Parallel editing & Cross Cutting With reference to your own editing and the films you have viewed today, explain the various uses that parallel editing/cross cutting can be put to. Use quotes from Voice and Vision pg75‐ 81

A Parallel edited sequence is a powerful film technique. Its something which can be used so that the audience make connections between the two or more sequences which are being shown as happening simultaneously. It is basically a narrative technique that "involves intercutting between two or more separate areas of action" (from Voice and Vision). Therefore a parallel edit involves 'cross‐cutting', which is an editorial term for alternating between two or more scenes. It’s a brilliant way to convey your message in a film, whether it be to build anticipation, or to show the stark contrasts in two peoples lives, a parallel edit is very thought provoking. Because of this, the parameters of the parallel edit you plan to make need to be laid out well before it comes to shooting the scene and then editing them. "An effective parallel action sequence is devised in pre‐production, followed through in the shooting stage, and constructed in editing" (Voice and Vision). This is necessary to maximize the power that parallel editing can bring to the film. So, because we want to bring out the full potential of the parallel edit, we can not simply inter‐cut action whenever we fancy it, but at specific moments, when maybe action, objects and movements are linked through editing. This is the way we get the audience to sense that these separate actions are happening simultaneously, which in turn may help them to realize the intellectual comparison we are trying to make. Voice and Vision lists 5 common ways to make these provocative links: Dramatic structure matches ‐ Matching the individual scenes at the same point in each sequence and alternating between each of them, i.e. at the beginning, middle and end of each scene. Content and activity matches ‐ Cutting on the similar activities in each scene. The morning routine as an obvious example is an easy one to cut on similar activities. Matched action cuts ‐ Here we can make powerful associations between characters by performing the same gesture or movement as the first character but again by another character in a different location. Graphic matches ‐ Matching colour, shapes, frames, objects and movements can all make strong associations between different areas. Sound matches ‐ underlying audio can be a good way to match on the different types of action. Of course this could be achieved by having background music played throughout the cuts, but also cuts on similar dialogue or noises in the environment may help move the edit forward. These kinds of techniques are implemented well in Coline Serreau's "mama, theres a man in your bed". The opening sequence of the morning routine is shown in a parallel edit between two very different families. It’s a perfect example of using cross cutting to highlight the stark contrasts in wealth and status of the rich white family and the struggling African family, and all shown by just giving us an insight into the mundane morning routine of each family, and how even though they carry out the same tasks ‐ mother waking the children, preparing breakfast etc. ‐ we as an audience can immediately see the difference between the two families. "their juxtaposition encourages us to see the telling differences in their details."

Similarly in 'The Godfather' the baptism scene we have a high focus on graphic matches between the different scenes, even though actually the baptism scene implements all of the above techniques. To start with, each different scene is highlighted by the use of someone either bursting through a door, or coming out of a door way and then being shot. In between each take we revert back to the face of Al Pacino at the baptism, and we can hear the baptism occurring throughout the scene although we cannot always see it, further continuing on the sense that this events occur around the same time as although we can hear the baptism happening, we also hear the doors opening and the different gunshots and cries. Its made more powerful by the stark contrast in the apparent joy of a baptism and 'new life' while all these mafia members are getting murdered at the same time. It generates the suspense needed and how we then revisit each scene to see the victims and the bloodstains is chilling with the background music, while making the point that the now new head of the family is both the Godfather of his sisters baby, as well as the Godfather to the 'family business'.

We see similar techniques used to build suspense, in "stangers on a train" by Alfred Hitchcock, anticipation builds heavily as we only see shot of the mens shoes as they are undoubtedly trying to catch a train, the train that we both know is leading them on in the story. Cutting back and forth between them leaves us wanting to see more as we feel the anticipation build.