'Cutting It' - Technical Analysis

"Cutting It" was a BBC TV drama series that was set in Manchester. It was based on the lives of people running a hairdressing salon and ran for 4 series between 2002 and 2005. This is a technical analysis of a scene involving Sarah Parish (Allie Henshall) and Jason Merrelles (Gavin Farraday). 

Camera Shots, Movement and Framing

• The two shot was used when they were conversing in the taxi which conveyed their intimacy and allowed the audience to make the connection between the two characters. 
• The ariel shot was used after the accident to convey Sarah's vulnerability. This demonstrates a contrast of them being framed in the taxi and being exposed after the crash. 
• The extreme close up of the ring was symbolic. It could be seen as foreshadowing - Jason is holding onto their relationship when he fiddles with it which is symbolic of what might happen. 
• A point of view shot of Jason running towards her caused tension because he wanted to know if Sarah was alive or dead. There is no other point in the sequence where a handheld camera is used; the urgency of this shot stands out. 
• The crane shot in the doctors office allowed us to see the appointment but not hear it. It could be interpreted that the information that she is being given is so surreal that she is watching herself receiving it like she doesn't believe it's happening. This shot also signals that the desk is a barrier between the two characters - this shows their differences (life and death).
• The close up of Sarah's face when she's crying builds suspense because the audience don't know if the news is good or bad. 
• The exterior shots of the hospital pan to follow an ambulance. This shot establishes the location and gives a clearer idea of what they were talking about in the taxi. 
• The alternating shots of the couple allow the audience to see both of the characters. In Jason's shots Sarah is visible but in Sarah's shots Jason isn't visible. This could be because she's the main character or, alternatively, because she's not as interested in him as he is of her. 
• Another close up is used when the couple are holding hands and when he is adjusting his wedding ring - this reinforces their intimacy and togetherness. 

Sound

There are 4 key sections within the soundtrack of this sequence:

1. Verbal Soundtrack - This makes up the main part of the sequence as it's the dialogue. One of the many ways to show the character's thoughts and emotions is through dialogue. It also mixes in with the background noise.
2. Sound effects - These are the natural sounds, pauses and silences. The skidding of the car shows the audience something bad has happened even though you can't see Sarah being knocked over. Also, the sound of people talking when they got out of the taxi conveys that they're in a public place. Finally, when Sarah is hit Jason's heartbeat slows and this sound is heard. 
3. Music Score - This includes the themes, bridges and motifs. From when Sarah walks away from Jason to when the office scene ends a music piece is heard which eventually fades out. The music has a slow beat but it's primarily the lyrics and melody that demonstrate to the audience that they should feel sad. It's the music score that makes the scene more predictable. 
4. Ambient Sound - This is the general background noise. In some cases it's louder than the diegetic sounds. It's bridged as it's non-diegetic before the hospital scene and during so that the audience can make the morale decision as to whether Sarah's died or not. The music is generally synchronous when the non-diegetic sound of the heart beat is playing and Jason runs across the road. 

Editing

The editing was split into three key sections:

1. Shot types and length - in the cab there was a two shot and close ups of their faces when conversing. The cuts were slower at the consultation. The shot was shaky when it was point of view and it fades to black at the end. 
2. Visual effects - slow motion was used in the running to show Jason's futile efforts and to enhance the drama. Additionally the wedding ring was recoloured to make it stand out. 
3. Sounds + image - sharper shots in the taxi when conversing.