On A Mission

“Sound is an excellent connecting device across cuts.” Tom Schroeppel, the Bare Bones Camera Course for Film and Video.

With an L cut, as the visuals change from one shot to the next, the audio carries over visual cuts to provide continuity or a lingering effect.  In the editing software it looks like an upside down T to me, as the audio transitions over one or more visual cuts.

With a J cut, the audio precedes a scene/shot cut, providing clues or intrigue about what the upcoming clip will show. I looked several movie clips to find one sample J cut in this clip of an execution gone wrong (see 1:53) where the preceding audio/video sets the stage for the execution.
 
These editing effects are used to:
 
Share the thoughts of a character
Closeout a film or establish the opening shot
Montage voiceover
Dialogue scenes

In Shaun of the Dead, I found a few sample L cuts:
 
Discussing the plan: here the audio conversation continues over a series of fast-moving video montages (L Cuts) as he shares his plan (example :05), the dialogue that shows facial expression (example :42), then closes the segment with another L cut that trails the audio from the news flash shot to their surprised expressions at the closing scene.
 
 Oblivious to the Zombies: the sound effects create a tension that builds as he walks into the corner shop and opens the blood-stained refrigerator unit, the eerie background sound effects shifting at 1:06 (L Cut) to an ethnic-sounding off-key note that continues to build at 1:36 (L Cut) as he leaves the corner shop, communicating that something is off or is about to go wrong.
 
In Good Will Hunting, here’s a scene with examples of the L cut that incorporates dialogue carried over over multiple shot changes to capture the reactions of those in the bar listening to the situation unfolding before them. I chose it because it shows facial reactions to ongoing dialogue.
 
At :38 you hear Ben Affleck’s conversation begin while seeing the reaction of a fellow bar fly whose taking it in, as is Good Will Hunting that begins at 1:03 and again at 1:22 .
 
Self Reflection

This course has definitely helped me to be more of a visual thinker than I was before, which I’m sure will help in all of my future communication endeavors. While I’ve written many planning/creative brief documents, this course has armed me with some video production techniques using Premiere Pro, a software product I have never used before.
 
Create
 
After last week’s reading on the importance of lighting, I focused on creating a three-point lighting effect, using a halo ring light for the key light (in front of my subject), a floor lamp created light behind my interviewee, and a softer floor light created some additional fill light.
 
Taking a page out of the final words from the Tom Schroeppel book we used for this class, here are my own critiques of this video: I am noticing a yellow glow behind my interviewee, which is a little distracting and possibly could be cleaned up with additional editing. For the shot framing, you can see some junk on the floor in the next room, which didn’t look as prominent on the day of the shoot.
 
I followed the brief and created a conversation that followed the key points I included in the planning document. I created an introductory J cut at the beginning, opening with background laughter to set the tone and then added some L cuts later as Claire talks about her approach to improv and I show b-roll that I captured at the Hartford-based comedy club where she performs.
 
While I did find some background music, I didn’t add additional sound effects because I felt Claire’s narration was enough by itself.
 
Claire Zick has performed improv for more than twenty years and now teaches others the key tenets, including active listening and building upon the ideas of others. Listen to Claire’s perspective on this playful art form that can help so many people with critical career and life skills while having fun.

Thinking about giving improv a try? Take a few minutes to watch this and reach out to Claire for details. #Improv #Fun #Spontaneous