Here’s RAIDERS editor Michael Kahn discussing the challenges he faced in cutting this scene: Keep your eyes open, it is used everywhere…now that you know what to look for. It can be written, planned, storyboarded, practised, shot and edited. Every writer, producer, director, actor, cinematographer and editor can learn something from “cutting in camera”. Is it sloppy and loose with unclear visuals? Can you make out the geography of an action scene? Does it look like they rolled 4 cameras and just cut tiny chunks together from vast piles of footage? Challenge yourself and your craft. Try to say more with less and watch closely the next time you view any movie. In your own work, try storyboarding or choosing the essential shots needed before you shoot, to make a scene work. Spielberg succeeds in designing and capturing the nuances of motion for the deliberate actions he is filming. This allows for greater control of each element resulting in quicker staging and lighting of each shot. Lastly, you will notice that 11 of the 12 shots are close-ups. The sum is larger than the parts…and they reveal Indy’s character. Alone they are static, simple and effective…but cut together (by Michael Kahn) they flow seamlessly and gain momentum. Each shot is a stand-alone piece that can only work when edited in rapid succession. Those 12 shots reveal his alertness, intelligence, agility, compassion, and fearlessness without uttering a syllable. Spielberg uses 12 shots in 16 seconds to reveal the essence of Indiana Jones without saying a word.

Arc raiders of the lost ark