James Bond Goldfinger Fight Scene

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JDDjxa7RsKg

History of editing: Editing has come a long way since the days of splicing. The basic edit in
film comes from when a cut was simply cutting the film physically cut with scissors and then
spliced back together.
The purpose of editing is to combine shots into sequences to be able to present a narrative. Most
media types have a clear narrative but some dont have coherent narratives, thanks to editing
though it allows ways to create meaning through them. A good example of this is the Kuleshov Effect
who used Ivan Mozzhukhin as the subject of his experiments. Kuleshov found that a subjects
appearance can changed depending on what is placed next to it. For example Kuleshov found that
Mozzhukhin looked different when associated with a smiling young girl rather than with a coffin.
Here you can see Mozzhukhin
closely associated with a smiling
child with a teddy bear. This would
of course be placed in back to back
frames in film but these are only
stills. If you look at Mozzhukhin in
this he looks happier than the
example below.
Same face, different emotion this
is the key finding from Kuleshovs
effect. By placing shots into
sequences it is clear that a narrative
can be created. This was a really key
finding in the evolution of editing.

In the early 1900s there was no fixed way of editing for meaning. As you can see from the above
examples though the use of combining shots into sequences to create narrative was fast becoming
the thing to do. A system gradually developed through Hollywood which would mean that the
viewers didnt become confused when watching media text, this would go on to be known as the
continuity system. This is basically a set of rules about how shots should be combined
Editing is much different nowadays compared to the days of cutting and splicing. In East Norfolk we
use non-linear editing and edit video that has been uploaded from either DV tapes or SD cards.
There are three different types of video editing technology in-camera editing, linear editing and
non-linear editing. In-camera editing is where you shoot the footage in the order of the final

sequence and most people start with this if they have a low budget. This would be a good way of
creating narrative without editing software such as Premiere Pro.
Linear editing is the most out of date type of editing and involves tape to tape. This was the most
predominate type of editing until the 1990s before it was taken over by non-linear editing which is
now seen as the norm. Non-linear editing is where you can combine uploaded footage whilst being
able to instantly access individual shots and frames without having to trawl through reels of footage.
Non-linear editing has been made possible thanks to the progression of technological equipment.

Transitions:
Cut: A cut is simply slicing the footage so one image ends and the next begins. The term cut came
from when film used to literally be cut to separate footage. Cuts are the most common transition
used within an edit and doesnt break the suspension within a narrative but instead represent a
continuous transition. Cuts can often be used when there is a change in camera angle or in sections
of dialogue to employ close ups without disturbing the movement in camera.

As you can see from the above images a cut has been used in my chosen film clip. As you can see in
the first image a close up has been used of the button to lower the lift and then in the second image
a different camera angle has been used to show the lift going down. This is a good example of a cut
as most are used for a change in camera angle or time, this does the former.

Dissolve: A dissolve is a gradual transition from one image to another. The dissolve overlaps two
shots for the duration of the effect usually at the end of one scene and the beginning of the next.
Usually dissolves are used to help indicate that a period of time has passed between two scenes.
Dissolves can be used for different time lengths and shorter ones may be used to soften jump cuts
when this may startle the viewer.

A good example of the dissolve is shown above in this sequence from The Butterfly. I have shown the
first image in the sequence which then dissolves into a new setting and shows that time has passed
a perfect example of the dissolve.

Fade: A fade is where a shot gradually fades to or from a single colour which is usually black or
white. Usually a fade signifies the beginning or end of a scene. Much like the dissolve the fade could
also connote a change in time; the amount of time that has passed depends on the speed of the
fade. A quick fade to and from black could indicate a time change of a few hours whereas a long fade
indicates a much bigger change.

An example of a fade can be found in these pictures above. The full film can be found here. The fade
in this example is a long one and stays on the black screen for a while; it signifies a progression in
time and is the end of one scene and the start of another.

