Editing Task

The opening scene of City of God is quite strong and dramatic through the editing techniques used which enhances the audience’s interest from the start.

The opening scene starts with an extreme close up of a knife being scraped across a rock, which connotes that it is being sharpened. In between each close up shot of the knife there is a cut to a blank screen repeatedly for a few seconds, and a sound bridge is created as we are still able hear the diegetic sound of the knife being sharpened despite not being able to see it. This technique creates tension as the audience do not know what the knife is being sharpened for, and what it will be used for. The straight cuts link to the sharp movement of the knife, and it is as if the knife is cutting away at each shot. This makes the audience feel uncomfortable and will see this as threat as knives are associated with danger.

The scene continues and the cross cutting technique is introduced; this helps the audience to realize that the knife was in fact to be used for cooking and we begin to get a better insight into the environment. We get close up shots of locals playing music, slicing chicken, chopping carrots and dancing in between the shots of the knife that is being sharpened. Fast paced editing is used to help emphasise the swift shots, by doing so the scene seems hectic as everyone is busy. 

However, the scene also seems playful as people are dancing around and playing music, such as the shots that are being used as there are constant changes between close ups and medium shots, low angles and the irregular zoom in/out of the only chicken that is still alive, this makes the scene more lively.  The use of mise en scene i.e. their costumes suggests they’re from a poorer environment as they are wearing flip flops and dull coloured clothing. Sweat has been added onto the characters faces emphasise the rush they are going through to find the chicken, and also the warm environment of Brazil later on in the scene. High-key lighting is mainly used to represent the sun light, actual sun light may have also been used in this scene. This also makes the scene look as if it takes place during daytime. The joyful diegetic drumming music gives us a hint of the environment and location without the use of a typical establishing shot, the drumming represents traditional Brazilian music, which as a result suggests that the location is most likely a favela in Brazil.

The diegetic drumming music comes to a sudden halt as we get an extreme close up of a plate filled with chicken blood with a pile of chicken feathers in the background. This foreshadows the loss of life that may come later on in the film, the blood also represents danger and the fact that the music stopped suddenly suggests that the atmosphere of favela’s in brazil are not always so lively but overpowered by crime instead.

We get a medium hand held shot of the chicken as it goes around the corner, this makes the audience feel at level with the chicken as it slowly walks around. Another cross cut is used to the local man who states the chicken is getting away. The use of a foreign language helps the audience to link back to the location of the film. The man’s dialogue uses quite a lot of profanity which suggests this is the norm for him, as soon as demands for people to go after the chicken we get a low angle of people coming down from different places. The low angle makes them seem superior towards the chicken as they jump down with loud thuds. The use of props helps the audience to get the idea that man may in fact be a gang leader as he is armed, and all of a sudden a large group of young men carrying guns come from all sides of the favela. This links to the theme of crime running throughout the film.  The fact that they’re all carrying guns shows the audience the disorder of the favela as people are carrying guns freely, which in most countries is a crime. We get a cut away shot of the gang leader laughing hysterically which contributes to the disorder as the audience gets the impression he may slightly be a maniac. The disorder is emphasised further through the use of hand-held cameras rather than the usual steadicam as they are followed around the maze-like environment. An aerial shot is used as they run around the favela showing the enormity of the place, which highlights the effort that they will have to go into to find the chicken. Panning is used to show the speed of the chicken as it runs away, and tracking is used to follow the chicken. This helps the audience to track the spontaneous movement of the chicken, which emphasises the difficulty of having to catch it. Fast paced non-diegetic sound (music) is played throughout the chase to correspond to the fast paced editing.

Towards the ending of the scene, the non-diegetic stops and starts throughout the cross cutting between the protagonist, who seems more relaxed as he is seen talking to his friend and the gang leader. This shows the contrast between the hectic scene taking place in finding the chicken and the laid back protagonist. The cross cutting continues until the two, the protagonist and antagonist meet.

The audience see how superior the gang leader is as they see him threaten a local with a gun, the disorder continues through the cross cutting until the protagonist and the gang leader eventually clash. The police arrive and the protagonist is caught in between the gang and the police, with the gang demanding him to grab the chicken. The audience hear the reloading of guns, which implies that the protagonist is in a dangerous and hopeless situation, and this is where the protagonist states “If I run away they get you, and if I don’t run away they get you”. The use of this dialogue is effective and cuts to the actual start of the film, suggesting that the opening scene is actually the end, and watching the entire film will take you there.  A full arc is used to take the audience back in time i.e. a flash back. I personally like the use of this technique as we get to see the protagonist in the same stance but several years back.

Overall, I believe many media techniques contributed to making an effective and interesting opening sequence such as cinematography, editing, mise-en-scene and sound. 

Cinematography

The scene starts off with a medium shot, this not only introduces us to the two characters and shows us the setting, but it also makes us feel at level with them, as if we are in the back seat with them. The audience is unaware of where they are going and who they are at this moment. We then get a close up of the drivers face from the side, we are still unaware of the characters identity at this point as we still haven't gotten a clear view of his face, however we are able to find out that he is busy focusing on driving the car as his eyes are focusing on the road. This is when the shot reverse shot begins between the two characters, and we get a look of the other characters face. This shot is taken from a high angle as he gazes out of the window, the use of the high angle already hints his vulnerability as later on we find out he is quadriplegic. We then get a medium close up of the drivers hands as he taps on the wheel, this action emphasises the concentration of the driver as a few seconds later we get a close up of his eyes which are looking straight onto the road.We get another shot of the quadriplegic man, it is once again a high angle but this time the shot is much more of a close up, we are reminded of his presence and how he is still in deep thought. There is a contrast between the two as the driver seems more tense with the close up of his eyes and hands while the other character in the passenger seat is more serene and relaxed. The camera returns to the driver and is a close up, and he continues to take quick glimpses of the quadriplegic man in the passenger seat as if he is checking up on him, this creates a connection between the two characters as the audience begins to understand there could possibly be some closeness between the two. The scene ends by going back to a medium shot of the two as the car comes to a stop in traffic, this takes us back to the beginning of the scene where we wonder once again who they are and where they are going. The fact that no camera movement has been used and cuts have been used instead makes much more sense as there is no action that needs to be followed by the camera taking place as they are in a car and the cuts serve as a transition from each different shot used throughout the scene.

Sound Task

Good Fellas 

                       

Several sound techniques have been used in this scene to recreate a night out in America during the 1960's.  For example, parallel music has been used in this scene to fit the era as the song that is playing throughout the scene (And Then He Kissed Me) was released in 1968. By doing this the song sets the time and place of the scene. Although is scene is a continuous shot there is a sound bridge as the music is still playing constantly as we move from one place to another until we reach their destination.The dialogue between Henry and the other characters is quite friendly and casual and this gives the audience the impression that he is well known and gives a sense of familiarity to the setting. Diegetic sound has been constantly used in this scene to emphasize on the atmosphere of the setting and to help the audience understand where the characters are i,e, the kitchen was quite loud and we could hear chopping sounds, chefs speaking over each other, and in the nightclub we can hear laughter, conversations  and the sound of clinking glass.