Montage

Montage is a technique in film editing in which a series of short shots are edited into a sequence to condense space, time, and information. A single pictorial composition made by juxtaposing or superimposing many pictures or designs. The art or process of making such a composition. A relatively rapid succession of different shots in a movie. The juxtaposition of such successive shots as a cinematic technique. It is usually used to suggest the passage of time, rather than to create symbolic meaning as it does in soviet montage theory. When short "shots" are pieced together in such a way that it conveys a relatively long part of the story/plot in a short amount of time.

In French film practice, "montage" has its literal French meaning (assembly, installation) and simply identifies editing. In Soviet filmmaking of the 1920s, "montage" was a method of juxtaposing shots to derive new meaning that did not exist in either shot alone. In classical Hollywood cinema, a " montage sequence " is a short segment in a film in which narrative information is presented in a condensed fashion.

//**A Soviet Montage**// was a methoud of juxtaposing shots to derive new meaning that did not exist in either shot alone. It uses cuts and nonlinear editing techniques. Jumping between different aspects of story and emotional drama, they present grand nationalistic stories in an innovative symbolic way.

//**A French Montage**// has its literal French meaning (assembly, installation) and simply identifies editing. It uses flashbacks and fantasy sequences, the impressionist films manipulated plot lines and the subjective qualities of a story to create a new form of narrative.

//**An American Montage**// is a short segment in a film in which narrative information is presented in a condensed fashion.

//**Metric-**// where the editing follows a specific number of frames (based purely on the physical nature of time), cutting to the next shot no matter what is happening within the image. This montage is used to elicit the most basal and emotional of reactions in the audience.
 * Types of montage:**

//**Rhythmic**//- includes cutting based on time, but using the visual composition of the shots, along with a change in the speed of the metric cuts, to induce more complex meanings than what is possible with metric montages. Once sound was introduced, rhythmic montages also included audial elements.

//**Tonal**//- this montage uses the emotional meaning of the shots. Not just manipulating the temporal length of the cuts or its rhythmical characteristics—to elicit a reaction from the audience even more complex than from the metric or rhythmic montage.

//**Overtonal/Associational**//- this montage is the accumulation of metric, rhythmic, and tonal montage to synthesize its effect on the audience for an even more abstract and complicated effect.

//**Intellectual**//- uses shots which, combined, elicit an intellectual meaning.

Montage can become cliché. One example is the entire decade of the 80’s. Every movie during that time seemed to have some type of montage. What’s even more interesting was that fact that many of those 80’s montages did not even have a true purpose. They were simply created for the simple fact of having a montage in the film. Another cliché is using montages for training purposes. Every movie when a fighter or warrior or student or somebody is training at something, the director will typically use a montage. Another example is when a couple breaks up (in a film of course) and they both start to have flash backs of the “good times” they had while they were still together. While they are doing this they happen to be taking a walk in some random area, and at the end of the flashbacks they “just so happen” to run into each other again.
 * Montage Cliches**


 * How might you approach choosing or composing music for a montage sequence? What would you want to know about the sequence?**

I would first want to know the mood/vibe the montage is going for. Then after looking at the visuals (if I can) I would make or find music to match the intensity/mood of the sequence. I would want to know what the montage is about, how it starts, where, and also how the montage will end. This kind of information would help me decide what type of music to create. Some montages are triumphant, sad, upbeat and even romantic. A montage usually emits a certain emotion, so knowing exactly what the scene is about helps with creating score. You would definitely want to know about what the scene is trying to convey. If you're going straight off of images, that can be dangerous. Sometimes the director/producer wants contrasting music with picture. Also, you have to be careful of making a cliche overly dramatic piece. I know for me, when montages like that come on, I often think they are cheesy and not really relevant to the film.


 * Video Examples of a Montage:**

[|Disney Pixar's "Up" Montage]

[|Karate Kid Training Montage]

Parody of Montage - Team America World Police “Were Gonna Need a Montage!”

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Cliche: [|Darker Than Black (Dramatic)]