Relationship Between Shots

Fear.1996_MOVIECLIP from Nneka Alaka on Vimeo.

In the 1996, drama/thriller, Fear, directed by James Foley, when analyzing Foley’s editing choices in this scene, I found it captivating how Nicole (Reese Witherspoon) and Margo (Alyssa Milano) move between the space of the scene. This scene, which is packed with emotion and traction between Nicole and Margo, incorporate elements of continuity editing. The scene begins with a long shot of Nicole facing away from the camera (audience) and as you hear Margo’s footsteps approaching towards Nicole, the camera pans closer to Nicole as well. The shot is following the eye-line of Margo, so this allows the viewer to see what she sees as she approaches a very upset Nicole. When Nicole finally turns to us, we see she is very upset with Margo and as Margo too sees Nicole’s facial expression and crossed arms, Margo stops walking towards Nicole (which plays to the space and movement between both characters, because the space between them evokes the tension and falling out that will occur in the scene and shows that the dynamic of their relationship is about to have a drastic change). Next, as Nicole emotes sadness and despair about feeling like she’s been lied to by the people she cares about most, Foley allows the viewer to see her emotion with a MCU shot. The next shot is Margo’s MCU, which is the perfect way to show that Margo may have an idea of why Nicole is upset, and in using a MCU, the viewer can see that Margo is indeed guilty of something (it is telling in her eyes and facial/body language). Once Margo realizes Nicole knows what she did, the MCU of Margo’s realization, along with the tense music, is essential to the scene. 

Once Nicole begins to walk away and back into the house, the camera follows her the entire way, never cutting to a different shot, however the camera simultaneously stops about halfway to her destination, putting a greater space between her and Margo. Margo is in the foreground, but is blurred and as Margo begins to plead with Nicole to hear her out and forgive her, the camera follows them. Once Margo begins to convey honest feelings that she is truly sorry and needs Nicole because “she is her only friend”, the scene reaches a higher level of intensity. From about a MS, the camera zooms to Margo for a CU. The angles used in this shot allows the viewer to not only empathize with Margo but to also understand that this is a pivotal moment in their friendship. 

The next shot is Nicole’s MCU, leaning against her front door, already regretting turning her back on her best friend. The MCU of Nicole inside her home is interrupted by a MCU of Margo crying and heartbroken outside. The scene then switched back to Nicole’s MCU as she opens the front door to try to catch Margo before she leaves. The next shot is a wide angle shot of Margo driving off, next showing Nicole walking toward the screen ending the scene with a MCU, again showing her immediate regret. 

Elements of continuity editing techniques are conveyed throughout the scene each time Nicole and Margo exchange dialogue. Eye-line matching establishes the one on one dialogue in the scene and the 180-degree rule is implemented to avoid any confusion about character positioning within the scene. The 180-degree line is key in this scene, for where ever the camera is, the character is on the opposite side doing their action. The camera moves back and forth, and there are no major cuts, which allows the scene to convey more fluid, clean movement between shots.