“All I.Can.” By JP Auclair

A Freytag-ian Interpretation of Editing, Camerawork and

Intertextuality

Exposition:Editing and Camera Work

It could be argued that Freytag would classify this part of the video as the “exposition”.

Auclair’s music video starts with a series of establishing shots. These help to set the location in an urban area. This is obviously unusual for a snowboarding video and immediately challenges the audience’s expectations, perhaps in an attempt to intrigue.

The cuts at the beginning are quote slow and are combined with slow panning camera movements. According to Goodwin’s Theory there should be links between the visuals and music, and this matching of cuts and movement to the speed of the song, which has a slow, steady rhythmic beat, leaves room for the director, to hasten the sense of action and pace, when the music and bass drop (technically known as an “rinforzando”).

Rising Action: Editing and Camera WorkWhen the music drops at 2:08 the focus of the subject moves from the general environment to the snowboarder. Lots of “shaky cam” crab shots are used to track the snowboarder’s movement, giving the effect that he is travelling at great speed.

There are still many stationary close up shots of the scenery, but even here the intention is to highlight the subject passing across the frame very quickly, again creating an impression of his fast and dramatic movement, instilling a sense of awe in the viewer.

This is further coupled with long low angle shots, particularly on tricks and stunts, adding to the dramatic effect by emphasising the height of a jump and skill involved in the action taking place.

There are many points of interest in the direction of this video that may influence my own. Although tricks occur throughout the video, they tend to become more impressive as the it progresses, perhaps so that the viewer’s interest will not only be maintained, but is steadily more engaged, much in the same way that Gustav Freytag theorises that stories and films build through rising action towards a climax.Although “All I.Can.” is not a narrative video, the same principles of Freytag’s dramatic arc still seems to apply to the action, and in the same way I intend to apply a similar sense of rising action.

Rising Action: Influence and Intertextuality

Climax and Denouement: Influence and Intertextuality

At 3:44 to 3:47, Auclair cuts between 7 different rapid shots of close up scenery as the climax, after which the pace slows (to what Freytag would describe as the “denouement” – the resolution) when he snowboarder finishes and waits for a bus to take him back to the top of the mounatin.

As an example of intertextual homage, I intend to employ a “climax” with a similar rapid montage sequence of environment close-up shots. I would like also like to have some kind of resolution to the video in a similar vein, especially as the music track I am using (”Sail” by AWOLNATION) also has a similar quiet “Diminuendo” section at the end.