Merlin Notes

merlin notes - editing


There's a lot of intercutting throughout the whole sequence, especially in the fight scene between Merlin and the Prince - a lot of close up, slow motion shots of the weapon hitting the fruit give impact and show the strengthof the Prince compared to Merlin.
At the begininning of the sequence there is a pan shot of Merlin's perspective entering the  bedroom to show his curiosity of a place unknown to him, it is then a straight cut to the lady walking along so you know he's going to get caught by her - you can see by her clothing that she is of higher status. Also in this scene, when the lady is looking at herself in the mirror you see from her perspective, an old lady in the mirror - the facial expressions and movement have been swiftly edited as if it's her moving as the old woman. This gives the audience a use of dramatic irony because they know something that the other characters don't - this also intregues the audience to the lady's character.

When the scene changed to the market, you can see that Merlin fits right in with this class, the panning shot lets you see that he is on the same level as the stool runners. A shallow depth of field is used with Merlin's confrontation to the Prince, so the audience will focus on Merlin's facial expressions and what he's saying. There is also an over shoulder- shot reverse shot between merlin and the Prince to show that the Prince always has someone watching his back and Merlin just has someone watching him. Half way through the fight scene it cuts to the old wizard in the tower looking down on his apprentice (like father to son) this also shows his significance and that he'll be of importance later on in the sequence.
In the final scene there is a two man shot of the old wizard and Merlin having an argument, the camera does a tracking shot whilst they walk in and discuss what just happened, the camera shot keeps on the old man's eye level to show that he's in power at this moment in time.



Extra notes:
1st scene, music is mysterious.
Props in the woman's bedroom; flowers, beads etc.
Pace of the editing.
Pans round the room so he sees what he's looking at.
juxtapostition onto the Lady walking down the hall.
purple connotes royalty, riches.
music is choir like.
length of shot is longer. zooms in.
dialogue, 'what are you doing in here?' he has no right to be there.
music hits a sting and ends
she has more time on screen.
match on action.
high angle shot of him in the court yeard (looking down on him)
re-establishing pan shot at eye level to show he fits in to the market.
mise en scene, natrual cheaper materials. these structures are weaker
people are dressed in lower class, lots to show that tehre's more poor people
two men dressed in cloaks to show binary opposition
crowd noise is silent because merlin is insulting someone above their status.
the fact that he doesn't have his own weapon shows he's not skilled
sarcasm 'my lord' happy to be cheeky
shows merlin doesn't care that Arthur is on a higher level than him because it's an eyeline shot
Arthur stands on something higher to show he's higher
upbeat jolly music, you know it's not a serious fight; just boys playing.
cuts to Guyus to show us that he's important
wearing glasses and reading a book; experienced and wise.
exstreme close up of his eye shows that no one knows he has this power. (almost a direct mode of address)
uses and crate and a rope (lower class objects) to protect himself - Arthur useds a big weapon.
non-diegetic 'poinging' of the rope, to reinforce that it's boys having fun.
Merlin looking at something in the crowd then point of view looking at the teacher.
lighting is darker in the shack than in the castle to show the status.