Editing

Editing analysis - The Strangers

Editing is used in a film to enable the director to join together scenes in a certain sequence which will give the biggest impact on the audience. In a thriller film, the director will edit scenes together in such a way that they create the maximum amount of fear for the audience, which is the main intention of the film. It enables a scene, which may not necessarily be scary on its own, to be put together with another scene, to create something which is guaranteed to scare the audience, therefore forming a successful thriller film.

In the thriller film, The Strangers, slow editing is used to extend the sequence of the female protagonist as she hesitantly walks towards the door, as someone is knocking to come in. When she fails to answer the audience can hear the sound of footsteps walking away from the door, as if the person has given up and left. 

Her hesitation to answer the door, and the slow editing used here causes tension and suspense to be built, as the audience anticipates what is going to happen next, while wondering who is outside the door. By using slow editing this scene is extended, giving the audience time to wonder what is about to happen, as their anticipation and anxiety builds. This suspense is a key convention of a film in the thriller genre as the audience begins to feel fear, which is the intention of the entire film. 

Further to this use of slow editing, a reaction shot is also used to display the anxiousness of the protagonist as she slowly looks through a gap in the curtains, trying to discover who is outside the door. It is clear to the audience that although she has seen no one there, she is still worried, and therefore keeps the audience in a state of suspense as they know that something will surely happen to her soon. The persistence of whoever is knocking will worry the audience, as it creates a sense of foreboding that this harassment will not cease, until she meets her demise. The continuation of suspense throughout is a convention of a thriller film as it keeps the audience constantly tense, and in a state of fear throughout most of the film.

A linking shot is also used to tie together a sequence of shots, which if on their own would not be as dramatic and intense. The scene with the knock on the door is followed by the reaction shot showing the protagonist looking through the window, and then another scene with more noise coming from the front door. 

This enables the suspense to be dragged out even further, as the audience wonders about the persistence of whoever is at the door, and what their intentions are. This is also a convention of a thriller film, as the intention of the director is to cause as much suspense and fear as possible.

Overall, the effect that these three editing styles have on the film is very effective, forming a scene packed with suspense and fear about who could be outside the door and what they want. The target of a thriller film is to scare and entertain, and the use of these three editing styles ensures that the director is able to convey as much tension as possible.
When making my thriller opening, I will aim to use a linking shot to connect different images building the suspense that the audience feels even further. As well as dragging out the events to build suspense, the linking shot could also be used to speed up the pace of the scene, making all of the action seem even more dramatic. This is something I will try to use in my own thriller opening, as I believe this will be an effective way of captivating the audience's attention of the scenes taking place.
I also think reaction shots are key to making the events taking place seem as realistic as possible as facial expressions are easily recognisable, and easy for the audience to identify with, increasing the fear felt when they watch the events unfold.