Research into editing styles - Miss Georgiou

Editing

I chose to analyse a clip from 'Orphan' because it presents many different editing styles which I will analyse in this blog.

A reaction shot is used to show that the mother is in pain, we can see this when she gets stabbed and the camera instantly jumps to her screaming face. This shows us the horrific pain she's in after being stabbed and also makes the audience feel sorry for her as the shot of her face indicates how much she is hurt, this reaction shot also makes the audience curious of what she can do to fight off Esther after being stabbed which creates tension. Pain and curiosity are themes linked to thriller films such as 'Orphan'.

Quick timing of shots are used to create an emotional impact on the audience and show the emotional impact on the mother, we can see this when Esther and the mother are fighting the shots last three seconds or under. This shows us the rush of the fight, and can represent the fast thoughts going through her head because she is in a very dangerous situation. It also makes the audience feel worried for her as she is in such a hazardous place and close to death, and makes them want to help her which is impossible but shows that the timing of shots can create an impact on the audience. The use of worry and suspense is conventional to thriller films.

Shot reverse shots are used during this clip to show the anger in the two characters, we can see this when Esther and the mother and fighting and the camera switches from character to character. This creates tension because it makes the audience want to know who will win the fight, also, it shows the hatred they have for each other because the shots represent them staring at each other hatefully. This makes the audience feel the same emotions as the characters, these feelings of hatred seen in characters are typical of thriller films as they often involve fights, arguments or confrontation.

Another reaction shot is used to shock the audience, we can see this when the little girl shoots the gun, this shocks the audience because you wouldn't expect her to use a gun at such a young age. It also shows us how much she loves her mother because she tries to save her, the shot jumps to her face to show how shocked she is because of the ice breaking and sound of the gun. These themes also are conventional to thriller films as they draw the audience in.