Saving Private Ryan - Editing

“When we look back from the standpoint of history, we can say, ‘Oh yeah, World War II clearly set out the good and bad apart from one another’ but inside combat, the issue is never that clear.”

Speilberg page 45 1998 American Cinematographer interview by Stephen Pizzello

Introduction

This report will focus in its entirety on one particular scene located in chapter 17 the final stages of Steven Spielberg’s WW2 hyperrealism epic 'Saving Private Ryan'

The scene in question is set against the final epilogue of the film. Two opposing soldiers are locked in a brutal life and death battle on the first floor of a French townhouse, the key to over turning this battle is agonisingly meters away in the stairwell to overwhelmed to the climb the last few steps and save his fellow soldier and friend.

(Saving Private Ryan Feature Disc 1, Chapter 17 (02:18:25 - 02:19:27)

After closely studying the scene in question, it has come to light that what makes this scene work is that as soon as Cpl. Timothy enters the french townhouse we are essentially cutting to a new reality.

As soon as Cpl. Timothy takes those first few steps up those ascending steps we are essentially taken to a different dimension, for me this is a short movie within a movie. The story narrows down from a large cast and plot, to just a story of one man and the true bitterness of warfare.

This scene is a very contained scene in relation to all we've seen before. It cuts down to all but three actors, and more importantly three of the lesser know actors. This adds realism to the scene, we can watch it and imagine it to be true.

We aren't looking down the barrel of a gun shooting at distant targets, we are right there beside him with every step he takes. We as the audience are truly taken from 'Hollywood' and shown what war really is and means, man killing his fellow man.

Spielberg set out to this by challenging our perceptions of war,

“We all determined very early on that we wanted to affect people in the nature of war for the first time”

(Steven Spielberg American Cinematographer page 56 December 1998)

Cutting Between Realities

Whats interesting about this scene is how it is cut. If you look closely at the scene you can see we are cutting between two different realties of war, the horrifying killing and also the emotionally destructive aspect. These are two realities we are being presented with running along side each other.

Walter Murch talks about that when a cut is made , we are forced to reevaluate its context. (In the Blink of an Eye, page 6, Published 1995)

This notion can be applied to this scene, in-fact to go even further it's why it works. The reason the scene works, and strips us of our humanity is that we are constantly reevaluating the

Cpl. Timothy's situation in relation to the barbaric fight happening. We see how this, in context, emotionally destroys him.

Its also very similar to the Kuleshov Effect, the framing stays the same but we the audience project our building and changing emotion onto the scene. In retrospective to the new context Pvt.Stanley finds himself in.

(http://faculty.cua.edu/johnsong/hitchcock/pages/kuleshov.html)

To focus more closely on the scene, It came to my attention that each time we cut back to Cpl. Timothy from the carnage happening upstairs, we are forced to wait longer each time. Combined with some clever cinematography they build up tension here.

We cut back to the room.

We stay here for around ten seconds. Then back again

The shot has doubled in size

This last shot we are presented with is made up of a variety of layers. To draw your attention to the left, we cut from upstairs and we as the audience are by now shouting for Timothy to climb the stairs to an obscure shot of his boots. This angle elongates the stairwell and makes it appear much longer than it actually is. This small staircase has become a mountain for Cpl. Timothy.

“I have a concept of who the characters are and where they story is taking us, you then imagine how I can enhance the storytelling through visuals”

(American Cinematographer Kaminski page 32 August 1998)

The second aspect is that in this shot we see Cpl. Timothy cock his gun. This is shown very clearly.

We as the audience are told in no uncertain terms, he can save his friends life. But this just can't be done, Hollywood would dictate that he climbs the stairs and saves his friend. This just isn't what war is made up of, this is its true face.

The fact this shot works so well its raised an issue with me, did we need to see the fight at all? Murch is quoted in saying "Suggestion is always more effective than exposition" Would just seeing Cpl. Timothy crumble whilst only hearing the horrifying truth that his friend faces be enough?

The rhythm of the scene is a balance of power. We first only cut to Cpl.Timothy when Pvt.Stanely is seemingly winning the fight. The second time we cut back to him is when the German Solider is wielding a knife a Stanley's chest. So we really now want Timothy to climb the stairs. So the fact Kahn has chosen to add that extra few beats into this second scene really does build the tension.

