RANDOMNESS & PACING

After many production meetings with Susanna, she always expressed the effectiveness of cutting to 'random' shots whilst a torture sequence is taking place. It puts the audience on-edge and makes them ask "What's the meaning of this/why are we looking at this... what's going to happen next?". Before Susanna brought this up I have always admired the use of this technique and the effect it has. I have applied it to past work and feel more confident with using it in our production.


THE POSSIBILITIES OF RANDOMNESS UPON PACE

"One of the remarkable elements of editing is that the juxtaposition of any grouping of shots implies meaning. The pacing of those shots suggests the interpretation of that meaning. The consequence of this is seen in microcosm when a random shot or cutaway is edited into a scene: it introduces a new idea. This principle is elaborated where there are a number of random shots in a scene. If edited for effect, the combination of shots creates a meaning quite distinct from the sum of the individual parts. This shaping is, in effect, pure editing."

DANCYGER, KEN, (2007), The Technique of Film and Video Editing: History, Theory, and Practice. Oxford, USA, Focal Press.

I think the overall meaning of this is that any shot within a film can create meaning. If you were to throw in 'random' shots that can sometimes break up the pacing entirely, it creates a new idea depending upon the context of the scene itself. 

For example in our film, focusing on the bedroom scenes and the torture scenes, Luke will be shooting certain cutaways that I will place into the edit to break up the pace/meaning of the scene. He may set the camera down on the floor and focus on a dirty, broken skirting board or object on the floor, that may symbolise the way the family are, how they live, their beliefs etc all the whilst the action is unfolding in the background, (this is where the use of sound will be utilised greatly).

I am still beginning to understand the proper meaning of this technique despite reading the passage shown above. After seeing many films and how they use cutaways, I think the primary use is to adjust the pacing of the piece. Whatever cutaways are used, I believe the audience link the images to the genre/style of piece they're watching.

I'm looking forward to experimenting with the footage I have at my disposal during the edit process, once filming has come to an end.

REFERENCES - 

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2316987/Photographer-Niki-Feijens-eerie-images-abandoned-farm-houses.html (Last accessed 05/03/14)