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Round V
34-38 Another sequence of shots preparatory to firing the gun. Cut very fast ; mainly close shots of seamen's hands handling parts of the gun.
Various commands (off).
39
Officers watching.
Sight-setter : (off) Fire !
40
L.S. Submarine surfacing.
Loud explosion.
41
L.S. Cone of water thrown up by the shell.
Loud explosion.
42
As in 40.
Loud explosion.
43
As in 41.
Loud explosion.
44
As in 40.
Loud explosion.
45
Explosion in distance.
Loud explosion.
46
As in 40.
Loud explosion.
47
As in 45.
Loud explosion.
48
Control Officer on right, other sailors on left.
Control Officer :
Check, Check, Check Sigbt-setter :
Check, Check, Check
49-50
Sailors moving about.
Calm music starts.
51
Control Officer facing camera.
Control Officer :
Cease fire ! Music continues.
Ft. fr. 7 13
2 I
1 5
I
2 3
I
I
2 9 2 15
2 7 I 10
Merchant Seamen was made during the war and was designed to convince merchant sailors of the importance of learning gunnery as a means of defence against submarines. Intended to be viewed by experts, it was essential that the details of procedure should be faithfully rendered and that the " lesson " should not be too obviously planted. This meant, among other things, that the gun had to be shown firing several times before the submarine was hit — as, of course, would normally happen. Out of this necessity arises the overall editing pattern of the sequence.
The cycle of operations leading up to the firing is shown three times and implied twice more, before the submarine is finally hit. Having to show the action five times brought with it another problem : clearly, to be effective, the shooting drill must be quickly and efficiently carried out and must therefore be shown swiftly in the film. On the other hand, for dramatic reasons, the pace of the sequence as a whole has to increase towards the climax. This difficulty was overcome by showing the five operations not only at a different pace but in a completely different manner.
130