Assignment 2: The Bits of Difference

[Filmmaking 101 overview]

Purpose: To gain an appreciation of the "cut" and the power of editing.

Basis: It wasn't too long into film history before someone discovered that he could cut away from one time and place to another time and place to add drama. However, it was a major shift in thinking to discover that you could cut to a close up or different angle to add interest, intensity and meaning.

Directions: Take your 1 minute (or less) video from Assignment 1: One Take Wonder and shoot "pick ups" for your movie. Shoot close-ups and cut-aways. Example: Show a close up of the person fiddling with the pen in the background of your shot. Gather as much footage as you think you may want to use (easily twice as much footage as you captured for your continuous shot movie). While it is important to pay attention to continuity, for this assignment it could be very informative to purposely break some of your continuity. Change your actor's shirt, hat, prop, and possibly even location. Once cut together, if your story is compelling, most of these changes will go completely unnoticed. Once you have cut your film with the added footage, compare it to your original production. Do you like it better? Worse? Why?

Post your video link in the comments section so everyone can see your work.

Looking Forward: Now that you have discovered the power, and danger, of shooting extra material for your film, you are set to continue your experimentation on your future projects. Do not be afraid to try new, even crazy, ideas that may help your film make sense, flow better, and be a more enjoyable experience. But for now, let’s tackle controlling the look of your movie next.

What to Watch: "Tango Scene" from Take the Lead [PG-13] I'm not really into dance at all. Yet this scene dramatically shows the power of solid editing to a great musical score. While this sequence would have been rather dull in a stage production, the ability to edit to intense shots made the sequence moving and fun.

Watch Samples:


Even more Assignment 2 Samples and Student Examples