"Sometimes you see a picture that an audience will be uncomfortable with. They don't know what it is, but a good editor could look at it and say it's off rhythm, the rhythms have to be changed or massaged a little... Things don't happen when they're supposed to happen rhythmically - even if it's off this much or a beat off - and editors who have been doing it for a while will look for and understand that" (5)

Michael Kahn

The scene does feel as if he has looked at every frame and made his cut exactly where he intended to, and not just around about cut.

Sound Design

Now it would be difficult to look at this scene editing wise with out looking briefly into the sound design of it.

Gary Rydstrom the sound mixer for 'Saving Private Ryan' mentioned that Spielberg didn't want it to sound like Hollywood. This was to add to the realism, Gary was going to have to build up this movies sound design from the ground up starting from scratch.

(Saving Private Ryan Special Features Disc 2 Music and Sound 00:06:47)

In this short shot which lasts nine seconds, we the audience, hear a number of things that adds the extra dimension to the scene.

(Saving Private Ryan Feature Disc 1, Chapter 17 (02:18:56 - 02:18:00)

• Bullets wrapped around his neck jingling
• Sounds of muffled distress
• Cpl. Timothy cock his gun

This is essentially passing us the information that he has the means in which so save him, but the sounds of distress are holding him back like a wall. Its interesting to note that the sounds of battle raging on the street just metres away from him, all but die out when he enters the house.

We are not distracted with any real exterior noises, we hear only what we need to hear and what the editing team wanted us to hear and this in turn forces the audience to draw their full attention to the situation Cpl. Timothy finds himself in.

"It struck me how much sound was part of their memory"

(Gary Rydstrom - Saving Private Ryan, Disc 2 Special Features 00:07:24)

So in conclusion I believe that this has given a clearer and more comprehensive insight into what makes this extremely short scene what it is, and why, and, just as importantly, how this short scene from such a long film added so much weight to the tension whilst highlighting the brutality of war by cleverly combining the editor's experience with every tool an editor requires; cuts, rhythm, pace and sound design.

Bibliography

• “We all determined very early on that we wanted to affect people in the nature of war for the first time” (Steven Spielberg American Cinematographer page 56 December 1998)
• 
  
• “When we look back from the standpoint of history, we can say, ‘Oh yeah, World War II clearly set out the good and bad apart from one another’ but inside combat, the issue is never that clear.” (Speilberg page 45 1998 American Cinematographer interview by Stephen Pizzello)
• 
  
• Walter Murch talks about that when a cut is made , we are forced to reevaluate its context. (In the Blink of an Eye, page 6, Published 1995)
• 
  
• (Saving Private Ryan Special Features Disc 2 Music and Sound 00:06:47)
• (Saving Private Ryan Feature Disc 1, Chapter 17 (02:18:25 - 02:19:27)
• (Saving Private Ryan Feature Disc 1, Chapter 17 (02:18:56 - 02:18:00)
• 
  
• "It struck me how much sound was part of their memory" (Gary Rydstrom - Saving Private Ryan, Disc 2 Special Features 00:07:24)

• 5 (http://www.editorsguild.com/v2/magazine/Newsletter/kahn.html) Accessed 20-1-10
• 
  
• “I have a concept of who the characters are and where they story is taking us, you then imagine how I can enhance the storytelling through visuals” (American Cinematographer Kaminski page 32 August 1998)
• 
  
• (http://faculty.cua.edu/johnsong/hitchcock/pages/kuleshov.html) Accessed on 12-2-10
  
  
  
  

The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas

Directed by Mark Herman

A story of a son of a high-ranking SS solider, his world is turned upside down when they are forced to move because of his fathers work. The adventurous boy unhappy with his new confined surrounding sneaks out and into the woods, were it becomes apparent what his fathers work in tales. The young boy meets a young jewish boy living on the other side of a barbed fence and begin a friendship that will have startling consciences.

I found this movie to be a really good watch, what I'm beginning to see is that european films do put alot more effort into the character arcs than Hollywood. From 'The Lives of Others' and this movie the characters felt more real than any Hollywood movie I can recall. Its clearly someones's story and they don't distract you with irrelevant casting and plotting, what I'm trying to say is that I am very aware of who's story it is when watching these types of films, than if I was watching a Hollywood piece I could struggle to point out who's story it really was.