Wipe: This is a transition where one shot replaces another by travelling from one side of the screen
to another. George Lucas made this transition famous thank to his work with wipes in his Star Wars
films.

Much like the other transitions the wipe transition can be used to show the passing of time,
especially the clock wipe although its not commonly used due to some viewers finding such
transitions tacky.

Visual Analysis from my extract:

In this section of this assignment I will be looking at different techniques used in my media extract
which is where James Bond fights OddJob in Goldfinger.

Continuity:
This is a system that has been developed to help the audience understand the relationships of shots
and avoids confusion when watching. This system consists of the following:

Establishing Shots:
Usually an establishing shot is the first shot in a scene designed to allow the audience to see where
the scene is taking place. The best suited camera shot for this is a long shot or an extra-long shot.

As you can see above this shot is taken from 0.37 and is an establishing shot so viewers know where
the following fight scene is about to place. This is important as without it viewers may get confused
as to where scenes are happening, if the start of the scene was to go straight into a close up viewers
would feel disorientated and it would go against the continuity system.

180 Degree Rule

In media, film makers use an imaginary line which you cannot cross and this is called the 180 degree
rule. If you cross this line it creates confusion and distortion for the viewer. Crossing the line
basically means that you shoot from different sides in consecutive shots which create distortion. You
rarely see any continuity errors in media but one example is the Mikado Advert which breaks the
180 degree rule.

Here you can see that the man in the cream tank
top is approaching from the right hand side.

As you can see here though the 180 degree rule

has been broken and the man in the cream tank
top is now coming from the left. This means that
the creators have broken the 180 degree rule and
evidently created distortion.

In Goldfinger they do not make such a mistake though and instead follows the rule so the viewer is
not confused.

This clip can be found at 2.37 and is the perfect example of the 180 rule executed properly. Due to
the camera being placed on the same side of the imaginary line for both shots there is no confusion
for the viewer.

Match Cut On Action

This is another hugely important piece of the continuity rules and helps viewers over the edit
smoothly. The way this rule works is an action starts in one scene and then ends in another which
creates a smooth transition. It basically creates a visual bridge that helps distract the viewer from
the cut in the film.

This clip can be found at 2.06 and it sees Oddjob throw his hat in the first shot and then his hat hit
the electricity cables in the second shot. The match cut on action provides a smooth transition and
creates that visual bridge that you need.

Shot-reverse-shot
Due to Oddjob not speaking throughout the James Bond films the chance of a conversation in the
scenes he is in is pretty slim. That doesnt mean there arent any shot-reverse-shots though. I used
the same example in the 180 degree rule but the shot-reverse-shot rule also applies in this same
shot. By using this rule correctly it means that you dont have to have both people in the frame and
instead film one character talking to the other in one way and then the other character in the
opposite direction.

As you can see above the shots are just reversed which still complies to the continuity rules but
makes it much easier to capture conversations or where two characters are interacting.

Motivated Editing Eye line match cuts

Motivated editing is where shots are carefully chosen to push a story along and make the audience
believe what they are seeing. For example if a character is walking around it usually cuts to their
viewpoint so you get a feel of the character. Normally the latter shot is a POV although this isnt
always the case. As the character gets closer the connection with the subject also becomes closer.

In the above example we see Bond approach a security guard that has been chucked off the top level
by OddJob. Bond first of all identifies the guard and then you can see him look inquisitively towards
the guard. The next shot is then a POV of the guard which then zooms to the guards pocket where a
key is visible. This is a great example of a motivated edit- in this case an eye line match. The
audience gets to feel like Bond as they can see in his viewpoint.

Identification with the main protagonist or other characters:

Screen Time: To be able to connect to the protagonist and realise that they are a main character
they need to be on screen for most of the film. In my particular clip James Bond and Oddjob are on
screen for pretty much 100% of it, that is of course because the fight scene is between the two of
them. Oddjob is one of the villains in Goldfinger so isnt on screen as much as James Bond
throughout the film.

