IAC DISCUSSION FORUMS

At recent festivals (UNICA, Cotswold and Guernsey) I've noticed that many
movies keep the music running long after the credits have finished rolling.
It seems more prevalent on work from other European countries - UK entrants
tend to wind up images and sound together, usually on a suitable ending in
the music.

Am I being unusually anal in preferring a neat ending when sound and vision
combine to give the message "the film is over, you can cheer now!"???

Dave (Tah-rah!) Watterson

"Dave Watterson" <forums@theiac.org.uk> wrote:

At recent festivals (UNICA, Cotswold and Guernsey) I've noticed that many
movies keep the music running long after the credits have finished rolling.
It seems more prevalent on work from other European countries - UK entrants
tend to wind up images and sound together, usually on a suitable ending
in
the music.

Am I being unusually anal in preferring a neat ending when sound and vision
combine to give the message "the film is over, you can cheer now!"???

Dave (Tah-rah!) Watterson

Dave you are, as usual, spot on. I always think that a neat ending with visuals
and audio syncronised and matched is the only way to end a film.

"Michael Slowe" <michael.slowe@btinternet.com> wrote:

Dave you are, as usual, spot on. I always think that a neat ending with
visuals
and audio syncronised and matched is the only way to end a film.

"It ain't necessarily so...?"
One can imagine a film ending on, say, a churchyard with the bell tolling.

Fade out image to black but hold the audio toll for a further X seconds
on a black screen.
Or conversely, say, the dying hero is faded out on audio whilst the
silent picture is held for a further X seconds.
Either way has possibilities, so the only way to end is not always
visual and audio synched and matched surely. Rules are there to be
broken in the right hands.

Albert...right handed.

Of course you are right, Albert. There are occasions when sound and vision
do not need to end together ... but these are clearly intentional. What
niggles me is when the music just seems to wander on forever after the credits
have rolled ... or is cut-off in mid bar.

On the other hand too fussy a conclusion can seem trite and over-produced.

There is a part of me that always wants things to end with what I think vaudevilleans
called a "bump" - something which lets the audience know that they can now
applaud. I hate speeches that peter out and no one is sure they are over
until the person sits down in an awkward silence. School and college stage
shows, amateur bands etc are often much the same ... they bring things coasting
gently to a conclusion and just fade out ... leaving an audience (that may
have loved it and be eager to cheer), unsure if they can clap yet.

I like movies which make it utterly clear they have reached the end - before
the mundanity of credits. If I feel like applauding the film, I want to
know when.

Dave (ta ta ta rah) Watterson ("I thank you!")