How the Coen Brothers Edit for Dialog Scenes

October 17, 2016, 18:36 PM

http://nofilmschool.com/2016/02/how-pull-off-coen-...

Because, you know, someone putting a guy through a wood chipper is not actually funny, but for some damn reason when the Coens do it — with that stupid leg hanging out — it's comedic genius! Well, there is a method to their madness, namely in how they shoot dialog. Their approach to filming these classic shot/reverse shot sequences is explained in this video essay by Tony Zhou, from which we've highlighted the 5 things that the directors do to create that carnivalesque, "I'm terrified, but I'm laughing" feeling that's present in all of their films.