This is one of the main parts of the fight scene where Bond realises that Oddjob will not be physically
beaten as he gets hit with a gold bar and simply smiles. From this fight scene alone and the screen
time both of the characters get it allows the audience to be involved and identify them as main
characters,

Close-ups: Close ups are vital within film so you can connect with the protagonist. There are some
fantastic close ups from the fight scene I have chosen and it allows the audience to connect
emotionally and almost feel like you are with them.

In this particular scene it is vital that the audience connects with how the characters are feeling
throughout one of the most important fight scenes. Here we have two close ups that would suggest
Bond is beaten, and physically he was. Bond was no match for Oddjob physically but mentally he was
stronger- of course. After being punched in the face by Bond, Oddjob simply smiles showing once
again that he does not feel pain and the close up of Bond shows his tiredness and dismay to being

seemingly beaten by Oddjob. This scene and these close ups are also vital for the whole film itself in
a sense of connecting with the characters. The close ups show key emotions that carry out through
the film, Bond has wit and is mentally stronger than any of his enemies while Oddjob is one of the
strongest henchman Bond has ever seen with all of his communication coming through facial
movement.

Reaction Shot: A reaction shot is one that cuts away from the main scene in order to get a
reaction from another character. Normally reaction shots are used to capture emotion so they work
best with close ups. Usually reaction shots dont include dialogue either with simply facial
expressions being captured to portray emotion.

Here we see Bond reacting to missing Oddjob with his own weapon the bladed hat. Bond does not
speak in this clip and the emotion shown is done just through body language. The shot is also quite
close up which means the audience can distinguish the emotions he is showing easier meaning the
connection towards the protagonist is more straightforward.

Point of view shot:

Point of view shots are where the shot cuts to what the character is looking at making identification
with the protagonist much easier. If you are able to see what the protagonist is seeing you can relate
with the scene more and feel more involved.

Here we can see a POV of Bond looking at the bomb he has been strapped to which he is trying to
escape from. If this POV wasnt used then the scene wouldnt be as connectable as you wouldnt be

able to place yourself in the viewpoint of Bond. James Bond is the main character in this film and
when the POV is based on him the audience sees events through the leading actor's eyes, as if they
were experiencing the events themselves. This whole process simply makes the identification with
the main protagonist as easy as it can be.

Generating appropriate involvement in the storyline, pace, tension and

suspense:
Its all well and good having a main protagonist but the audience are only going to be interested if
something exciting happens to them. To be able to show this in film the construction of the storyline
and how suspense and excitement is shown is paramount.

Providing and withholding information: This is closely linked to restricted narrative. This
is where a filmmaker limits what the viewer can see by framing shots. This can either be done when
shooting the scene or in the edit depending on what works best. Restricted narrative is a popular
technique used by directors in James Bond films to create a mysterious feeling to the scene. A good
example of this is the opening scene of On Her Majestys Secret Service. Bond has always been
portrayed as a secretive character and this is proven in the opening scene of this movie.

As you can see all you can see is the back of Bonds head in silhouette form making the feeling
mysterious. The viewer may not even know its bond which adds that extra element of surprise to the
scene. This technique allows filmmakers to create interest in the protagonist by giving extra
information or taking it away to add an extra element to the overall narrative.

Montage: Is an expressive use of juxtaposing shots. Juxtaposition is the positioning of two shots in
order to compare of contrast them. This is a very popular way amongst filmmakers to provide
viewers a way of comparing the relationships between the main protagonists. In my chosen scene
which includes OddJob and James Bond the director positions two shots closely next to each other
to compare the two characters.

As you can see from the above shots the differentiation in facial expressions and body posture
shows some key characteristics with the protagonists. Bond is seen laying down which proves he is
the weaker one when it comes to strength but makes up for that with a quick and clever thinking
brain. On the other hand Oddjob is far superior that Bon when It comes to strength but is fairly
dopey and smug which is shown through his swagger and smile. By placing these shots consecutively
in the scene it allows the audience to become involved in the relationship and storyline.

