SECTION 8: SCEN,E TRANSITIONS (AUDIO AND VIS-UAL) The moment between the end of one see.ne a.nd the beginning of another Íscalled a trahsition. Each transition presents the writer and director with an opportunity to convey story infotinatioh by virtÍle of how the scenes are cut togethet. The scenes can simply be cut with no intentional reference or constructed to add a story elemento A matching transition is one way to exploit this opportunity and can be achieved in an infinite number of ways. Essentially, a matching transition "matches" the outgoing shot with the incoming shot. This can also be done withsound. ' ,- Visual Match-Cut "A match-cut generally refers to picture. Two images can be match-cut based on similarity of content, graphics, shape, motion, size, graphics, or color, for example. Take a look on page 249 where you can see an incredible match-cut based on similarity of shape from Dolores Claiborne. Match-cuts are used to inóve the story along, creating a new idea based on the juxtaposition of two images. Dissolves between images, instead of a hard cut, can also be used. Matching Audio Segue Although the term "matching audio segue" is not a standard sound term, we'll use it for the sake of simplicity when referring to an audio effect analogous to -/ a visual match cut. In the case of audio, then, a "matching audio segue" occurs when two similar or matching sounds are heard, one after another, creating anl qnexpected inference. This is similar to the effect of a visual match-cut. Often in the case of audio the outgoing sound will be laid over the incoming sound. The outgoing sound will fade out as the incoming sound takes over, the effect is much like a matching visual dissolve. Audio Bridge An audio bridge works in a completely different manner. Here you have an outgoing sound from one scene that continues over a new image or shot. An audio bridge is when one sound is used to connect two shots or two scenes together aurally. Suggested Reading One of the best discussions on transitions is made in Margaret Mehring's book entitled Screenwriting. 8 SCEN E TRANSITIONS . FtJ'm Elements Audio 42. Matching Audio Segue Sorry, Wrong Number; Fatal Attractior/f- 43. Audio Bridge (dialog) Citizen Kane 44. Audio Bridge (sound effects) Barton Fink Visual 45. Visual Match-Cut - Graphic Similarity Single White Female 46. Visual Match-Cut - Pattern & Color Citizen Kane 47. Visual Match-Cut - Action 2001: A Space Odyssey 48. Visual Match-Cut - Idea Requiem for a Dream 49. Visual Match-Cut - Idea Harold and Maude 50. Extended Match-Dissolve - Time Transition Titanic (double match-dissolve) 51. Disrupted Match-Cut Bound 11 Film Element: Matching Audio :Sé"güe A matching audio segue occurs when one source of audio fades out, while another matthing audio source fades in. This occurs between scenes or within a~ scene. Matching audio segues ha ve been put to sorne ingenious uses. Here is one kind put to two different uses. Film Example: Sorr~ Wrong Number By Act Three we know that Leona Stevenson (Barbara Stanwyck) is about to be murdered. Earlier, we have seen a screeching subway train pass by her window every night at the same time. When the murderer enters her room and reaches his hands to her neck, the screeching train passes at its usual time i.nadvertently covering Stanwyk's scream. By the time the train passes, she is dead. Film Example: Fatal Attraction We ,see,a similar use in Fatal Attraction. Just before the climax scene Dan (Michae1 Douglas) is downstairs making tea for his wife. His wife is recovering fro , ~ a n,ear fatal accident caused by Eve, Dan's lover (Glenn Close). As Dan's wife runs a bath upstairs, Eve suddenly appears holding a knife. Just as Eve attacks Dan's wife, the tea kettle whistles. Unable to hear his wife's screams Dan walks slowly over to the kettle. Meanwhile we cut back upstain where his wife fights for her life. When Dan finally removes the kettle from the bumer, he hears something, but at first he's disoriented. He can't make out what he's hearing. Finally, after a suspenseful beat, he deciphers the sound and races upstairs. In this case, the masking sound (the tea kettle) is silenced - just in time. Dramatic Value In both films sound is used to mask an important evento In Fatal Attraction the tea kettle masks a woman's screams and in Sorry, Wrong Number a roaring train overpowers the cries of a woman about to be murdered. 