Camera work, or character trait?

[LMFAOschwarz]

I always enjoyed those scenes where Kirk would be interjected between shots of two interacting characters, silently reacting to the interaction. It sort of gave a feeling of the "wheels turning in his head" regarding them.











Now, I've wondered if this is specifically portraying an inquisitive, thoughtful character trait on Kirk's part? I don't seem to recall that done with other characters, on a regular basis anyway. For all I know (which would probably fill a thimble) it's a common, portray-the-hero film technique, and I've just not really noticed it in other shows.

What are little Girls Made Of? is one of my favorites in this regard. Actually, there's a lot of pretty sophisticated eye movement in close-ups in that one.

 

[Melakon]

It's a combination of both I think. Shatner's pretty skilled with his bag of tricks, and knew the importance of reacting to what's happening in a scene. He was also aware of how to use lighting to his advantage.

In "Little Girls", watch his reaction when Ruk is killed, and the opportunity he hoped for slips away.

And the film editors deserve credit for selecting just the right shot for the moment.

 

[LMFAOschwarz]

In "Little Girls", watch his reaction when Ruk is killed, and the opportunity he hoped for slips away.

Yeah, that's a good one!

I also like his reaction to Sulu's sword tip in The Naked Time.

 

[BillJ]

I've always believed that Shatner's work on TOS was criminally underrated.

 

[Bixby]

I've always believed that Shatner's work on TOS was criminally underrated.

Agreed...I looked at a few season one episodes this week, and his performance in The Corbomite Maneuver is awesome. Great acting and reactions all around...

He is also terribly underestimated. I found a recent video where Vic Mignona from Star Trek Continues tried to do a comparison acting piece recreating the famous KHAAAAAANNN screaming bit from, of course, WRATH OF KHAN. When you see Shatner do his, you can totally feel the rage and frustration building up as he spits at Khan by communicator, then releases that famous yell...

Sorry to say, but while Mignona acted the lines ok, you just don't believe he emoted, that he lived the anger as well as Shatner did...

Sure, Shatner has his actor quirks, but so does Al Pacino (oooh-whaaa! ) but nobody gives him half as much grief...

 

[Melakon]

My appreciation of Shatner's work on the show increased once VCRs were available and I started my habit of rewinding individual scenes repeatedly. I underrated him during the 60s when I was a teenager. Once I started taping the episodes 20 years later, he was my favorite actor to watch in the show for all the subtleties.

In the opening teaser for "Mirror, Mirror", there's a reaction shot of him as Spock is torturing Kyle, and Kirk moves forward ever so slightly, wanting to intervene.

 

[A beaker full of death]

Those are reaction shots, shot later, sometimes with the action of the scene re-created, often not. It's the editor who splices them in to tell the story at that point; it's really his handiwork that sells it as a legitimate reaction to what's happening.

 

[urbandefault]

I've always believed that Shatner's work on TOS was criminally underrated.

This, and all of his subsequent work as well.

 

[LMFAOschwarz]

Re-watching Mirror, Mirror as we speak.

While Mirror Spock is talking to Kirk about how their missions together have been "successful and profitable", There's this really interesting look Kirk is giving him. Wordless, yet speaking volumes...



And yeah, you guys are right about the film editors.

 

[Melakon]

I don't know how they do the reaction shots exactly. They might be getting the lines fed to them, or maybe they just randomly change expressions as the director or script supervisor describes the scene. Sometimes they might even be using two cameras, one for the master shot, and the other focused on someone within the scene.

 

[LMFAOschwarz]

This isn't directly related to the topic, but since I just referenced Mirror, Mirror, I'll bring it up anyway.

Just amazing...after watching the show for virtually my whole life, there are still things that pop up that I never noticed before!

I'd been so busy watching the actors in this scene, it went unnoticed to me until tonight that Kirk had that transporter panel removed, and was tinkering with the interior mechanism. Kirk's nonchalant, dum-de-dum way of putting the panel back in place so Mirror Spock wouldn't notice apparently fooled me, too! I had always just taken it that he was fiddling with buttons!

 

[Melakon]

Those two guys played off each other so well, it was great to have an episode where they were working against each other.

 

[AgentCoop]

One of my favorite Shatner moments is his reaction to David's death in SFS. Very visceral and emotional. You can really feel Kirk's loss.

 

[spockboy]

"It's the editor who splices them in to tell the story at that point; it's really his handiwork that sells it as a legitimate reaction to what's happening"

Agreed, the editor sets the rhythm and pace which is very important, even vital. However, as an editor myself I have needed material to work with, and at times, have had to improvise due to a lack of decent material (acting) in the scene. Shatner's remarkable range of subtle facial expressions would actually make my job so much easier, and more fun. Shatner's skill becomes a very useful tool for the editor to tell the story without all of that unnecessary dialogue and exposition. And the great thing about this kind of film making is that it is so subtle, when you catch it, you feel like you are the only one who saw it, and instantly your emotional investment in the story becomes more intimate for you, the viewer because you feel like you and the character have shared a moment of communication. Just like when a friend gives you a look during a conversation, and only you and he are part of that communication. (No CGI required

Spockboy

 

[Melakon]

There's another moment in that Kyle torture scene that I love, and it's definitely all due to the editing.

Spock moves toward Kyle with the agonizer, Steiner's Black Ship Theme starts again, Kyle cries out, Kirk reacts, wanting to do something, cut to McCoy, Scott, and Uhura's reactions. Uhura turns away in horror right on one of the timpani beats, Scott reacts to her.

I'm going to have to watch it again now, I've not viewed it in 5 days.