Editing Techniques

Girlhood

Research into Gangster films

 

Match on action/180 degree rule

The 180-degree rule

The 180 degree rule is used when filming a conversation between two people, it is essential that the camera must remain on only one side of the action (either the left or the right) to avoid confusion for the audience.

Match on action

Match on action is an editing technique that is used when one shot cuts into another shot which follows on from the first shot.

First attempt of Match on action and 180 rule

                         

Preliminary Task
Working on match on action and the 180 rule

Screenplay (NEW)

SCENE 1

WEDDING CHAPEL

FREYA SMITH, roughly mid-twenties, long black hair with ruby red lips, dressed in a long white gown.

FREYA

Strides down the aisle alone, taking small but steady steps. At the end turns around and shares a mischievous smile with the audience.

Screen goes blank and a gunshot rings out.

SCENE 2

SMITH RESIDENCE IN KNIGHTBRIDGE  

MRS SMITH, Mid-thirties, with an aura of elegance and grace – dressed in a long well-designed red dress.

*Ladybird, Ladybird song playing softly in the background*

*Establishing shot of the mansion*

MRS SMITH

Since we were fifteen Charles, fifteen! (voice is slurred and raspy)

MR SMITH (Charles), Early forties, hair beginning to grey and thin, dressed in a classic Black Givenchy suit.

MR SMITH

Someone’s obviously been drinking a little to much (chuckles to guests) aside you are an embarrassment, behave yourself woman!

MRS SMITH

(Starts laughing hysterically) Do you hear that people? Behave woman, next I’ll be sent to the naughty step. Cheers to that everyone (takes a large sip of wine from her glass)

MR SMITH

(Grabs Mrs Smith wrist tightly and drags her outside) You snap out of this you hear me, you’re MY wife so I expect you to act in certain manner!

MRS SMITH

*Carries on laughing which turns into sobbing. Falls to her knees, clutching onto his trousers*

MR SMITH

(Roughly shoves her off him) Go clean yourself up

EXIT

MRS SMITH

(Clumsily stumbles through the hallways, singing and laughing) You’re no lady. What a state. A disgrace. No wife of mine (mocking Mr. Smith’s voice) Well fuck you, fuck your mistresses, fuck your… (breaks down crying, lights a cigarette and leaves on the curtains)

Trailer Notes

Trailer

PART 1

Wedding Chapel (setting)

Freya (character of focus)

Red lipstick, straight dark hair, white gown (costume)

·         Freya walks down the aisle in a white gown, at the end of the aisle Freya turns around and smiles.

·         The screen goes blank and the sound of a gunshot is heard.

PART 2

Ladybird, Labdybird (Song choice, eerie sounding “Mother Goose”)

Mr Smith and Mrs Smith (Characters)

Smudged makeup, cigarettes, long black dress

·         Establishing shot of the Smith Mansion

·         Vast ballroom filled with smartly dressed people

·         Argument arises between Mr Smith and Mrs Smith

·         Mrs Smith stumbles through the empty hallways, hysterically crying/laughing sets alight to the curtains nearby.

PART 3

Hostel (setting)

Freya, Girl 1, Girl 2 (characters)

Violence (theme of the scene)

·         Argument breaks out over a blanket

·         The two girls throw a punch Freya’s way

·         Freya lashed out and beats both girls who beg for mercy

·         Four girls start clapping and applaud Freya for her fighting skills.

·         Voice over of Freya’s voice “that’s where it all went wrong”

PART 4

Liquor store (setting)

Freya, Cass, Harriet, Keira, Erin (characters)

Mask, baseball bats, black attire (costume)

Violence (theme of scene)

·         Rob stores like delinquents

·         Cuts back and forth between partying, drug/alcohol abuse and robbing

·         On one rob Cass takes it too far and batters a man to death

PART 5

·         Meeting the gang (boy)

·         Freya and Erin disapprove

·         Showing the different ranks of power between the females and males

PART 6  

Voice over of Freya…

·         Having the girls lined up, laughing, chatting to each other

·         Title of the film is displayed etc…

Side note*  These are my notes that will have helped me to write each scene for my detailed and developed screen play.