Natasha Moore
Editing for new media
Outcome 2
Walter Murch
Walter Murch a film editor and sound designer has been working in his professions since 1969 to the present. He has contributed greatly to American filmmaking and has won multiple awards for his work. He has worked on an immense amount of films with working in the sound department for twenty five and twenty three in editing.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AeDq_tCCj3o
In this scene in from Apocalypse now a radio plays rock music through the commotion of a soldier trying to shoot from his base. He can’t shoot one last survivor who you can hear shouting in the background. When the other soldier gathers his grenade he turns the radio off. The setting is not quite silent but it still adds tension, a forewarning of what is going to happen. The soldier shoots and followed by the blast the shouting simply but eerily stops.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sx7XNb3Q9Ek&feature=related
The US army helicopters fly to the small village to the sound of The Ride of the Valkyries. It cuts to the village showing children coming out of a school. The soundtrack is heard in an effective sound cut. This cleverly indicates that helicopters are getting closer. Murch has used the soundtrack to warn us of the horror that is about to come. It quickly cuts back to the helicopters. The soundtrack continues to play throughout the carnage. This adds a surreal effect to the scene.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BgJ-vzsj8rs&feature=related
The soldiers speeding through the river on a boat are dancing and singing to “Satisfaction.” They carelessly cause a local’s fishing boat to topple. As we cut to the main character researching the music fades and we hear his thoughts. This is effective because the audience are taken from the carelessness and light heartedness of the music and brought back into the sobering reality of the situation.
Murch edited Apocalypse Now in 1979 using a KEM flatbed. His stunningly effective use of sound for this film one him an Oscar. He also one a nomination for picture editing.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1kTQFyMRSXk
Just before Michael shoots the screeching of a train can be heard. The sound is almost painful. This could symbolise the rush of Michael’s thoughts and emotions. With this, his tension becomes the audience’s tension. It brilliantly intensifies the killing itself. As Michael drops the gun and leaves the restaurant the brass plays. This adds further drama and signifies the release of the tension and highlights the fierce scene that has just taken place. It is a brilliant ending for such a tense scene.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FeZ5GpcG4sc&feature=related
Although we don’t actually witness it we know Fredos has been killed. We hear the gun shot and can only just make out the slumped figure as the camera cuts back to the boat. The slight change in the music’s tone and the startled cry of a bird is enough to let the audience know what has happened. Murch has used these subtle edits and sounds excellently to let us know that a man has been killed.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h_UBNfaEcT8
A scene from the award winning Cold mountain which Murch edited using final cut pro. This scene mainly consists of shot and reverse shots. This effectively highlights the tense conversation.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JcOLXzVWT0s
Another scene from Cold Mountain. A parade is playing in the background as the two characters talk. When they finally kiss the music builds up. This intensifies the emotion in the kiss and it is almost as though the parade was for them. This has a bittersweet effect because we know the man in going to war.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h6YkrIjFsqE&feature=related
Music was also used effectively as these characters are tragically reunited. As the woman screams at the sight of the man collapsing the music become louder and more dramatic. This symbolizes her anguish. It softens gently as the dying man speaks weakly to his lover. This lets the audience concentrate on the dialogue but is still intensifies the tragic moment.
This touching film won seven academy awards one of which was for editing
As well as being an incredibly skilful editor Walter Murch has made many impressive innovations.
Earlier in his career he invented a modification of splice cuts called “N-vis-o” to deal with rough cuts. He used very strong but narrow adhesive strips of polyester-silicone tape. He is also unique for winning Oscars for both film editing and sound design for the same film, The English Patient in 1996. He was also able to adapt and work with four different editing systems. Moviola, KEM flatbed, Avid and Final Cut Pro. He is probably the only editor to win nominations for films edited on four different systems. Interestingly he stands up when he edits because it allows him to instinctively know when to make a cut. “It’s almost an involuntary flinch, an equivalent of the blink of the eye. That flinch point is where the shot will end,” he says. “It’s very similar to gunslinging. That’s the reason I stand when I edit.”
Bibliography
http://www.studioichioka.com/murchpage.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Walter_Murch
http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0004555/
http://rodcorp.typepad.com/rodcorp/2004/12/how_we_work_wal_1.html
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