tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4784665635104956142.post8569218825303615046..comments2024-03-13T06:28:44.715-04:00Comments on And So It Begins...: Jaws: A Visual Essay on Why Continuity Doesn’t MatterAlex Withrowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15887018476048271594noreply@blogger.comBlogger36125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4784665635104956142.post-17905278622623383772022-08-17T13:14:45.327-04:002022-08-17T13:14:45.327-04:00Yep that was my whole intention with this: If the ...Yep that was my whole intention with this: If the sequence is done well enough (as this one clearly is), then minor continuity issues don't matter at all.Alex Withrowhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15887018476048271594noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4784665635104956142.post-20249594599260488802022-07-20T13:53:14.329-04:002022-07-20T13:53:14.329-04:00I agree. Is conjuncture is wrong in several instan...I agree. Is conjuncture is wrong in several instances. The famous shot he talks about; the sharks point of view, was shot in Catalina not in a tank. When she’s thrashing about again, it’s in the ocean of a Martha’s Vineyard not in a tank. You can see pictures of her with the harness on on the beach. So I agree, it’s shot beautifully and continuity can be discountedAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4784665635104956142.post-62612987978717660602022-01-11T11:14:42.588-05:002022-01-11T11:14:42.588-05:00Ha! Amen! But I promise, this 8-year-old post came...Ha! Amen! But I promise, this 8-year-old post came from a place of deep love.Alex Withrowhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15887018476048271594noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4784665635104956142.post-45112258032685910732022-01-11T02:00:08.239-05:002022-01-11T02:00:08.239-05:00Good grief!! Talk about over analyzing a beautiful...Good grief!! Talk about over analyzing a beautifully shot sequence. Nerd alert. Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05934543275294671726noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4784665635104956142.post-75144486240817581682016-07-13T20:22:12.812-04:002016-07-13T20:22:12.812-04:00Thanks! Wow, that is such a good point you make ab...Thanks! Wow, that is such a good point you make about that Quint/machete moment. I never looked at it like that before. Very interesting.Alex Withrowhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15887018476048271594noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4784665635104956142.post-26715892210841445222016-07-13T20:21:20.236-04:002016-07-13T20:21:20.236-04:00Yep, makes sense. Mostly all day for night photogr...Yep, makes sense. Mostly all day for night photography. Loved reading that quote - thanks!Alex Withrowhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15887018476048271594noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4784665635104956142.post-80273767904074755452016-07-11T06:46:18.685-04:002016-07-11T06:46:18.685-04:00Also, excellent visual essay. The continuity of li...Also, excellent visual essay. The continuity of light and ocean on the Orca in the final third of the film is almost worse somehow, but, again, your conclusion is right: the shots, narrative, editing and music work together and give us a story so compelling visually and otherwise, it doesn't matter. In fact, some of the discontinuity is even weirdly right—like the shot of Quint impaling his machete into the gunwale of the Orca, with a totally placid ocean behind it. It's like a different time and space, that moment. I think it works, especially considering what Quint will do with that machete before he dies.Joseph Charles https://www.blogger.com/profile/02849704279926794392noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4784665635104956142.post-74636963591150003292016-07-11T06:39:34.007-04:002016-07-11T06:39:34.007-04:00Just wanted to point out that none of the early sc...Just wanted to point out that none of the early screenplays have the shark appear in this sequence. And from everything I've read, the shark was not going to be used in this opening shot at all. Spielberg has said in an interview that he could have had the shark appear, but ultimately that wouldn't have been as frightening. It seems that from the beginning it was decided no shark would be seen attacking Chrissie. The shark wasn't even on set when they filmed this, so it was not a question of it not working correctly, either. Spielberg's intention, then, seemed to be that he never wanted to show the shark here.<br /><br />Also, Backlinie states in Jaws: Memories from Martha's Vineyard: "The only shot we actually filmed at night was the one of me swimming out toward the buoy. That was the only time I was in the water alone, without the crew, and I hate that! Ironically, I've never liked being in the water on a dark beach."