- Metric edititng – edits together different shots by following to an exact measurement or number of frames.
2. Rhythmic montage – cut the clips based on the action or image (eg. matching images or actions) https://youtu.be/Prbgt6l-2BY
3. Tonal editing method – It’s defined by how it edits based on the emotional meanings—or tone—of each shot. Whiplash (Damien Chazelle, 2014)
The term, montage, was coined for cinema in the 1920s by Sergei Eisenstein. He explained 5 methods of montage:
- Metric – cutting shots together based on exact measure or length of time, disregarding the length and content of the shot.
- Rhythmic (aka Continuity Editing) – cutting based on the content of the shots. Therefore edits differ in length depending on what happens within the sequence. https://youtu.be/VG78fq6KAPA
- Tonal – cutting based on tones within the shots. The highlighting of emotional themes or meanings in the shots themselves. Shots are linked based on aural or visual similarities.
- Overtonal – cutting according to overtones and themes within different shots, while incorporating wider themes of the film and creating an emotional response from the audience.
- Intellectual – very different shots cut together as a visual metaphor. The shots are linked through a similar intellectual meaning. https://youtu.be/mkYNhZvlHv0
These methods of montage are still in use today. Though, as we will see below, the lines between them are not always clear and they are often used in combination.