D.W. Griffith - Prof. Young James Kenny - CIN 100 What form of editing style is figured prominently? PDF

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Prof. Young James Kenny - CIN 100
What form of editing style is figured prominently? Describe the sequence of shots that Griffith uses to complete the climactic scene of the film....

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Professor Young James Kenny CIN 100 SEC# 53318 12 March 2019 The Girl and Her Trust (1912) Director D.W. Griffith contributed a lot to the development of film-making during the Silent Era, by establishing innovative editing techniques that transformed the traditional way of narrating events taking place in films. He was the first to introduce the cross-cutting or parallel editing style – alternating shots from two actions that are taking place at different locations, giving the sense of simultaneity. A fine example of this technique is his short film The Girl and Her Trust. Two tramps attack a telegraph office located in a train station, in order to steal $2,000 that will be delivered there by train. They wait patiently and remain hidden until the money is put into the office. Once the man they saw carrying the money finally leaves, they decide to move on and break into the office. The girl working there (Dorothy Bernard), who is responsible for the money, while being locked into the telegraph room, uses the telegraph to inform the next train station of the robbery Since the money is put in a locked box, and as the thieves are unable to unlock it, they decide to move it somewhere else since it’s dangerous to stay there any longer. They use a handcar to escape, while the girl, in a brave effort, follows them in order to reclaim the money. A frantic chase begins to take place, as the train operators are aware that the thieves are moving ahead of them. So far, we’ve seen the editing technique of cutting to continuity in the first minutes of the film, where see smooth transitions between the scenes, as well as classical cutting, during the tense moments of the robbery, where emphasis is put on the emotions and the psychological aspect of the events. As the film builds to a climax, however, we see a much more distinctive technique that of the parallel cutting. Beginning with the girl riding the handcar, we see a medium shot

that emphasizes on the actions and emotions of the actors. At the same time, we also have a medium shot of the train operators, talking to each other and getting ready to start chasing the handcar. Two establishing shots follow up next – both showing us the train and the handcar moving towards the same direction on the railway. Next, alternating tracking shots capturing the handcar accelerating and the train right behind it creates suspense and highlights the sense of chase. The rapidity of the changing shots also adds to creating a climax. These sequences are shot from a distance (long shots) and we can understand that the camera is placed in a car, moving along with the train tracks. These shots are repeated over and over again until they are interrupted by a close up to the girl, which highlights her agony during the chase. Two reestablishing, extreme long shots follow up next, that remind us of the location of the train and handcar; however, the director now breaks the 180-degree rule, when the train and handcar appear to run in opposite directions, as if they are about to collide. The screen direction is of utmost importance when shooting, in order to maintain consistency and avoid confusing the audience. After one last medium shot, showing us the interior of the train and the operators doing their best to catch up with the handcar, the train and handcar finally appear together in the same shot when the camera is positioned in a high angle spot, marking that the operators finally caught up with the thieves. A full shot then focuses on the moment of the arrest, and the saving of the girl. She climbs on the stopped train along with her friend, with a medium shot focusing on them as they talk. As the camera is locked on a stable spot, we see the train leaving, accelerating to the opposite direction and this way a medium shot is transformed into an extreme long shot....