See how they walk recent release put split screen editing back in the spotlight. The murder mystery film uses the technique to accentuate the emotions and the thrilling nature of the film. The style can be difficult to perform or incorporate into a movie without distracting from the rest of the movie.
Split screen editing is a technique used to display multiple camera angles at once. Most movies don’t use the technique, but some entire movies rely on split screen editing to enhance the story. Whether or not you’re familiar with split screen editing, here are some of the best examples to look at.
7/7 Pillow talk
Many may not be familiar with Doris Day’s classic movie from the late ’50s, but Pillow talk continues to teach filmmaking techniques and gives a simple yet entertaining love story. Day stars as Jan Morrow, a working woman who shares a party phone line with Brad Allen. Jan grows tired of eavesdropping on Brad’s endless conversations with his string of wives, so Brad disguises himself to try to win over Jan.
The couple mostly falls in love during their phone conversations, and split-screen editing is used to portray both characters at the same time. Even though the lovers are far apart, their presence on the screen makes it seem like they are in the same place. The split screen editing makes their conversations feel more intimate and romantic.
6/7 Down with love
In this delightful Peyton Reed movie, writer Cater Block vows to expose bestselling novelist Barbara Novak after Barbara’s book becomes a bestseller encouraging women everywhere to seek career success instead of romance. Set in the 60s, Down with love uses split screen editing to immerse the audience in the time period, especially in an excellent scene that harks back to Pillow talk.
As the two leads talk on the phone, the screen splits to include them both in the frame. The editors took this scene beyond their 60s counterparts by editing the scene in such a way that the couple puts themselves in many suggestive positions, making it seem like the couple has a lot more than a phone call.
5/7 Kill Bill
After The Bride is nearly killed on her wedding day, she wakes up years later in Kill Bill. The Bride goes on a killing spree to exact revenge on her ex-fiancé, the entire wedding party and everyone else involved.
In a particularly tense scene, a hit man arrives to kill The Bride before she wakes from her coma. The screen splits in two, showing the defenseless woman sleeping peacefully next to the vicious assassin preparing a lethal injection. Quentin Tarantino uses the advanced technique to raise the stakes and keep the crowd on the edge of their seats.
4/7 When Harry Met Sally
When Harry Met Sally is another romantic comedy that uses split screen editing to bridge the long distance between two characters. This romance classic follows Harry and Sally as they slowly come together after years of correspondence. In one scene the two share an evening watching Casablanca and talk on the phone.
The split screen allows viewers to see both characters even if they are not in the same room. The montage plays a central role in helping the audience feel the same closeness and romantic tension as the characters.
3/7 500 days of Summer
500 days of Summer follows the complicated on-again, off-again relationship of two lovers, Tom and Summer. The film shows their relationship out of order with shocking cuts in their timeline. One of the film’s most beloved scenes shows Tom’s expectations and reality side by side in a split-screen edit. The heartbreaking contrast between Tom’s imagination and the actual circumstances makes the scene especially memorable and heartbreaking for the viewers.
2/7 Conversations with other women
When a former couple reunites at a wedding, the two rekindle their relationship and reflect on memories from their past. Conversations with other women uses split screen for almost the entire movie. The montage masterfully shows the different perspectives of the man and the woman and gives the audience an almost 360 degree view of the events. The everyday story combined with the unique editing style gives the audience a chance for more reflection than the average rom-com.
1/7 Time code
A real one marvels, Time code pushes split-screen editing to its limits, and the film’s revolutionary creativity gives it the number one spot on this list. Time code breaks the screen into four different sections instead of the usual two. Each camera follows a different protagonist as they grapple with business, career goals and interpersonal drama.
The four storylines were each famously shot in one take. As all four stories take place simultaneously, viewers are mesmerized by the incredible amount of choreography and planning that has gone into this masterful juxtaposition of four stories that complement and enhance each other.