Sorry for double-posting on H-Film and here. Please
ignore if you have read it on the other forum.
Hi all,
I am looking for concrete examples and theoretical
concepts on how editing (or other elements of film
language) can engage/stimulate the audience's
cognitive process. I am thinking of examples
especially (but not exclusively) in macro-editing
(narrative/narration/POV) and micro-editing
(cuts/transitions/titles/sound effects etc.). A list
of examples (from the top of my head), which I would
like to extend, includes:
- off-screen sound, which makes the audience "imagine"
the source
- use of close-ups to make the audience "imagine" the
whole (Gestalt principle of "closure'), especially
when establishing spaces
- the omission of key narrative plot points, so that
the audience "fills in the gaps" (like in Ozu's 'Tokyo
Story')
- open endings that make the audience "construct" the
possibility of an imaginary ending (like in 'Picnic at
Hanging Rock')
- dialogue sequences, in which the reverse shot is
omitted
- character reactions showing the back of the
character, not the face
- camera pans that start with an off-beat element, and
then pan to the actual on-beat element
- seeing the effect of a certain plot-point-element,
without seeing the actual element (eg in 'Jurassic
Park' when the dinosaur approaches the car, but all we
see is the water ripples in a glass caused by the
vibrations)
I could think of more examples, but I cannot think of
a conceptualisation or related theoretical framework.
Maybe cognitive film studies (along the lines of
Plantinga and Bordwell), even though my impression is
that it focusses more on macro-editing
(narrative/narration). But, I have not yet done wider
reading on this, so I might be wrong. Any comment
(from practitioners or scholars) on this is welcome.
Thanks a lot.
Catalin
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