Another point would be that I have fallen in love with the style of these films. Every frame is a joy to look at, every detail really has been thought about and put into practice. It all somehow doesn't seem as forced, I'm never really made to feel like I am watching a film. It amerces you into the world they are telling, we don't get sweeping crane shots and such, its simple and very well thought out. Every camera shot really does tell you who's scene it is, were not distracted with a hundred and one other things happening at the same time.

The characters felt abit odd speaking with posh english accents, maybe a ploy to give it more audience appeal. I still would have liked to see it done properly with German, this is the only thing that ever took me out of the film. Maybe a compromise worth living with? not too sure.

Another thing is, I think some of the dialog somewhat seemed like it was preaching to us. Yes its telling a story of humanity and such. It needs to do this, but I did become aware to the almost to forward pushy dialog stating morals. I think it should have trusted the audience a little more and just let the visuals do this.

Apart from this a fantastic well thought out plot that really does play with your emotions, I was never all to aware what was going to happen next. Maybe the family parts left a little by the roadside at parts, but I understand it was the boys story.

I did really enjoy this movie but felt the ending was just a tad predictable, I had clicked on to what was going to happen a long time from the finish. It didn't really take the emotional punch away from it, but maybe if they had not shown their hand as soon. I have in my head a way to re-cut the ending that would do this, but I'd ruin it by saying how.

Over-all a good watch, very visually beautiful, characters felt real even with the odd accents. Maybe just a touch more perl or startling scenes were needed. But this is just a thousand and one ways they could have shot the film. An excellent watch just from its cinematography and story arc.

Das Leben der Anderen (2006) or 'The lives of others' to me and you

Okay so I haven't seen very many european films of recent, but if this film is anything to go by then I shall certainly try.

I have my own way of rating a film, as I'm sure many others will do the same. I will always judge if it was a good watch if I walk away and think 'I'm buying the DVD' This is why I certainly don't own any bad DVD's *cough* Yeah okay 'Terminator Salvation' has managed to creep into my collection somehow. I think HMV uses mind control in their shop, you go into buy one DVD and you come out with about five.

'A GDR Captain is given an assignment to spy on a scholar, who has an enemy in the form of a Minister desperate to destroy him. This dedicated Captain is forced to evaluate his views and beliefs in the GDR as he begins to see what it is doing to innocent ordinary people'

So this feature film directed by 'Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck' (Yes I cut and pasted that) was certainly a breath of fresh air to watch. Its just a shame more movies like these don't get made, solid characters with a strong backbone of a storyline. My first impressions were of that I really liked how we were challenged at first on which characters to like. We started off watching one of out main cast interrogating and some might say torturing a help-less man. Yet somehow he was still likeable, but so was the intellectual script writer he was chosen to spy on.

Instead of us the audience struggling on who to pin our dislike onto, the movie gave us our release in the form of 'Christa-Maria Sieland' she is never really protruded as an evil person, but there defiantly was just something that didn't sit quite right with her. I think this did give the movie balance, we had to strong characters each fighting there own battles and it would have been a shame if we were forced into choosing one over the other.

I have to go back to Richards screenwriting classes in were he always preached 'Know your characters as if they were a living person' Know whats in their fridge, what they read and just all these little quirks that make a character. Yes the majority of this will never be shown on screen, but I think it definitely showed that the screenwriter knew these characters like the back of his hand.



So the plot strand was interesting, we have been discussing parallel narratives in some of Zams classes. I initially clocked the plot as doing this, but at some point it became something else. It was interweaved, it wasn't two separate narratives but one, it was just shown from different perspectives. I don't think I have ever seen this type of storytelling before, but it was very interesting to watch, although I feel its something not to be attempted unless you really know your stuff.

This movie didn't so much try and hook you straight away, it knew what it was doing and gave you the time to slip into it at your own pace. It had patience and was quietly confident in what it was doing and knew it didn't have to rush into anything to quickly.

Its that human element, those little details that made this film believable and feel undoubtably real. This is what drew me in from the off set.

From watching a few short european films in Adam's class and Richards class last year, its clear to see the unique cinematography used in modern european film. Its those contrasting white edges comprised with monotone colour schemes, it looks and feels reel, but never strays into that 'It looks to real' dimension. It's well 'cardboard box' colours, you are never really presented with contrasting colours unless there is a clear reason for it being used. This is what I feel added that extra dimension to the film that let us concentrate on the characters and really feel the blandness of life under the 'GDR'



I know to give a proper balanced review I must now point out flaws of the film, I know in recent reviews I have raved about the films and it must seem like I can't properly deconstruct films. So just to be picky, I'm not sure if they properly built up any real danger in the film. I didn't really ever feel like the scholar was in any real danger, even under surveillance. I knew he'd be locked up for a long time if caught, but I don't think they quite went far enough to make the bad guys, well the bad guys.

