Define Film Montage

Montage is an editing technique used since the 1920s.

Of the techniques used to create a film, many involve creative shooting. Montage, however, involves creative editing. Although a montage can be accomplished by skillful shooting, the juxtaposition of shots and scenes make a montage in the end. Comparable to a collage in the art world, a montage is a collage in live action instead of one dimensional pieces like photos and prints.

Definition

A montage is sequencing of shots so that they overlap to create a certain meaning. Montages are used to portray memories and catastrophic actions and are widely used in movie spoofs.

Function

The montage effect is accomplished by fading one shot into another, cutting shots and positioning them so that the meaning of the first shot and the meaning of the second come together to create a third meaning. For example, separate shots of an innocent bike rider and a reckless driver can be juxtaposed to convey an innocent rider in danger.

History

The montage was used in the early days of filmmaking but not extensively. The early days of filming used one continuous take without cuts, jumps or fades. The development of film splicing allowed directors more variation in shooting. This occurred as in the early 1900s, according to the website Film Reference.com, a film terminology resource. However, it was Sergei Einstein in the 1920s who developed what film students study now as montage theory.

Montage Theory

Montage theory is creative editing that became known as an art. Sergei Einstein called his montages intellectual because they guided the mind through that part of the film. He deduced that montages were impossible to understand if the audience failed to use some intellect. Another theory of montage is the Kuleshov effect, which involves matching elements such as actor sightlines from one shot to the next to create continuity between the shots in the montage.

Supercuts

Montages were adapted to the age of video-sharing websites and user-created content to form the so-called supercut--a montage of images, sounds and shots cuts to highlight one common theme. For example, fan supercuts take one aspect of a favorite character, like a hand gesture as a common theme. Several episodes of the show are then cut to show this gesture used in each episode. The shots are compiled into a montage, accompanied by music or a narrative.

References

• Film Reference: The Development of Editing
• Intro to Editing: Film Editing Theory
• Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English: Montage
• MSN Encarta: Montage
• Wired: Meme Alert Supercuts, Obsessive Fan Supercuts

Resources

• Trendhunter Magazine: Supercuts A Viral Video Montag