Montage

Montage

The Soviet Montage:

Russian revolution 1917, led to formation of soviet union

Civil unrest from corruption

Government was overthrown by Vladimir

High demand for propaganda, introduction of montage

Lev Kuleshov

Studied D.W. Griffiths

Kuleshov effect, using jump cuts between actor and subject - this conveys a different emotion depending on what shot comes before or after. e.g Scene 1. shot: bowl of soup cut to face still expression. expression appears to look hungry. Scene 2. shot of girl in coffin, cut to face, still expression (same shot as scene 1). expression appears to be sad.

Sergei Eisenstein, 

Attended kuleshoves workshops

5 methods of montage

1. Metric - time based e.g. every 3 seconds.

2. Rhythmically -  cutting by the rhythm of action of scene.

3. Tonal: cutting to generate mood.

4. Overtonal: Mix of everything.

5. Intellectual: Kuleshove's original technique.

The Odessa Steps The Battleship Potemkin  

Lack of orientation:  use of fast cuts viewer experiences panic like in situation.

Dziga Vertov,

News cameraman who coined the Keno Eye. Keno eye (Film eye)

realistic, montage.

experiments many editing techniques.

Vsevolod Pudovkin:

Believed that montage was the only technique used to convey emotions and not acting. i.e. context is adds emotion

relational editing, guiding the viewers response. gui

1. Contrast: making the viewer compare two scenes e.g. caveman bone to spaceship viewer compares progression of mankind 

2. Parallelism: jumping in time to show parallels in emotion. e.g. following two characters feet separately but gives the viewer a sense that they have something in common or they will together throughout the film. 

3. Symbolism: symbolic transition e.g. burning match, to sunrise on desert

4. Simultaneity: cutting two scenes same time different location.

5. Leit Motif: A musical score used to emphasize emotion of a particular shot so every time the shot is played the viewer has a certain emotion.