Deconstruction: Editing

Deconstruction of Editing: 'The Possession'

In the opening scene of 'The Possession' various use of editing techniques have been used to make the scene more engaging and help make it flow better.
At first, we see a drag shot of the pictures on the wall, and then eventually the woman staring at her fireplace where there is a match on action shot as the camera shot changes to a medium close up of the woman's face. The continuity of the woman staring at her fireplace implies that the plot revolves around the brown box which she is looking at.
In the first one minute twenty there are no jump cuts as everything is done in stages with the use of linear narrative which would suggest that the scene is highlighting the woman's deterioration, for example, we see the woman walk over to her cassette player and put in a tape, however, in the final minute the pace of the scene begins to quicken as there is a jump cut from when she pulls her hair out and her walking to the box with a hammer giving the effect of urgency.
In the final stages, more events begin to happen which are more dramatic, compared to the first half of the opening because we begin to see cross cutting of the woman, as well as what appears to be her son parking his car which has been used to build tension which is then released when the woman has a 'stroke' but could arguably be caused by the possessed box as she is thrown around the room and beaten to death. Before the action scene happens the woman plays a cassette tape which is of a slow pace playing calming music, however the whispering voice before the woman's 'stroke' makes the room go silent before playing non diegetic music which is fast paced and loud to signify action. The camera shots are more fast paced as well as the sound as there are frequent cutaways by interrupting the action scene with references to her son outside the house which also highlights the action scene because it's generic for action to be fast paced, loud and violent.