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Podovkin Theory
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Pudovkin’s 5 principles of editing:

Pudovkin’s techniques describe several ways editing can be

used to enhance the viewer’s understanding of a story, and
they’re all designed to create a specific reaction from the
audience, something he calls relational editing.

Pudovkin noted that editing is an aspect of film art form which

is completely unique from all other art forms he says

‘The basic means of expression which is unique to motion pictures lies in

the in the organisation of the shots which in themselves contain the
elements of the larger forms; the scenes and sequences.’
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• Pudovkin defined montage as the artistic juxtaposition of

individual shots or images to create a new meaning or
emotion that cannot be conveyed by any single shot
alone.
• He believed that the true power of cinema lay in the
ability to manipulate time and space through montage
• It was the key to creating a deeper understanding of the
film's themes and message.
• Pudovkin saw montage as a way to transcend the
limitations of reality and to express the essence of the
human experience through film.
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Contrast
Cutting between two different scenarios to
highlight the contrast between them.

This is done to force the viewer to compare 2

opposing scenes in their mind

As an example, Pudovkin suggests moving from

scenes of poverty to someone really rich to make
the difference more apparent.
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Parallelism
Here you can connect two seemingly unrelated scenes by
cutting between them and focusing on parallel features.

For example if you were shooting a film about fish in the

ocean, you could cut from a trawler being tossed about in
the ocean to a family chomping down on some fish’n’chips
– in both scenes drawing our attention to the fish: the object
that connects them. It creates an association in the viewers’
mind.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mGs4dcUg-MY&t=2s
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Symbolism
Again, more intercutting, you move from your main scene
to something which creates a symbolic connection for the
audience.

Pudovkin suggested cutting between shots of striking

workers being shot by Tsarist police and scenes of cows
being slaughtered: in the audience’s mind, they associate
the slaughter of the cattle with the slaughter of the workers.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uE0DBpw09SU&t=66s
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Simultaneity
This is used lots in Hollywood today: cutting between two
simultaneous events as a way of driving up the suspense.

This is also called ‘cross-cutting’ and is a term used when there

is a continuous cut alternating between 2 or more scenes that
often happen at simultaneous times but at different locations.

If you’re making a film about a politician on election night, you

might cut between shots of the vote being counted to shots of
your main subject preparing to hear the result. This extending of
time builds anticipation.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KmptU7vEkNU
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This is a musical term that describes a recurring musical phase

associated with a particular person, place or idea.
Some examples include the Indiana Jones theme which is
associated with the man himself.

James bond
Superman
Jaws
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ntXJJwEk1NA&t=72s
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hBR-jSg9PIc