8 SCENE TRANSITIONS Sorry, Wrong Humber (1948) Radio Play: Lucille Fletcher; Pla:y: LuciUe Fletcher ; Screenplay: Lucille Fletcher. Excerpt below is from Sorry, Wrong Number (the play) . .. inal Scene: scene: We see on the dark c. stage, the shadow of door opening. screaming: The PoliceJ Scene: On stage, swift rush of a shadow, advancing to bed--sound of her voice is choked out, as operator: Ringing the Police Department. phone is rungo We hear the sound of a train beginning to fade in. On second ring, Mrs. stevenson screams again, but the roaring of train drowns out her voice. For a few seconds, we hear nothing but roaring of train, then dying away. 2. The scene continues. 50rry. Wrong Number 3. 2. Fatal Attraction 3. ~. .. ~. .- . AUDIO MATCH-CUT IEI Film Element: Audio Bridge (Dialog) An audio bridge is when two scenes are connected by a single audio so~~ : lfi:this' 'Case ¡t's done with dialogo Film Example: Citizen Kane fu an incredible use of an audio bridge, twenty years oftirne:is /co:tn1?ressed with a single line of dialogo Set-up Young Kane is seated on the floor opening Christmas ptesénts. Shot 1 Kane's guardian looks down at Kane and says, "Well, Charles,: Métry Christmas." Shot2 Kane repeats the greeting, "Merry Christmas." Shot3 We then cut to a much aged image of Kane~s guardian who finishes Kane~s greeting adding, "and a Happy New Year." In this last shot we see that Kane~s guardian is now twenty years older. Dramatic Value .Compression of time. The audio bridge connects two periods with a greeting and leaves the audience to understand that twenty years have passed. 8 SCEKlE TRAKlSITI®NS l'Eilir'M Element: Audio Bridge (Sound Effects) As explained in the previous example, an audio bridge links two scenes with a single audio source. In the preceding example from CitiZ'en Kane, a dialog bridge was used to flashforward. One of the most famous uses occurs in the opening scenes of Apocalypse Now. Here the sound of helicopter blades is laid over the image of the spinning . blades of a fan. This simple b.ut ingenious sound bridge designed by legendary sound editor Walter Murch takes us inside Captain Willard's mind. Throug~ the use of the sound bridge we believe we hear what he is hearing. In an entirely different use, going the opposite direction, the offscreen sound of typing is heard first and connected to the onscreen source in the adjacent scene. In this example, taken from Barton Fink, the sound bridge suggests continuity of time. Film Example: Bartan Fink We track in down the hallway of Barton Fink's hotel. Shot 1 As we track down the hallway of the hotel we see men's shoes stationed in front of every door. The only sound, however, comes from Barton's room­ typing. The sound of typing effectively differentiates Barton from the other residents. Shot2 When we cut inside the room, the rhythm of the typing continues uninterrupted suggesting real time. The shot is Barton's POV of keys striking the page. Dramatic Value The long tracking shot down the hallway, coupled with the unbroken rhythm of the typing, suggests that Barton has finally found the story for his script. Rather than tell us on the dialog track, the audience is asked to participate in the scene by figuring out what the sound effects mean. This makes the scene more dramatic, challenging, and memorable for the viewer. 8 SCENE TRANSITIONS Barton Flnk (1991) (Scene 9-10, Page 19) Screenplay: Joe! Coen & Ethan Coen, Feb. 19, 1990. TRACKING SHOT we are in the sixth-fioor hallway of the Earle, late at night. A pair of shoes sits before each door. Faintly, froro one of the rooros, we can hear the clack. clack. clack. of a typewriter. It grows louder as we track forward. EXTREME CLOSE SHOT - TYPEWRITER Close on the typing so that we see only each letter as it is typed, without contexto One by one the letters clack on: a-u-d-i-b-l-e. After a short beat, a period strikes. 1. 2. AUDIO BRIDGE 111 Film Element: Visual Match-Cut (Graphic Similar'ity) A visual match-cut is achieved when the image at the end of one scene "matches" the incoming image of the next scene. The edit can be a "cut" or a "dissolve." For the sake of simplicity the term "cut" will be used throughout. A visual match-cut can suggest similarity or contrasto It can, for example, externalize ideas about theme, motivation, or the passage of time. In Single Wh,{e Female it's used to tell us about location. 'A' Film Example: Single White Female Theprotagonist in Single White Female (Bridget Fonda) lives with her boyfriend in a N.Y. apartment house. 500n after the movie begins, the couple fight. Shot 1 As the two argue, the camera cuts to an ornate wrought iron grill covering a nearby heating vento Shot2 The film then match-cuts to an almost identical grillo Because of the unique pattern we as sume it must belong to a neighboring apartment.