Cinematography

The OC - Marissa's Death (Season 3 Finale) 0-3.32 mins http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aQfAjD5sdR4 The episode begins with a high angle pan of the car moving towards the start of the tunnel, then straight cuts to a CU of the actresses face. There is then a shot reverse shot whilst some dialogue is said between the actors. Another straight cut leads to a LS of the Orange County sign with the car entering from the right side of the frame, resulting in another pan which stays on level with the sign and cuts to a CU of the actress face again. The CU of her face along with the orange/red tint connotes danger and how she feels towards the car crashing into them. The following car zooms towards the camera and there is then a MS track of the two cars colliding.

After more shot reverse shots from the actors in both cars the CU of the actress face represents her worry and anger. The camera swerves with the direction of the two cars and this mirrors the shot reverse shot between the actors. A low angle shot where the camera remains still whilst the cars split to exit the opposite sides of the frame, creates tension as to what will happen next. Then there is a P.O.V shot as the car exits the road and goes towards the trees, the camera then flips along with the car as it rolls down the hill. A hand-held camera zooms in on the actors face as he climbs out of the car and rises. A fade of the actors face as the camera focuses on the leaking petrol framed to the left of the actor, making it look more superior to him, representing his fear and concern for both of them in the scene. A HA 2 shot then cuts to a CU of the car fading into a LS.

A MS, 2 shot camera track of him carrying her away from the car represents his care and the explosion of the car behind them both shows how they have overcome it but with him being smaller than the fire in the left of the frame represents how the fire has managed to gain superiority, mirroring the petrol also being framed left, and take away parts of him, e.g. the car and the girl, this hierarchy is shown by him falling to his knees.

Editing in The O.C Season 3. Episode 17: The Journey

Marissas perspective

This scene is shown mainly through Marissas perspective, but cross cuts back to Ryans perspective, linking the two different settings and storylines together. There are various POV shots used with a slow zoom to reinforce Marissas perspective whilst she is analysing the Mansion that looks familiar. The POV shot turns to a shot of the same location a couple of years before through a filtered lense creating a minimalistic contrast to indicate she is having a flashback, recounting events that happened at the scenes location in previous episodes.

Ryans perspective

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t9xUzZ_s5Gg

Editing in The O.C Season 3. Episode 17: The Journey

When Marissa is speaking to Volchok reverse cutting is used from over the shoulder shots to represent they are having a conversation, this is a typical melodrama and soap convention which is commonly used when different characters are communicating.

reverse cutting

Marissas Flashback
A flashback isnt a typical soap convention as its seen as unrealistic and dream like therefore it is more likely to be found in a Melodrama. The non continuity editing creates a non linear narrative, giving the viewer a deeper insight into the character, dramatizing the plot which is a typical convention of melodrama.

Marissas Flashback
When Marissa comes to the realisation of why she recognises the mansion, a non diegetic minor key soundtrack starts and a slow pan zoom from underneath Marissa slowly zooms in to a close up of her face to amplify her emotions, contrasting well with the sad minor key music, which is perhaps playing in her head, symbolising memories that occurred at the mansion in previous episodes. There is a cross cut back to Ryan who is playing the song on a mixtape made by Marissa. The sound bridging links the two story lines together indicating that there is a connection between the two characters, perhaps that they were once in a relationship.

cross cutting

Marissas Flashback
Post Marissas realisation, an increasing amount of fast cuts and cross cuts are used, which refer back to the location at present, as well as in the past to enhance how all the memories are suddenly coming back to her, dramatizing the scene . Non diegetic sounds of past conversations are edited in and begin to bridge between the cross cuts of the flashback and at present, the sound of the conversations are slightly amplified and gradually they begin to sound echoed indicating Marissa is mentally finding the situation extremely overwhelming.