Editing and cinematography 101
Now, I will never claim to be an expert in the art of editing a film, or of composing a shot. I have no formal training, just years of watching. And you guys with your new-fangled ideas about these things are driving me crazy!Let's face the undeniable basic truth - film is a visual medium. It's not a massage, nor a scratch & sniff card. It's visual. We, the audience, are meant to see and hear the film you shot. So why frame those shots so poorly, or edit them into split-second cuts? Why not let us see what you filmed?
The recent apalling examples include The Bourne Supremacy which features a car chase which may have been exciting and the highlight of the film, were it not for the frenetic nature of the editing, and the bizarre close shot on Matt Damon's ear. Maybe a wide shot here and there might have allowed us to see the cars battling for position in the tunnel.
The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen is another recent failure, that may have been great fun were it edited better. I might have enjoyed seeing the supernatural abilities of the stars, if I could have. Instead, they were hidden from us. Maybe the editors could write to me and explain why...
And don't start me on how this form of shooting conveys the frenzied nature of a car chase or gunfight. I get it already. I even admit that in some cases, jump-cuts, whip-pans, hand-held shooting and other techniques of their ilk, work. Paul Greengrass' feature prior to The Bourne Supremacy was Bloody Sunday, and in that film it really worked. The style suited the mockumentary format, and really added to the atmosphere and tension. I understand how in small doses these techniques can be effective. But why shoot every action scene like this?I wonder why Hollwood executives allow this to continue - after all they spend so much money on making a film that no-one can watch. Why accept it? And why do we, the public accept it? Why don't we rise up and demand a well framed shot here or there. Or a slow-pan. Or maybe even a fade, old fashioned as it may seem, instead of a jump-cut.
We have the power. We guide our film-makers by buying tickets to their films. If we let them believe the latest trendy cinematography technique is ok by us, they'll use it to death. We deserve better.
Cheers... Mark