Cutaways: A cutaway is when a scene will cut to a separate shot in what is otherwise a continuous
flow. For example if the scene cuts to a danger of death sign this would connote a negative
atmosphere, on the other hand cutting to a butterfly would connote a positive feeling.

Here we see the fight scene cut to the bomb which is located in the same room. The fight scene is
shot in a continuous flow except for this one cutaway. The viewers already know that Bond is in
danger but this simply adds to the tension. It also adds a sense of urgency to the scene and helps
with the pace of the scene to keep is fast paced and concise to avoid is becoming stale.

Parallel editing/cross-cutting: This is where it cuts between two scenes usually showing that
they are happening at the same time and that they relate in some way. This is used a lot in Oceans
11 when they are carrying out their plan in separate places but at the same time. Usually this
technique is used in heists so the viewer can follow the action in different places without the pace or
tension being affected. By cutting between different places in different scenes it means that the
narrative can be easily followed by the viewer.

Jump-cut:

Jump cuts are when two shots are placed next to each other but change very slightly giving the
effect of a jump forwards in time. This kind of cut is very abrupt and is mainly used to show the
audience that time is moving and links closely to the pace of the narrative. It is used a lot in fight
scenes that Guy Ritchie produces and the above pictures are from Snatch which is full of abrupt
jump cuts to show the passing of time. If you notice though the camera angle does not really change
and when it does filmmakers very rarely break the 30 degree rule which theorists say is the
maximum angle you can move the camera angle for it to look seamless.

Shot Variation: Shot Variation is the technique used in filming to create a sequence of images
using movement; these types of shots include a wide shot as this type of shot is commonly used at
the start of a sequence to set the tone of the scene as well as enabling the audience to grasp the
concept of the scene. Long shots are used to enable the focus of the audience to remain on a certain
character; this is commonly used to introduce main characters. Medium Shots are primarily used in
dialogue scenes or action scenes to enable the audience to follow the narrative. Variations of this
shot are a two shot or a three shot. Using a Close Up means the camera is concentrating on a certain
item or character. In my chosen scene all of the above are used in different ways to set different
tones and provide an exciting sequence for the narrative.

Extra Wide Shot

Medium Shot

By combining all of these different shots it allows the narrative to be followed in the most effective
way and engage the audience. It also helps the pace continue as one shot that stays the same slows
down the pace, this is a technique that can also be used when long stints of dialogue may be
necessary.

Editing Rhythm: Editing rhythm is the speed of succession in cuts to meet the pace of the
narrative. If the storyline is moving quickly then a quick succession of cuts will be needed to keep up
and translate the fast narrative to the audience. If it is moving slightly less quick then more subtle
transitions such as fades may be used or the cuts will be slower in succession to translate a slow
narrative to the viewer. The rhythm is key as this is what the viewer will see and how they will follow
the storyline.

Cutting to soundtrack: This is an editing technique used to match the speed of the visuals with
the speed of the soundtrack. This is most often found in music videos and TV commercials. By
cutting to soundtrack it provides a better experience for the viewer as they have visuals and sound
in sync. Sometimes it is better in terms of structure to have the audio first and then add the visual.
Alesha Dixons song Drummer is a great example of this with quick succession of cuts in the
beginning of the video to match the pace of the audio. Again this technique is all about pace of the
storyline and it interests the audience more than a plain cut which is out of sync with the audience.
As I said earlier its rare to see this technique in film but is more commonly used in music videos due
to the more frequent changes in pace with audio.

Multiple points of view: This really is what it says on the tin. Sometimes in scenes it is shown
through both of the protagonists. This can mean the viewers can follow the scene through both
characters which can cause and interesting effect.

As you can see above the scene I chose has been shot from multiple points of views from the main
protagonists. By doing this it allows the audience to follow the action through both viewpoints which
creates that extra bit of excitement. The storyline is also easier to follow as there is more than one
view point and creates the contrast between good/bad in this particular scene.