~ Cutting To Soundtrack ~

Finally, lets talk about cutting to soundtrack.

       Cutting to soundtrack, is a technique used to help the editing pace of a film, by cutting depending on the soundtrack or music playing in the scene. Each cut is inspired by the style of music heard in the background of that scene. It attracts the audience attention as they are curious to when the scene is going to cut next in the same rhythm of the music. It also creates intensity to the viewer by cutting on the music's beat,  it makes the scene more intense whether its a slow or fast song. It engages the audience to watch like they are watching a music video, to watch how it cuts to each beat and what the shots will each show.

     An action film may use a fast up beat song in one of their scenes, and cut to every beat. Making the pace of the film faster and to entertain the audience more by using the music to cut to and look more effective on screen with the music, impressing the audience for them to continue watching what happens in each scene.

    Or if its a drama or romantic movie, they may use a slow song in one of their scenes, an cut gently to the music in the scene. Which may slow down the pace of the film. This will intrigued the audience as watching the emotional scene, being able to understand it more being less cuts at a slow pace. When it does cut it is to the music, which will impress the audience and will be persuaded to carry on watching the scene due to it slowly cutting to the beat not knowing where it is going to cut next and what shot it will cut to.

    An example in a scene of a film that uses cutting to soundtrack is Fast and Furious; released n 2001. The scene uses an intense upbeat song that the scene cuts to mostly every beat or change in tune of the song. It brings up the intensity of the film, which engages the audience to keep watching, impressed by the way it cuts to the beat. Making the editing more entertaining then random cuts placed in a scene to change the angle of the shot placed in the scene.

         The purpose of this technique; cutting to soundtrack is to create pace. Depending on what style of music is used in the scene, cutting to the music will create a certain pace for that scene. Being a fast song, the pace will be fast, more cuts will be used and will create more suspense for the audience using lots of jump cuts. Or if a slow song is use in a scene, that will slow down the pace of the scene. Giving the audience time to emotionally understand the scene and concentrate on the scene more being less jump cuts to interrupt and change the scene for the viewers. It also engages the viewer by entertaining them more cutting to the beat of the music in the scene. Making it seem like a music video, but staying with the narrative of the film. It is also in relationship to genre. If its an action movie, it will commonly use fast songs that will increase the intensity of the film by cutting to it. Or if its a sad film or romantic film, it will use a slow song with less cuts to make the audience understand each scene and be able to connect with the event or character, by using less cuts to interrupt them.

     Another example of a film using cutting to soundtrack, is the opening scene for the film Sucker Punch; released in 2011. The scene cuts to the beat in this opening scene, but also to the rhythm changes in the song as well. As both the girls mother dies and they attend the funeral, the song starts slow, showing this horror happening and cutting less in these scenes as the song starts slow. It gives time for the audience to understand what has happened and have an impact from it. After the funeral the father finds out that in her will the mother left all her money and ownings to her daughters, which makes him angry. At that moment the tempo of the song turns faster and more louder, which includes more jump cuts being used as the scene gets more intense. The song gets faster as he decides to try kill his daughters, in order to get the money his wife left. He manage to kill the youngest one, but the oldest daughter turns it around and holds a gun to him. The song at this point is at its fastest, more cuts are used and engages the viewer to see if she kills him. Making the audience intrigued in what is going to happen. But the song turns slow again, as she decides she cant do it and starts to run away, which results in less cuts being used at this point, showing her running away from the mass in tears slowly. This creates an impact to the audience and gets them to understand what has just happened, and the emotional state the main character is now in because of her father. This scene was very effective in using this technique, using a song that has fast and slow elements, being able to use the elements at the proper moments. The song would go slow when something upsetting is  happening or showing how emotional a character is. Then the song would go fast when the event would get more intense or an action segment in the scene was about to happen. The scene impacting the audience in an effective way using the song for help.