Category: editing

Carrick – Blog Post 3 (Time Frames)

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Carrick

Scott McCloud’s discussion of time in comics gives an interesting lens for readers when it comes to temporal manipulation and what actually goes on in-between panels in the medium. While reading through McCloud’s visual essay I noticed that everything they talked about I already knew in the back of my mind. It’s something that comes naturally when reading a well-made comic that you never really think about what actually is going on. This concept is also used in digital cinema, though in its own variation due to the medium’s differences with comics. When comes to examples of the concept in cinema, my mind instantly goes to some of Nolan’s works.

In Inception, time operates on multiple levels within dreams, with each deeper dream state moving at a slower pace than the one above it. This creates a layered narrative where different timelines unfold simultaneously, much like how a comic page displays multiple moments at once. The film’s climax, intercutting between various dream levels, forces the audience to track multiple temporalities, echoing McCloud’s idea of fragmented yet interconnected time perception.

Memento, a personal favorite of mine, takes a different approach by reversing traditional cinematic time. The film’s structure alternates between two timelines—one moving forward in chronological order and another unfolding in reverse. This creates a disorienting yet compelling experience, as viewers must piece together the narrative much like reading comic panels out of sequence. The film’s manipulation of time challenges the audience’s perception of causality, making it an example of cinema mirroring the nonlinear possibilities of comics.

Ultimately, McCloud’s insights on temporal manipulation in comics provide a useful framework for understanding how digital cinema can experiment with time. Through innovative editing, framing, and sequencing, films like Inception and Memento reshape traditional storytelling, offering audiences new ways to experience time on screen.

Seeing how this blog post is not about a specific movie, I’ll leave you all with a special double letterboxd review segment. My old ratings for Inception & Memento! Note: I haven’t watched either in a few years now so the letterboxd ratings are lacking 🙁

– Carrick
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Inception
🧡
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Memento
⭐⭐⭐⭐ 🧡
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Carrick – Blog Post 2 (Brumes d’automne)

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Carrick

Through drastically changed images in which nature was losing its density and unity. This is how Kirsanoff described the intension of the film. I, however, simply say that it’s the story of someone spending the day in lalaland.

This is a tough rate for me because as I watched this short I found myself constantly appreciating small things about the films craft, but that’s it, just appreciating. I couldn’t get invested into anything it was trying to portray, nothing was evoked and I have a theories as to why.

The first thing I noticed as soon the grey skies entered frame was the music. Film of this era always has this kind music, the same feeling to them, and personally, I don’t like it. It feels mismatched, all these somber and dreamlike frames are being played with these high notes that just make me think of stuff completely irrelevant emotionally which lessens the impact of what’s being shown. Now, this is a clear personal issue that isn’t the films’ fault. I’m sure it’s because of how overtime these old films and that kind of music have been portrayed in recent media.

The editing or montage for this film, just didn’t hit. Like I briefly mentioned earlier, the technical side of this is great for its time. There are moments of her dissociating while looking out to the lake that I thought was brilliantly made clear through lens. I could appreciate little techniques like that because it was the story of someone just daydreaming and I’ve had many of those days myself. I noticed similarities to the state of mind between my days and this due to great creative use of the camera. Yet, when it’s all stitched together, I was left feeling . . . nothing. And as of right now I don’t have much for an answer as to why, just leads.

I’ll leave it there for now and as always leave everyone with my letterboxd review because why not.

– Carrick
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Autumn Mists
⭐⭐
Technically and creatively great. I saw
the vision and for its era it did a
great job. Just couldn’t get invested.
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Carrick – Blog Post 1 (Run Lola Run)

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Carrick

The style of Run Lola Run certainly loves to attach itself to the ideas of speed and chaos. Its constant jumping around from character to character and its high-tempo music that plays nearly the whole film sets a momentum that never dies—except for key moments that stick out due to the uniqueness of its direction. Despite its fragmented storytelling and unconventional visuals, the film manages to stay cohesive through its editing, repetition, and clear sense of urgency.

One of the main reasons the movie never loses steam is its fast-paced editing. I personally love the way the movie throws you in and just starts running, jolting the audience into a thrilling experience with no hand-holding. There was a clear sense of direction with it too, tying the speed of the story to the mind of Lola. As her mind races to find a solution, the cuts, music, and feel of the film keep up the pace, only stopping during the brief moments where Lola’s mind is preoccupied with something else. A key example is when she stands in front of the bank, just after learning the truth about her father and the lie of his real identity in her life. In that moment, as she processes this information, the urgency of the 20 minutes leaves her mind—along with the fast cuts and the intense music—leaving a longer shot sitting in silence.

The way the film manipulates time also adds to its sense of momentum. Slow-motion is used sparingly but with purpose, stretching key emotional beats to make them feel heavier. When Lola screams, for example, everything slows down, making her desperation almost tangible. On the other hand, the quick montages showing the futures of minor characters compress time, delivering entire life stories in just a few seconds. This contrast between stretched and compressed time keeps the audience engaged, making every moment feel unpredictable yet purposeful.

 

Even when time resets, the familiarity of the previous run keeps the viewer invested, eager to see what will change this time around. The high-energy techno soundtrack also plays a crucial role, acting almost like a heartbeat that drives the film forward. Lola’s constant movement—running through the streets, dodging obstacles—reinforces the sense that time is slipping away.

