Cutting It Example

The main characters are represented as a very in love married couple. The woman obviously has something fatal wrong with her and doesn’t want her husband to be unhappy if something was to happen to her. This shows she is a caring and brave woman. Another way she is shown brave is by going to her consultant meeting on her own and asking her husband to wait outside for her. On the other hand she was shown as a very careless person. This happens when she is crossing the road and doesn’t look both ways and gets run down by a vehicle.

The man was represented as a ‘worry wart’. When he was in the taxi with his wife he took her hand when she spoke about herself when she has gone. Also the woman confronts him about the fact she knew about an affair. She quickly informs him she wants a ‘clean slate’. This was used to make her illness more serious as something serious is just wiped from their lives.

An editing technique used was parallel editing. This was used when the woman was with her consultant and the man was waiting for her outside. This was used to show two events in two locations cut together to let the audience know there was a connection and an inevitable meet up between the characters again. It ethicises the fact the woman is brave enough to be on her own, breaking the convention of woman as they are helpless and can’t be independent.

Another technique used was slow motion. This technique was used in two parts of the scene. It was used for the first time when the woman was with her consultant. He was closing her file and she begins to cry. The slow motion gives more impact to the scene and prolongs the suspense of her news. It was used again when the woman got run down by a vehicle and the man runs over to her on the ground. This was used to build tension as the audience will have to wait longer to find out her fate.

In the clip a camera technique used was an establishing shot. It was used when the couple were in the taxi, the opening scene. It shows the main characters of the scene and gives the audience the setting of a city location. It was used to set the scene and make the audience aware of where they are and who they are watching.

Another camera technique used was a very high angle shot. This show was used when the woman was in the consultant’s office. This angle was used to show the woman’s vulnerability as she is being consulted. Being vulnerable is a convention of woman therefore it fits the genre of an issue drama. The angle was also effective in emphasising the fact that there are only 2 people in the shot but the woman is very much alone.

Sound is then used to create mood and atmosphere within in the clip. When the woman comes out of the hospital, the background sounds of busy traffic take over and become the loudest sound. This is used to inherence the next part of the clip as she carelessly crosses the road and is hit. This then is met with a very loud screech of a horn and crash sound. Without the crash actually being shown in the clip, the sound indicates to the audience what has happened. This action counteracts the previous action of the woman being brave enough to go to the doctors of her own. Her poor lack of judgment cost her, her life.

Shortly following this loud crash, sound disappears completely. When the man stands up and begins to run over in slow motion, the harsh silence symbolises to horror of what has just happened. This makes the audience feel uneasy and holds the scene up in the air with suspense. It also makes the audience aware that, what has ever hit the woman has long gone. This makes the audience feel sympathy for the man. He couldn’t do anything to help her therefore his masculinity has decreased.

In the clip, the couple were both very smartly dressed. This indicates they take care in their appearance and can afford to dress stylishly. The woman is conventionally wearing a pink floaty dress. This represents her to be a girly girl as she was in discomfort wearing a dress. Also her make-up was neat and appropriate for the day time. He is wearing a smart suit which implies he is a conventional man as they look smart and strong because they are the leaders. Their clothing could also indicate where they have been or where they are going. This suggests they are social people and what to look suitable for the occasion.

All throughout the clip the camera had extreme close ups of the prop of their wedding rings. This was used to make the audience aware of the face that they are married, and the fact it is an on-going occurrence shows that their marriage is on their minds. Also it shows commitment between the couple even though she wants to go to see the consultant on her own. He is still there for her and thinking of her has he is waiting he twists his ring around on his finger. The fact that it is repeated shows that the audience has been made to think about their marriage also to make the impact of the accident stronger.