Editor
Once I was confirmed as editor for VET-MAN I started researching into my responsibilities, the workflow of an editor and different comedic editors. In order to be successful as an editor, I needed to learn and work in the same way an industry professional would.
Research was essential for this unit because we chose to create a mockumentary - a comedic documentary. I have never worked on a comedy before, and my initial knowledge of this was very weak. I started by researching other mockumentaries and their editing techniques. Through this research, I found out about different ways to edit comedy, including holding reaction shots, letting the sound effects and music do the talking while not actually seeing the comedy, and I found out how important timing is. If a shot isn't cut in the correct place it can change the style of it completely, this can relate to cutting music also.
I looked into an iconic duo - Laurel and Hardy. One of their comedic techniques was to let the sound effects carry the humour while the audience are watching something else, for example, hearing someone falling down the stairs while looking at some else's reaction. They inspired my editing choice when I became stuck on one of the most important scenes in the mockumentary - the surgery scene. Due to running out of time during production, I was working with less footage than anticipated and didn't have enough to make the scene dramatic and funny. I started by building up the tension of the operation by watching the vet preparing with putting his gloves and face mask on. While this is happening we are listening to the vet's interview, confidently stating that "this is a very simple procedure, it'll be over in a flash". Then we see him googling how to operate on a cow, this aims to make the at-ease audience nervous, before seeing him inject the dog once. As we see this, I cut to Sheila in the waiting room while hearing a muffled crashing and banging coming from the operation room. By using this technique I am allowing the audience to imagine what's going on while only hearing the crashing sound effects.
As well as putting the footage and dialogue in line, I also had to think about music. Specifically the timing of the music as this can help the comedic aspect to the film. My example of this is when I placed a sad music bed underneath the clips of the vet telling Sheila about the operation, once he announces the news we then see him taking something covered in a blood-stained sheet to the wheelie bins round the back of the vets, and he throws it in the bin. This creates a loud thud, as this happens we see Sheila walking past behind witnessing the vets actions, and stopping in shock. As the object hits the bottom of the bin I stopped the music, this then made the clip silent while the vet turns round and notices Sheila, and awkwardly waves at her. Although it's a heartbreaking scene, it fits with the music until the music stops, and it then becomes comedic.
I looked into a few mockumentaries, such as Cunk On Britain, Come Fly With Me and The Office and they all contain the same common editing technique of holding reaction shots. This inspired me to use this method to help maintain the comedy through the less exciting, more conversational scenes.
This technique worked really well during the consultation scene as we see the vet examining Coco where he puts the stethoscope on the dogs back, after this odd move from the vet I cut to Sheila to see the confusion in her face, he then proceeds to sniff the dog, which again I cut back to Sheila to see even more confusion on her face. The method also worked later on in the consultation because we watch the vet drawing something on a notepad, all we hear is the marker noise on the paper, while he's drawing I cut from him to Sheila about four times. The fact he is drawing for this long, allowing me to cut back to Sheila this many times is amusing, her facial expressions of even more confusion add to the comedy as well.
As the editor of this project, my aim was to bring the comedic elements in the mockumentary to screen, otherwise VET-MAN could come across as a serious documentary about a vet who is very bad at his job. I think I have brought humour to the final piece, as I have had a few people watch it and genuinely laugh. I think this can confirm that I have achieved my aim.