Ultimately, Run Lola Run is held together not by strict continuity, but by the sheer force of its pacing and storytelling. Even as it rewinds and reshapes time, it never loses sight of its central conflict, keeping the audience engaged from start to finish. The film isn’t just about Lola trying to save Manni—it’s about the endless possibilities that split-second choices create. And that’s what makes it so exciting to watch.

On a personal non-dissecting note, I felt the final third loop of the movie was a little much. The intense fast pace of everything that highlights the tiny changes in each loop is a ton of fun, but this can get boring too and I feel like it does just that in the third loop. Anyway, I leave you all with my letterbox review of the movie as these are what I consider my definitive feeling about the movie. Enjoy.

– Carrick
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Run Lola Run
⭐⭐⭐½ 🧡
So in the third loop she became God?
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Rylan Eisenhauer DTC491 One Day in 30 Seconds

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Rylan Eisenhauer

This was shot on Friday my day off from school. I hung out with my best friend Landon at his place and later met up with some other friends at Round One. We got back and played some Fortnite, went home to watch a movie before going to bed.

As sporadic as the video may be, it almost perfectly encapsulated the type of day I have with Landon. I enjoy having many segments show I just like to goof around and do random funny stuff and just like many people just relax and wind down after a long day. I made effort to try and have some connections to feed on video into another such as in the background of the skeleton video you can hear my friend playing the piano in the background and it cuts to the cat playing the piano. Another example is the shot of us doing a shocked face at Miku on his computer leading into both of us playing Fortnite in the same room. Even at the end of the video winding down, the shots within the recording room (the curtain, the movie stack, and watching the movie) are pretty close together in time to represent things slowing down at the end of the day.

Rylan Eisenhauer Blog Prompt #1 (Run Lola Run)

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Rylan Eisenhauer

Run Lola Run clearly presents itself as a more experimental exploration of continuity and the awareness of time’s flow throughout the film. I appreciated these alternative approaches and ideas, which leave viewers feeling as though they can piece together what might happen next based on subtle details introduced earlier in each new “timeline.”

The film maintains its narrative and momentum by making details from the previous “runs” impactful, altering how the characters feel or what they know about a situation. The best example of this is in the first “run,” where, at the end, Lola exclaims that she doesn’t know how a gun works, prompting Manni to tell her to take the safety off. (See the image below.)


Then, once Lola resets into a new run, we, as the audience, assume it’s a completely fresh start where she loses all the knowledge she gained the first time. However, in the scene where she threatens her father at gunpoint, he exclaims, “You don’t know how to use that.” She then proceeds to take the safety off and fire the gun with ease. At this moment, we understand the rule: Lola is almost like a video game character, learning from previous attempts and failures. (See the image below.)

This film drips with intensity and suspense, with time being the most crucial factor at play. Each decision Lola makes could either help her save Manni or, as we see in other scenarios, lead to his or her death. The importance of time also permeates other aspects of the film, such as the recurring presence of the number 20. Lola has exactly 20 minutes to reach Manni before he robs a bank, marking a near “no turning back” point. The number 20 also appears as the one she bets on in roulette.

Each decision in the film feels deliberate and is captured in a way that keeps the audience on edge. The use of slow motion in moments when a character dies, nearly achieves their goal, or experiences something impactful is particularly effective. This technique complements the film’s alternative visual style, such as the use of animation when Lola runs down the stairs. The animated sequence ensures Lola remains visible in every frame, effectively portraying both her speed and the urgency fueled by adrenaline.

Another notable detail about the animation is the depiction of the staircase. The bottom is never shown, and the animation loops several times, creating the illusion that Lola isn’t getting any closer to the end. This choice emphasizes the immense distance she must cover to save Manni, further heightening the tension.

As a final thought from my first viewing, I found myself questioning the point of the flashback changes for the minor characters Lola bumps into. While it is intriguing to see how their lives unfold differently based on small changes, it doesn’t significantly alter how Lola interacts with them. Perhaps another watch of the film would help me better understand those segments. That said, the rest of the film was highly entertaining, and I enjoyed feeling involved in piecing together how the “rules” of the film worked.

-Rylan Eisenhauer

Rylan Eisenhauer Test Post Assignment 1/7/2025

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Rylan Eisenhauer

My name is Rylan Eisenhauer. For most of my life, I have had a strong interest in both video production and consumption.

I was drawn to video media through shows and cartoons I watched as a child. I consumed various formats, including live-action, 2D animation, 3D animation, stop-motion, and more. I never had a strong preference for one type over another, and I believe that open-mindedness helped me enjoy many forms of content.

The big leap into my passion for video came when I learned from my childhood best friend about running a YouTube channel. I was inspired to start uploading a series of gaming videos by simply recording TV and computer monitors that we used to play games on. For a couple of years, it stayed in this “simple” format until around 2019, when I rebranded myself as “Bunkatron” (my current YouTube channel).

The style of my videos leans more toward quick-cut comedy, working to keep audiences entertained throughout while also including important early setups for future bits. Below is a favorite scripted video of mine, which I hope to pursue further in this class. It’s called “Meet Team Bunkatron,” where my YouTube team and I created a mock interview comedy segment, as if my co-host and I were interviewing them, asking funny questions with random responses.

I picked this video because it was fun to poke fun at those clichéd introductory videos you often see at starter jobs. It was enjoyable to combine multiple comedic styles by having each member play a “character” version of themselves while also giving glimpses into who they are and what they enjoy. This video is also listed as my “channel trailer,” as I believe it is a great way to be introduced to who we are, what to expect, and to have a good laugh.

-Rylan Eisenhauer