Directions Unit: Final Cut & Critical Reflection

I have now completely finished my final cut of Exhale. After three months of hard work and planning, it seems to have all paid off. My end result is a 7:20 minute long, finely cut film, a completed script for my own documentation, a step by step of absolutely all of my work on my blog and a detailed website on David Fincher and Exhale.

Since receiving feedback on my fine cut, I've made the following changes...

- Added more sound effects (street noise such as birds, cars)

- Changed a clip of Mara holding drugs that went on a bit too long to a reversed clip that shows her taking out the drugs and then holding them up

- The above meant that I could get rid of an unnecessary mid shot of Mara taking out the drugs from her pocket

- Lowered the static sound I originally had over the flashbacks, to mix with a new 'sharp breath' style sound that I've put over them

- Fine tuned the sound throughout the film

- Shortened the gap between the final shot and closing credits

- Cut to the close ups of Mara and Rick immediately after the close up of her giving him money for a more noticeable shift in their conversation

I think that all of the above has really helped in getting my film to that last, finely tuned point. But of course I ran into problems, I was unable to make the following changes that I was advised on...

- Add a gradient filter to put on the sky

I explored this option, but it proved to be near impossible to make a noticeable difference to the sky by adding a gradient filter from Final Cut.

- Change around the clips where the two characters come together in the conversation scene to make it flow a lot better

I've struggled with this throughout editing. If I had filmed a second shot of Rick entering the scene I wouldn't have a problem. But as I just have the one, it's been difficult to make it flow into the first shot of dialogue. I tried to add a wide shot immediately after the clip but I think it flowed even less than going straight into the mid shot, and after testing out other shots to add, nothing was making an improvement.

My course leader came up with the idea that Rick could enter the scene first and then Mara could enter instead of the other way around. At first it sounded possible, but then I realised that it would really clash with the conversation. Seeing as in their dialogue they mention that she was early, she'd been waiting for him and that she should have gotten there later, so it wouldn't make any sense to have her enter after he does. After many failed attempts at fixing this moment, I sadly couldn't find a way.

I'd have to say that the above is one of the only downsides to my final cut. Other than that, while editing has taken a lot of work, time and incredible detail, it's come out very well.

Overall, I'm very pleased with and proud of my work. I think all of the planning I originally put into the unit, the organisation and hard work I, my cast and crew put into filming and the time and hard work I've spent on editing, has really been made clear through my final cut. Along with a lot of time, research, detail and fine tuning being put into both my website and blog.

I'm really looking forward to hearing what people think of my film and website!

Here is my final cut of Exhale...

And my website address...

www.davidfinchersite.weebly.com