I think this was due to the fact it was one of our main characters 'Hauptmann Gerd Wiesler' who was surveilling him, and well we had already been made to like him. That is just being picky, a little more peril would have been interesting.


Over-all a fantastic watch.

Your still Alive...Kinda

Yeah so I have been neglecting you somewhat blogger, I admit this and I'm sorry. If theres anyway I can make it up to...Chocolates?...yeah overdone I know...how about a post?

So what term are we on now? This has all been going past so fast I seriously loose count on what day it is sometimes. So to start of we have had a few classes with Barbara before she jetted of to Australia. I loved her first class as we were discussing show ideas then somehow we got side tracked onto ITV. This discussion soon turned out to be a full blown debate on how shocking ITV really is.

I personally hate ITV and it gave me a chance to let off some steam on this issue. Yes drama's are expensive to make, but do you really think making the shows BBC and Channel4 are making but with half the budget is the answer? No not really, ITV you are a tacky, cheap, boring, dull TV station. If I could be bothered I would look up a thesaurus to find more words for terrible.

You used to have some class, you stood proudly between BBC and Channel4. You had your own style and you were proud of it, this is the only time I remember watching ITV. I went through a phase during High School were in I watched next to none TV, then one day I tuned back in.

I was blown away by how far you had dropped down in the world in those few short years, someone with photoshop had given use a cheap looking new 3D logo, trying to be trendy but failing miserably. The schedule was one of the same programme formats as BBC and Channel4 but with the most idiotic twist. Case and point 'Come Dine With Me' but instead of going home at the end of the night, they stay the night? Really?...seriously? BBC's 'Strictly Come Dancing' but with ice, now come one that really takes the biscuit.

ITV you once stood on the shoulders of giants, but sadly to say you are firmly in the gutter bathing in the sweat of giants feet, desperately clawing at scarps. You really wonder why use are struggling to attract revenue money? no one likes a copycat and no one certainly doesn't like a cheap copycat. It's like when some brand like 'Technika' releases an MP3 player that is a plain rip off, of the iPod. You are never going to be as sexy and as cool as that, just be yourself, bring back the drama!



Don't even get me started on ITV2, if you don't have enough decent programmes for your flagship station you shouldn't have three digital ones.

Deep Breaths...Deep Breaths...The Royal Mail Boss taking ITV over!...*Puts head in hands*

So developing TV ideas with Adam, It was good to get back to actually creating some TV ideas. To actually put into practice what we had been learning in class, such as devices and storylining .

Its one thing thinking you have a good idea, but does it fit what the broadcasters are after? As with Barbara's class it has been shown that the briefs given out by the BBC and such don't really themselves have a full understanding what they want. 'Something funny like that show....scrubs' Yeah...something serious...that...urm...will be successful!

It's strange to think back to when I was a kid, when I watched something that wasn't all that good on TV. I always thought 'Oh it must just be me that doesn't like it' I always thought you know that these big institutions knew what they were doing and if they made something I didn't like, then I was the only one that didn't like it.

Now that I'm older and having been given the chance to look firmly into the practices of these broadcasts. It really is astonishing how much it is just 'The blind leading the blind' Not one of the TV stations seems to have a clue what we the audience want. As soon as one format is moderately successful they all jump onto the format like a pack of hungry wolves. So we end up seeing four spin-offs, of some dancing show.

Its all just become to much about money, money. How can we make more of the stuff, what format will bring us in more money. This approach I feel has been at the route cause of the lack of powerful, fresh, daring and dare I say it engaging TV drama or Doc's.

We see broadcasters such as the BBC buying American Drama, such as 'The Wire' Yes this show is brilliance in every way. A show that can have an entire dialog piece were in they only say 'Mother Fucker' and we still know entirely what they are really saying to each other, and what they are thinking. This is a show I love, but I can't help feel just a little cheated the BBC buying it in. It's not really for them to show, its for one of the satellite channels that shows these American shows, such as HBO.


