Lev Vladimirovitch Kuleshov
Lev Vladimirovitch Kuleshov was born on January 1st 1899, in Tambov and died on March 30th 1970. It was a soviet director, screenwriter and actor.
Kuleshov Effect is a montage effect demonstrated by Soviet filmmaker Lev Kuleshov in the 1910s and 1920s. With his students, the Soviet director wanted to highlight some characterisitics of the mechanism of thought (in the short-term memory).
According to him, a plan influences another plan, which creates a semantic contamination.
For example, you shoot three different situations : a cat climbing a tree, two people holding each other's hands and one person coming out of the toilets. Then you shoot a shot with a person expressing one particular feeling such as an angry person or somedy laughing. This shot is put just after the end of the three situations.
According to the situation the spectator sees the last shot differently. For example, if the situation is funny and the last shot conveys anger, it creates a reaction of surprise. That's why the k-effect gives a dramaturgic intention to a sequence or an unexpected effect.
We have tried k-effects with our Erasmus+ project, and it was very funny. We had a lot of fun together thanks to the « Maison de l'image » in Aubenas. We were able to mix with students of the other countries and to create our own short films with this technique.
Some chose disgust, others fear or amusement, and the result was really funny because the expressions had nothing to do with the situations. Not only did we explore the mechanism of thought, but we had a very good time and get acquainted with our buddies.
Semantic Contamination
Experiences about K-effects in Aubenas elementum.