Editing

Question 1

How is editing used in the opening scene (the introduction to Ofelia)?

Answer 1

• Blood coming out of her mouth and her breathing is going in reverse (rewinded)
• The image zooms in to Ofelia’s eye and dissolves into the Underground Realm
• Tracking shots through the underworld
• A young girl is seen running; however, it is ambiguous
• The screen fades out to white as the sun hits the camera, then the surroundings have changed, and more warm colours are seen

Question 2

How is editing used in the introduction to Vidal?

Answer 2

• The dialogue (“15 minutes late”) then the jump cut to the watch (the sound bridge)
• A shot reverse of Vidal forcing Carmen into the wheelchair

Question 3

How is editing used in Ofelia’s narration?

Answer 3

• No massive shot change
• The shot dissolves into Vidal fixing his watch

Question 4

How is editing used in the gruesome murder of the farmers?

Answer 4

• Shot reverse shot (of Vidal hitting the son)
• The scene cuts to Carmen and Ofelia in bed

Question 5

Why is the blood out of her mouth and her breathing reversed in the opening sequence?

Answer 5

• Implies that the tale will not follow any normal rules
• Links to fantasy and the arcane world Ofelia discovers.

Question 6

Why does the image zoom in to Ofelia’s eye and dissolves into the Underground Realm in the opening sequence?

Answer 6

• Highlights that this is her narrative
• Reality and fantasy intermix with one another (traces of the arcane world in the normal world).

Question 7

Why are tracking shots of the Underworld used in the opening sequence?

Answer 7

• Allows the audience to journey through the Realm
• Establishes that the narrative is based off fantasy.

Question 8

How is ambiguity and mystery created in the opening sequence?

Answer 8

A young girl is seen running; however, it is ambiguous whether it is Ofelia as her face is casted in shadow.

Question 9

Why is there a fade out transition from the blue underworld - as the sun hits - to warm-coloured surroundings in the opening sequence?

Answer 9

To present a stark contrast between reality and fantasy.

Question 10

Why is there a jump cut from the dialogue (“15 minutes late”) to the pocket watch in the introduction to Vidal scene?

Answer 10

• Watch acts as a sound bridge
• Signifies his controlling need to keep things in order

Question 11

Why is a shot reverse of Vidal forcing Carmen into the wheelchair used in the introduction to Vidal scene?

Answer 11

• Portrays his overwhelming power over her
• Symbolic of gender oppression

Question 12

Why is there no massive shot change in Ofelia’s story sequence?

Answer 12

The fairy-tale almost becomes a path from reality to fantasy.

Question 13

Why does the shot dissolve from Ofelia’s fairy tale to Vidal fixing his watch in Ofelia’s story sequence?

Answer 13

It shows a direct contrast to the fairy-tale realm.

Question 14

Why is a shot reverse shot of Vidal killing the son used in the farmers’ gruesome murder?

Answer 14

• To show the expression of the captain and then the farmer’s son’s face before he kills them
• Emphasises the brutality and intensity of the scene
• Makes the audience feel sympathetic for the farmers

Question 15

Why is there a jump cut from the murder of the farmers to Carmen and Ofelia in bed?

Answer 15

It shows a contrast between their innocence and his brutality.

Question 16

How was editing used in the first task/hunting the rebels sequence?

Answer 16

• Cross cutting of the two scenes (of the fascists and Ofelia) happening at the same time (e.g. wipe cut as Ofelia crawls into the tree to Vidal and his men)
• A shot reverse shot of Vidal holding the antibiotics in the direction of the rebels combined with the high-key lighting (match on action)

Question 17

How was editing used in the toad scene?

Answer 17

• The jump cut from the inside of the tree to the outside of it

Question 18

Why was cross cutting between the two scenes during the first task/hunting the rebels used?

Question 19

Why was a shot reverse shot of Vidal holding up the antibiotics to the maquis used in the hunting the rebels scene?

Question 20

Why was the jump cut from the inside of the tree to the outside of it used at the end of the first task sequence?