Conjunction Junction
The television program “Lost” is one which creates suspense through great writing and clever editing. This show, which tells the stories of several people who are stranded on an island after surviving a plane crash, uses many editing strategies to tell their stories and show that relationships between characters.
In the second season of “Lost” the creators had the difficult task of introducing several new characters of the audience. Aside from that challenge, there was also the issue of how the two groups, those originally part of the story and those not, would meet each other. In order to keep the audience engaged, the directors cut from one story line to the other often.
However, there came a time when the characters must meet, and create one central storyline. This occurred at the end of the sixth episode of the second season. Two characters from the first group, Shannon and Said, began running into the jungle, searching for another castaway who had been captured by the dangerous “others.” It is dark in the jungle, and it is pouring rain. This disorients the audience, and the characters, leaving them unsure as to their exact location.
As they are running into the jungle, the camera cuts to the second group, who are cutting through the jungle in an attempt to reach the beach and escape the others. When the bushes begin to move, the camera flashes on the faces of the characters, showing their fear and anxiety as they stand, ready to defend themselves.
The camera then flashes back to Shannon and Said, running through the jungle. When the audience can see only Shannon and Said’s backs, there is a gunshot. After a pause, Shannon turns around, revealing her injury. As Said catches her, the camera focuses on his face, showing his grief. However, Said looks up and over the shoulder of Shannon. The camera than pans across and shows the other characters, who were walking to the beach. Ana Lucia stands with her gun still pointed where Shannon once stood. In a series of close-ups the audience and the characters are able to realize the terrible mistake that had been made in their first meeting.
Though the use of close up shots and a disorienting setting, the creators of Lost are able to show the relationships between the characters, as well as create suspense to draw in the audience.
In the second season of “Lost” the creators had the difficult task of introducing several new characters of the audience. Aside from that challenge, there was also the issue of how the two groups, those originally part of the story and those not, would meet each other. In order to keep the audience engaged, the directors cut from one story line to the other often.
However, there came a time when the characters must meet, and create one central storyline. This occurred at the end of the sixth episode of the second season. Two characters from the first group, Shannon and Said, began running into the jungle, searching for another castaway who had been captured by the dangerous “others.” It is dark in the jungle, and it is pouring rain. This disorients the audience, and the characters, leaving them unsure as to their exact location.
As they are running into the jungle, the camera cuts to the second group, who are cutting through the jungle in an attempt to reach the beach and escape the others. When the bushes begin to move, the camera flashes on the faces of the characters, showing their fear and anxiety as they stand, ready to defend themselves.
The camera then flashes back to Shannon and Said, running through the jungle. When the audience can see only Shannon and Said’s backs, there is a gunshot. After a pause, Shannon turns around, revealing her injury. As Said catches her, the camera focuses on his face, showing his grief. However, Said looks up and over the shoulder of Shannon. The camera than pans across and shows the other characters, who were walking to the beach. Ana Lucia stands with her gun still pointed where Shannon once stood. In a series of close-ups the audience and the characters are able to realize the terrible mistake that had been made in their first meeting.
Though the use of close up shots and a disorienting setting, the creators of Lost are able to show the relationships between the characters, as well as create suspense to draw in the audience.
posted by Sarah @ 12:08 PM
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