Paying TV License money for them to just buy a pre-made product just doesn't feel right. This is money that should have been used for a TV drama that could rival such a show.

I really think these broadcasters need to wake up, yes these are uncertain times. Yes there is a war going on were in hundreds are dyeing. Yes the world climate seems to be nose diving into uncertainty. So its understandable why they are maybe just a little scared to offend anyone or cause panic with any daring TV drama or Doc. They tried something moderately daring with 'Survivors' but at some stage the PC man got his red pen out, and we were left with a show that just preaches family values and trust in one another that we can al save each other.




This is a show that had the chance to challenge our views on alot of different subject matters. Such as how close we all are to really turning on ourselves. How much power does the Government really have, we trust in them to protect us, but really they are just as helpless as the rest of us.

I'm just completely shocked at how bad UK TV really has nose dived over the years. All the TV drama sitting on my shelf is American born and bred. So TV license man, if you are reading this, and I really hope you are. I have not watched ANY TV what so ever in the past year since my License ran out. So don't you even dare say I need to buy another one. Keep your empty threats to yourself.

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So Essays and deadlines, trips to distant libraries. It almost feel like we are at University, as much as that feeling made me feel all studenty and such. This is something that really has worn off on me. I would much prefer to go back to being 'creative' and sitting in booths all day.

Ray's and Richards work has been sealed and handed in, wether they are any good is yet to be seen. I do have alot more faith in this script than I did in my last one, it does feel like it has far more of a structure and theme attached for good measure. Wether the board with have issue with the helicopter chase and the sword fight is yet to be seen, I'm just kidding...nah seriously I'm really not joking...

Rays essay was actually an interesting look in the work of cinematographers, even if it did feel someone like we were being duped into picking this as a specialism next year. It was interesting to see the creative process behind some of the smallest of detail in a scene. Also it was fascinating so delve into the close professional relationships that a Director and DP share. This makes sense to use the same DP you know and trust to deliver each time, but it had never occurred to me just how much a director will use the same DP.

When we were first posed with the task of finding such a relationship, my initial thought was one of 'christ, how am I going to do that' but a quick look on IMDB showed me just how many of these relationships exist. I can say with out looking away, that I do have a far more understanding of what the role of a DP is and how very important it is. *Cough* sorry been feeling a little ill recently.

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The keys to the Kingdom.

So we had John York back into speak to us about internet drama. The talked kicked of with a debate about why internet drama is still yet so very bad, and what can be done to make it better, and yes make money of it. It was posed to us that the person who does find the formula to make money of this will be one very lucky person.

Now let me pose a question, does the kingdom actually exist? I am inclined to say 'No' a very big no at that. The reason is hasn't worked and won't work is that it doesn't have a place on the internet. Internet drama will always be those 5/10 minute pieces, tell me who will wait a week to see just another 5 minutes of drama, and well a probably badly made drama at that.
Secondly you aren't going to make money of it because well, we have grown up with the internet being built on the foundation that its a 'free flowing' stream of information and connections. You can't suddenly turn around and start asking for money, it just isn't going to happen. Wether its £2, £1, 10p or 5p parting with money is still spending money at the end of the day. I just feel a bunch of rather old men have gathered around a table somewhere to discuss this new 'internet' thing, and how they can make some $$$ out of it.

John himself said its not going to be something his generation will solve, but I feel even with ours its less likely to happen. What I feel is that as soon as TV's catch up and start being able to connect to the internet in ways a PC can do, then they will stop loosing money. As soon as a viewer can get all of his or hers media in the one place then and only then will the kingdom exist any shape or form. It's almost like asking us to know what the next week lottery numbers will be, yes it holds vast amounts of money, but well it hasn't happened yet. We are all sitting on the cusp of something big. Phones are catching up, we are seeing the birth of Slate devices such as the iPad and the HP version, we are seeing the first few internet enabled TV sets. There will be no money to be made in any great amount until this ecosystem is born and connected, until I can universally access any and all media from the any one device will there be any money.


Apple proved this with the iPhone App store, until they came along there was no money to be made here. But Apple came along created an ecosystem were in these things have a central place to live and evolve and more importantly, they can be transferred onto multiple devices.

So until there exists such an universal ecosystem will the TV people be seeing any $$$ in their eyes. Sorry...we just aren't there yet, one has to walk before we can run.


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