How important is the placement of shots put side-by-side in film? The lecturer for week 3, Liam Ward, showed the class a clip of Alfred Hitchcock explaining the importance of this perfectly. In this video, Hitchcock follows the same idea as the Kuleshov Effect.
Explained in the simplest of terms, the Kuleshov Effect is an editing effect in which puts emphasis on the meaning that derives from the placement of two shots put next to each other. This is so interesting, as people will mentally make a connection between the two shots, believing that one will have a relationship with the other.
Scott McCloud also explains this effect somewhat similarly, yet completely different, in his graphic novel Understanding Comics: the Invisible Art. He explains the different techniques that are used in the creation of comic strips:
- Moment-to-Moment;
- Action-to-Action;
- Subject-to-Subject;
- Scene-to-Scene;
- Aspect-to-Aspect;
- and Non Sequitur
Other than the ‘non sequitur’ technique, people will generally be able to make a connection between each illustration. Aspect-to-aspect, for example, uses the same concept as the Kuleshov Effect where the audience is able to fill in the gaps they didn’t see. Also, the style that is chosen will also determine the pace of the story.
Ultimately, in order to construct a desired pace, you must introduce gaps in which the audience are able to fill in. This will also cut out unnecessary parts that the audience will be able to naturally be able to understand already happened between each shot. Two images by themselves are just these images alone with no connection, but when they’re put next to each other they are more than just the sum of their parts and create meaning.