<br /><br />So, take that for what it's worth. Joseph Charles https://www.blogger.com/profile/02849704279926794392noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4784665635104956142.post-91936525142315981562014-08-26T13:25:29.187-04:002014-08-26T13:25:29.187-04:00Yep, exactly. That's just what I was getting a...Yep, exactly. That's just what I was getting at - if done well, continuity is really a non issue. Thanks for reading and commenting!Alex Withrowhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15887018476048271594noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4784665635104956142.post-72082778269604037762014-08-25T15:25:37.492-04:002014-08-25T15:25:37.492-04:00I agree with what thevoid99 said, "Continuity...I agree with what thevoid99 said, "Continuity at times, is overrated"<br />Jaws is one of my all time favourite films, and I think that whole opening scene is incredible despite the continuity issues. Lights Camera Reactionhttp://lightscamerareaction.co.uknoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4784665635104956142.post-12250094511717135312014-08-22T18:22:21.226-04:002014-08-22T18:22:21.226-04:00Thanks buddy! Glaring ones definitely drive me bon...Thanks buddy! Glaring ones definitely drive me bonkers too, but Spielberg is usually pretty good at getting away with it. I don't think I'd have the stones to shoot something that so obviously doesn't match!Alex Withrowhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15887018476048271594noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4784665635104956142.post-83230001827905717022014-08-22T13:06:05.776-04:002014-08-22T13:06:05.776-04:00Awesome work here man! Glaring continuity errors d...Awesome work here man! Glaring continuity errors drive me crazy, but it works so well in this case for all the reasons you mentioned. I should rewatch this now!Joshhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08596682195753811295noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4784665635104956142.post-86767326068060613402014-08-12T14:17:20.394-04:002014-08-12T14:17:20.394-04:00Thanks! It definitely drives me crazy sometimes to...Thanks! It definitely drives me crazy sometimes too. Especially when it's so obvious. But yeah, in great films, we're hopefully too invested in the story to care.Alex Withrowhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15887018476048271594noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4784665635104956142.post-59058760505309495412014-08-12T14:15:53.082-04:002014-08-12T14:15:53.082-04:00Oh continuity is so very important, no question. I...Oh continuity is so very important, no question. I can think of no great filmmaker who freely says, "Ah, fuck continuity. Do anything!" But if it <i>does</i> slip through in great films, it's so easily forgivable. <br /><br />I haven't seen Inherit the Wind in years, but I definitely never noticed the jumping around of the fossil. So funny how that works. And I really need to give that one another watch. Thanks so much for the comment.Alex Withrowhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15887018476048271594noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4784665635104956142.post-41004967776210220842014-08-12T14:13:33.516-04:002014-08-12T14:13:33.516-04:00Thanks man! So glad you liked it. Also very thrill...Thanks man! So glad you liked it. Also very thrilled to hear that I could educate you on the day-for-night stuff, always fun to fuse some technique into the posts. And I honestly hadn't watched Jaws in <i>years</i> before this post. But I just decided to pop in my DVD, and it flew on by. That one never gets old.Alex Withrowhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15887018476048271594noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4784665635104956142.post-35210050696063849302014-08-12T14:09:52.965-04:002014-08-12T14:09:52.965-04:00Four to six times a year?! Richard, you're a b...Four to six times a <i>year</i>?! Richard, you're a beast. That's awesome man. I have a few films that I watch several times a year - I'm so indebted to them and what they do for me, but I suppose that's cause for another essay.<br /><br />Back to Jaws, I loved your explanation of this scene. You have such a clear and informed insight into the sequence, and I just love that stuff. I did want to make mention of that Jurassic Park scene, but I couldn't find room for it. But that too is another great example. And you're right, I don't think I noticed that Jurassic Park error until at least my tenth viewing of that film.Alex Withrowhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15887018476048271594noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4784665635104956142.post-64169426018063930512014-08-12T14:05:50.321-04:002014-08-12T14:05:50.321-04:00Thanks buddy! So happy so many of you understood t...Thanks buddy! So happy so many of you understood the overall point I was driving out. If the execution is there, continuity is moot.Alex Withrowhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15887018476048271594noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4784665635104956142.post-55081349213239711072014-08-12T09:40:18.520-04:002014-08-12T09:40:18.520-04:00I have to admit, sometimes continuity drives me nu...I have to admit, sometimes continuity drives me nuts (like when people's hair are in different positions when they cut from one shot to the other) but you're right about it not mattering in this instance. Honestly, I never even noticed this before. Great post!Brittani Burnhamhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07975067259283007280noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4784665635104956142.post-79221336141586077152014-08-11T20:58:53.170-04:002014-08-11T20:58:53.170-04:00I think you're right here. Continuity is still...I think you're right here. Continuity is still important (my opinion), but it's hardly critical or the most important part of a scene.