ESSAY TOPIC DISCUSSION
For my essay assessment, I am planning to talk about the technique and theories of elliptical editing as well as Soviet Montage in the film 'Batman Begins'. I will be discussing the reasons they used those particular techniques as well as criticizing the way they were used.
The reason I've decided to discuss those techniques and that particular film is because I have gone through the process of cutting and editing to make a long scene short myself, as well create several montages in order to provoke a certain mood from the viewer. I am a big fan of the Batman films and noticed several moments where those techniques were being used. I also now completely understand the concepts of the terms very well after having researched them for my Glossary of Terms assessment.
The first source I decided to use is to help me in the dissecting of elliptical editing. This is to further remind myself of what I need to be looking for when rewatching the film in order to give an accurate assessment of what is being done. The source goes on to explain how the technique could transform a long boring clip into a snappy one just a few minutes long, without the need to follow any dull action. This technique is used for any type of trailer, and can be seen throughout every movie.
The second source I found is all about Soviet Montage and it's history, about how techniques used back then have now become relevant again. A key factor of this technique is having the edit cut on the beat of the music. This further helps the edit deliver the meaning or message to the viewer. It also discusses how the Russians used montage to create meaning, while in recent years it is simply used to support a narrative. I believe that looking through the history will give me a better understanding of what does and does not work when evaluating my film of choice, helping improve my critical thinking.
I have located both sources through a search on Google. They are believed to be credible as both sources show the Authors name, date it was written as well as links to their previous work and awards. They also appear to be free from any errors with information backed up by several other sources I have looked through online. The information they are producing are considered to be factual with none of them being biased. The images used in the articles are used for examples and not to sway the viewer in any way.
References:
Duckworth, A. (2008, September 16). Basic Film Techniques: Elliptical Editing. Retrieved March 2, 2017, from https://ardfilmjournal.wordpress.com/2008/09/16/basic-film-techniques-elliptical-editing/
Gates, C. (2015, July 10). SOVIET MONTAGE THEORY: EVERYTHING OLD IS NEW AGAIN. Retrieved March 2, 2017, from https://www.videomaker.com/article/c1/18352-soviet-montage-theory-everything-old-is-new-again
Hughes, M. (2015, July 15). Exclusive: Christopher Nolan Talks 'Batman Begins' 10th Anniversary. Retrieved March 2, 2017, from https://www.forbes.com/sites/markhughes/2015/07/30/exclusive-christopher-nolan-talks-batman-begins-10th-anniversary/#62f2ff50a8b5
Lewis, G. (2016, February 19). Foley and the followers of his art - Part One. Retrieved March 2, 2017, from http://garethlewis3dca.blogspot.ae/
Smith, R. (2013, November 7). Soviet Montage Theory - Lev Kuleshov. Retrieved March 2, 2016, from http://50181007.blogspot.ae/2013/11/soviet-montage-theory-lev-kuleshov.html