LO3.1: Development
As my research covered the history and development of visual editing, there were a number of things I learned surrounding the pioneers of motion picture as well as how different countries made their way into the film industry. I learned how the first edits were done in camera, yet using a variety of shots had not been explored, until D.W Griffith directed 'A Birth of a Nation' and the American film industry started to develop. One area of editing I found particularly interesting was Russian Montage editing. Their form of montage used different, unrelated shots to create meaning that conformed to communist belief which differed from the Western film culture that produced films for entertainment. Another movement I learned a lot from was the French New Wave, which took another approach to filmmaking and established it as an art form of expression, allowing us to explore and various elements of the human condition. This contrasted with Hollywoods format of films, which treated it like a profession with a set of rules and technique to each element when in reality, the product is a vision that comes from the director, just like art. I learned how 2 inch quadraplex was used to edit on VR machines as well as how the Moviola meant film editors could view the film as they edited for the first time. The interview I conducted with Colin Driver was extremely useful for me as I couldn't quite get my head around tape to tape transfer and it was his profession during the 70s, 80s and 90s. He explained his work process to me as well as how the industry changed before him becoming more efficient in producing Television content.
The information I gathered from this unit allowed me to explore different approaches in the editing process which I would like to experiment with in my own work. I want to create meaning in the shots that I use, as well as edit in a fashion that causes the audience to feel a certain way or expect something to happen next. Alfred Hitchcock was a master of suspense because of his use of juxtaposition. I believe with time and more research, my assembly in film to create juxtaposition will improve and I will be able to achieve the vision I have for my productions.
My next step would be to look further into film movements such as German Expressionism or Italian Neorealism. It would be interesting to see how a piece of work that does not follow the Hollywood film style can be as successful as some of the the La Nouvelle Vague films. This can be achieved using a number of shots as well as following the New Wave style of editing. I would also like to see how combining a number unrelated shots can create meaning, similar to the Soviet Montage movement. This would require more research into Soviet Montage and further research into different forms of juxtaposition as there are unlimited ways I can use visuals to create meaning.
The information I gathered from this unit allowed me to explore different approaches in the editing process which I would like to experiment with in my own work. I want to create meaning in the shots that I use, as well as edit in a fashion that causes the audience to feel a certain way or expect something to happen next. Alfred Hitchcock was a master of suspense because of his use of juxtaposition. I believe with time and more research, my assembly in film to create juxtaposition will improve and I will be able to achieve the vision I have for my productions.
My next step would be to look further into film movements such as German Expressionism or Italian Neorealism. It would be interesting to see how a piece of work that does not follow the Hollywood film style can be as successful as some of the the La Nouvelle Vague films. This can be achieved using a number of shots as well as following the New Wave style of editing. I would also like to see how combining a number unrelated shots can create meaning, similar to the Soviet Montage movement. This would require more research into Soviet Montage and further research into different forms of juxtaposition as there are unlimited ways I can use visuals to create meaning.