooting, I had to restart the editing process from the beginning, a long and tiresome process However, since there were shots from the previous version which where were viable, I used those in this newer version. Making new changes made the new Envision stronger and better compared to the first one. To create smoother transitions, I removed unintended jump cuts and replaced them with fades which communicated the story better. Shortening the calendar scene granted me more time to focus on more significant parts of the story. Near the end of the editing process, I realized that there was more footage to use to complete the story yet I had limited time remaining. I had to increase the duration of the final few pieces of footage, this rushes the flow of the film. It stands out because the rest of the footages move at a slower pace. However, doing so allowed me to include a vital part of the film, the ending. The ending of the film is significant to the film because it shows although Quinn has chosen to hold on to her dreams, her dreams were still accomplished in the end.

Bib li ograph y

Alter, Ethan. “How ‘Boyhood’ Editor Sandra Adair Helped Shape The Film’s 12-Year Evolution.” IndieWire, 17 July 2014, www.indiewire.com/2014/07/how-boyhood-editor-sandra-adair-helped-shape-the-films-12-year-evolution-24211/.

“Editor Evan Schrodek on the Fraternity Hazing Drama Burning Sands.” Filmmaker Magazine, 14 Dec. 2017, filmmakermagazine.com/101428-editor-evan-schrodek-on-the-fraternity-hazing-drama-burning-sands/#.WWPZI4TyvIU.

“‘Grounded Yet Earnest, Awkward Yet Buoyant’: Editor Jacob Craycroft on Brigsby Bear.” Filmmaker Magazine, The Magazine of Independent Film, 28 Jan. 2017, filmmakermagazine.com/101357-grounded-yet-earnest-awkward-yet-buoyant-editor-jacob-craycroft-on-brigsby-bear/#.WWPbUITyvIU.

Hullfish, Steve. “ART OF THE CUT with John Gilbert on Editing Hacksaw Ridge by Steve Hullfish.” ProVideo Coalition, 3 Nov. 2016, www.provideocoalition.com/AOTC-Hacksaw+Ridge.

Menke, Sally. “Sally Menke on Editing All of Quentin Tarantino's Films.” The Observer, Guardian News and Media, 5 Dec. 2009, www.theguardian.com/film/2009/dec/06/sally-menke-quentin-tarantino-editing.

Morrow, Justin. “How Hitchcock Used Editing to Turn 'Rear Window' into a Masterpiece ofVisual Storytelling.” No Film School, 28 Oct. 2014.< nofilmschool.com/2014/07/alfred-hitchcock-editing-rear-window-kuleshov-effect.>

Moura, Gabe. “Types of Transitions .” Elements of Cinema, 1 July 2014, www.elementsofcinema.com/editing/types-of-transitions/.

Opam, Kwame. “This Film Editor Kept Deadpool from Flying off the Rails.” The Verge, 13 Feb. 2016, www.theverge.com/2016/2/13/10981366/deadpool-editing-julian-clarke-interview.

Rohr, Heather von. “Cutting for Story: Editor Andrew Weisblum in Conversation.” Filmmaker Magazine, 27 Feb. 2013, filmmakermagazine.com/65870-cutting-for-story-editor-andrew-weisblum-in-conversation/.

Sotonoff, Jamie, and Dann Gire. “Libertyville Editor Helped Cut 'Fault in Our Stars'.” Daily Herald, 23 June 2014, www.dailyherald.com/article/20140623/entlife/140629499/.

Thompson, Jihan. “Making The Cut: Joi McMillon Reflects On 'Moonlight,' Her History Making Oscar Nod.” Essence.com, 29 May 2017, www.essence.com/entertainment/joi-mcmillon-film-editor-oscar-history.

Wright, Benjamin. “A Cut Above: An Interview with Django Unchained Editor Fred Raskin .” Slant Magazine, 15 Jan. 2013, www.slantmagazine.com/house/article/a-cut-above-an-interview-with-django-unchained-editor-fred-raskin.

Fil ms:

Hitchcock, Alfred, director. Rear Window. Paramount Pictures, 1954.

Appendix

Equipment List:

Flash Drive

SD Cards

Micro SD

Micro SD Adapter

HP Pavilion x360

Equipment List:

Hitfilm Express

Weebly