COMM 202 - Ch 1 Editing and the Silent Film
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This document summarizes the evolution of film editing techniques from the early silent films of the Lumiere Brothers and Georges Melies to the developments of D.W. Griffith and later Soviet filmmakers. It discusses how Griffith expanded on the work of Edwin Porter to use parallel editing and shot variation to build drama. Pudovkin and Kuleshov then formulated the theory of constructive editing where each shot makes a specific point and meaning can come from shot juxtaposition. Eisenstein further developed intellectual montage using film to directly comment on ideas rather than just tell a story.
![E ISE NSTE IN: INTE L L E CTUAL MONTAGE
October and Old and New
• Films more about commentary than continuity and plot.
• Story provides structure to build exposition of ideas.
“While conventional film directs emotions, [intellectual montage]
suggests an opportunity to direct the whole thought process as well.”
Main weakness, obscurity resulting in lost meaning.](https://image.slidesharecdn.com/ch1-editingsilentfilm2-130920084939-phpapp01/85/COMM-202-Ch-1-Editing-and-the-Silent-Film-8-320.jpg)
COMM 202 - Ch 1 Editing and the Silent Film
- 1. THE TECHNIQUE OF FILM EDITING Chapter 1: Editing and the Silent Film
- 2. THE BE GINNINGS OF FIL M CONTINUITY The Lumiere Brothers • Record any common event, no matter how mundane. • Baby at the Lunch Table, • A Boat Leaving Harbour. • Watering the Gardener • The first-time the Lumiere’s exercised conscience control over the material. George Melies • Cinderella (1899) • Enlarged the scope of film beyond the single shot. • Used the very limited Theatrical presentation style.
- 3. Edwin S. Porter • One of Thomas Edison’s cameramen. • The Life of an American Fireman (1902) • First ever use of stock footage to tell a story. • It implied that the meaning of the shot could be changed based on the context of the edit. • Director can convey a sense of time to the viewer. • The Great Train Robbery (1903) • Parallel editing used to tie together action with no physical connections. • Significant advance in simple continuity of action. • Evolved the simple method of action continuity. • Relied heavily on actors’ gestures to convey variations in dramatic intensity. • Presentation was limited by technology.
- 4. GRIFFITH: DRAMATIC E MPHASIS D.W. Griffith • Expanded on Porter’s methods. • Developed into a subtle instrument for creating and controlling tension. • The Birth of a Nation • Extreme long shots for purely dramatic effect • Use of cut-aways to build/prolong tension. • Lincoln’s Assassination scene. • Constructs the scene around four groups of characters. • Although the main action is broken up, no discontinuity because all the characters are established as present in the same space.
- 5. D.W. Griffith (cont’d) • Griffith’s fundamental discovery • Film sequence composed of incomplete shots whose order and selection are governed by dramatic necessity. • Intolerance (1916) • Use of close-ups • Feature facial expressions of actors in greater detail. • Flashback • Allows viewer to better understand a characters motivations • No longer had to stage scenes in their entirety. • Break down scenes in small, manageable setups • While this new methodology made staging of spectacle scenes easier, it increased the demands on the actor. • The director now had more control.
- 6. D.W. Griffith (cont’d) • The director now responsible for: • Conveying the effects in a scene. • Choosing the order and manner of consecutive shots thus highlighting or flattening a scene. • Timing a scene with the length of shots for dramatic impact. • “Griffith’s Last Minute Rescue” • Cutting rate was increased towards the climax, giving the impression that the excitement was steadily mounting. Sergei Eisenstein • Acknowledged Griffith’s contributions to editing • Drew parallel between Griffith’s methods and existing literary devices. • Believed it was up to the young Russian directors to expand on Griffith’s concepts. • Ultimately surmised Griffith misunderstood the nature of editing.
- 7. PUDOVK IN : CONSTRUCTIVE E DITING Pudovkin and Kuleshov • Pudovkin • Film Technique; book by Pudovkin • Formulated theory to be used as general guide, called Constructive Editing • Each shot must make a specific point. • Scornful of directors who tell their story in long shots only. • Kuleshov • Editing is more than telling a continuous story. • With suitable juxtaposition, shots had meaning that they lacked on their own. • Experimented with shots in different context. • Used same shot of actor in 3 different combinations and viewers perceived 3 different emotions. • Instead of the message being delivered by the actor, it is delivered by the edit.
- 8. E ISE NSTE IN: INTE L L E CTUAL MONTAGE October and Old and New • Films more about commentary than continuity and plot. • Story provides structure to build exposition of ideas. “While conventional film directs emotions, [intellectual montage] suggests an opportunity to direct the whole thought process as well.” Main weakness, obscurity resulting in lost meaning.