Making and Editing Spirited Away

This is an edited version of the opening of the film which claims to be the original Japanese version.

What has been changed ?

Miyazaki is the director but he had a large team of animators, sound producers and artists working for him at Studio Ghibli.

If you edit footage together in a different way then meaning can be altered.

The film version that we study has been edited with a slow pace to establish characters, narrative and setting.

Continuity editing has been used to support the audience’s understanding narrative and the strange world that the spirits inhabit.

In contrast to the more familiar low-budget anime Miyazaki kept a higher frame rate (30fps) as opposed to the more commonly used 24 frames per second.

Each frame is hand made so the film is incredibly well crafted with teams of people working on the animation.

This clip will explain some of the methods used to make the film.

and here is part 2

One of your focus scenes is the first six minutes. We will analyse these closely in class. You will be expected to write about the opening in the exam.

The exam board have given you some pointers about areas to focus on;

Cinematography (including Lighting) 

• High angle mid shot (MS) of Chihiro in the back of the car denoting her place within the family as a child/female.
• Camera movement changes as they enter the forest reflecting the importance of the setting and the change in narrative.
• Sequence One contains lots of establishing shots of a modern, westernised and urban Japan that contrasts with establishing shots of the nostalgic bathhouse/spirit world later in the film. Low angle shots from within the car looking out, positioning the audience with Chihiro.
• Daylight signifies safety and the lowering sun and casting shadows and signifying danger. A traditional fantasy/horror trope.