<br /><br />One of my favorite classics is Inherit the Wind. So much of that film hinges on the courtroom battle, and specifically the verbal exchange between the Fredric March and Spencer Tracy characters toward the end. It wasn't until the fourth or fifth time I watched that I noticed the fossil Spencer Tracy brings in as evidence jumps between his hands and the judge's desk at pivotal moments. I was too busy focusing on the dialogue and the performances to care about the placement of a prop. It wasn't until I knew the scene so well that I noticed that issue.SJHoneywellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13550007053995112090noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4784665635104956142.post-52010448500069640552014-08-11T19:21:17.788-04:002014-08-11T19:21:17.788-04:00Bravo, good sir. This is truly an amazing post. It...Bravo, good sir. This is truly an amazing post. It's been years since I've watched Jaws even though I own it on DVD. Now I'll definitely be popping it in soon. As for the day for night technique, I'd heard of it, but didn't have any idea how it was achieved. Thanks for the education! Finally, I'm with you and others who say continuity is irrelevant if the story telling is good. Jaws...and Jurrasic Park are just two examples.Dellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05634519605152190304noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4784665635104956142.post-53520491922577721002014-08-11T18:13:58.728-04:002014-08-11T18:13:58.728-04:00Having watched Jaws four to six times a year for t...Having watched Jaws four to six times a year for the past twenty years, I feel like I have your back on this conclusion pretty easily. I've noticed the lighting issue repeatedly, and if the sequence is supposed to take place at dusk or early evening, why is the Sun setting in the East? It has to be set at dusk for the story to make any sense since Cassidy is passed out for a few hours and Brody is just rising when he gets the call. Also it would take a while for the crabs to start to gather on Chrissie's carcass so that also suggests an event that took place late night rather than at dawn. The inconsistency on the lighting matters not because we are transfixed in each separate scene by something that the lighting of that scene helps even if it is not in continuity. The moonlight as Chrissie is pulling off her clothes helps eroticize the moment, the sun behind the boy as he falls back on the sand lets us see his failure of energy, the shimmering day for night may be practical for shooting a stunt, but it is also magical to see the water sparkling like that supposedly at night. The overhead light from under her swimming on the surface of the water evokes a moon, even if the lighting on land would be different. Continuity matters less than the mood and atmosphere that a film maker is trying to project. All of your points about the lack of continuity in this scene are right, but for my money the most egregious continuity issue from Spielberg has nothing to do with lighting and everything to do with making a story or sequence work. In Jurassic Park, where the hell did that cliff come from in the Tyrannosaur paddock? Most people did not notice that until the tenth or twelfth time they see the movie. For the exact same reason, if the story is well told and we are caught up in it, it won't matter. Richard Kirkhamhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16428986542891346618noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4784665635104956142.post-49179056255551903162014-08-11T15:45:40.751-04:002014-08-11T15:45:40.751-04:00Great post, man! And thevoid99 is damn right for s...Great post, man! And thevoid99 is damn right for saying that continuity can be dismissed if a scene works so much. It really is all about execution. And "Jaws" is not surprisingly among the most influential films of all time.Stergiosnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4784665635104956142.post-57449048884425110512014-08-11T12:07:26.266-04:002014-08-11T12:07:26.266-04:00Yep, exactly. Give us a reason to pick apart your ...Yep, exactly. Give us a reason to pick apart your film, and we will. But reel us in with story and execution, and we're sold.Alex Withrowhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15887018476048271594noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4784665635104956142.post-85789662875329314412014-08-11T12:03:44.837-04:002014-08-11T12:03:44.837-04:00I love your last paragraph because that is somethi...I love your last paragraph because that is something I often say. If I have time enough to notice stupid errors in any film, that is because I didn't care for that film. If I was into that film, I wouldn't give a shit if buoy wasn't positioned right in two consecutive shots.SDGhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09331736603243732602noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4784665635104956142.post-87752329998109746112014-08-11T10:56:39.369-04:002014-08-11T10:56:39.369-04:00You know, funny thing is, I actually didn't ha...You know, funny thing is, I actually didn't have to pause and analyze the shots at all. Just stopped to capture some screencaps. Like you, I hadn't seen this film in many years, definitely not since I started taking myself seriously as a filmmaker. And, as a result of that, now I just notice stuff like this more. You will too, in time ;)Alex Withrowhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15887018476048271594noreply@blogger.com