Editing Question

PREP Analyse how editing is used in the extract from Cuffs to create meaning. Refer to at least two examples from the extract in your answer. (This means that a good candidate will write fully and freely, covering more than just 2 examples, as we practised in class).
Worth 5 marks: write half a side of A4 and post on your blog tonight. If you have DoE, take an extra 24 hours.

A first scene where the editing is used to create meaning is in the scene where they are raiding the criminal suspect's home. When they enter they enter the house and start the fighting starts everything is suddenly thrust into chaos. Everything turns to slow motion, and all of the sounds become muffled this representing what Jake sees in his head, this being the first time he's been in a situation like this. After Jo shouts his name he suddenly comes back to his senses all the sound quickly rushes back in bringing him back to reality.

Another example is in the scene where Felix is watching the recording of the dad and his daughter or a screen analysing it. The edit in this scene has swapping shots from Felix and the screen while all the while also closing in on them framing them. It shows the dawning realisation of something on the detectives face and then gives a point of view shot of the TV as he plays it back, and then another face shot of the detective as he concludes what he saw this being shown by the zoomed in expressions on his face. It then shows a last frame which holds for a while of the hotel sign showing us what he was so intrigued and riveted by, after holding the suspense for the previous parts of the scene.

Some examples of shot reverse shock include the scene where DI Felix Kane is explaining to the mum that they had, had the father and the child but had then lost him. There are midshots between the mother who is in despair and disbelief and also while Felix looks rather embarrassed and won't look her directly in the eye. He blinks and looks down. It shows her yearning and his embarrassment and awkwardness. Another example of this technique is after Felix realises where the father is and goes to the hotel and confronts him while he is standing preparing to jump off of the hotel balcony. The shot reverse shot in this scene shows how agonised the fsther is after he realises what he has done knowing that there isn't really any way out of it. It then switches to Felix who mostly just stares at him intently not making any sudden moves or speaking, not wanting to make the incorrect move and have a life at stake. There is then a shot revere shot of the father's hand shaking as he prepares to jump off to the girl, showing them and the audience what is at stake.

In one of the final scenes in this episode it shows all of them training in the car parking lot. They are running back and forth and it gives cross dissolve transitions, to imply that time has passed showing that it lasted a long time and that they are getting more tired and exhausted to make us believe that they had actually been exercising.

Directly after this scene the Lawyer Simon Reddington approaches Jake and it shows face shots of both of them looking quite pleased, then cutting to a close shot of Simon slipping a piece of paper into Jake's revealed chest. It then shows the Porche driving away and to Jake still looking pleased at what happened, the camera lingers on him to show his flushed reaction as he smiles and blinks a lot.

There is then a final scene at the end of the episode which starts with Jake showering after the day he had just faced the warm non-diagetic sound of the warm shower running reflecting his emotions as he washes off all the impurities of the day and focuses on the good things, it's as if giving the audience a chance to breath and relax knowing the action is over. It then turns to a montage of the different characters giving this as the slow release at the end of the show.