montageleer

Montageleer is the study and theory of film editing in Dutch-language discourse. It examines how the organization of shots, sequences, and sounds creates meaning, pace, and emotional effect, beyond what any single image conveys. The field covers both historical editing practices and contemporary non-linear workflows, as well as the cognitive and aesthetic aspects of how viewers interpret edited sequences.

Historically, montage theory emerged from early Soviet cinema and the writings of Sergei Eisenstein, Vladimir Pudovkin, and Lev Kuleshov. They argued that the juxtaposition of shots can generate ideas and affect that are not present in individual frames. This contrasts with continuity editing, which emphasizes seamless transitions to preserve spatial and temporal flow. In Dutch pedagogy and criticism, montageleer often engages with both traditions and how modern editing technologies alter the balance between montage and continuity.

Key concepts include metric, rhythmic, tonal, and intellectual montage, as described by Eisenstein, and the practical notions of collision, contrast, and synthesis. The Kuleshov effect illustrates how meaning arises from sequence rather than content alone. Editors manipulate shot length, cut type, sound relations, and montage sequences to compress time, suggest space, or articulate themes.

In current practice, montageleer informs film, television, advertising, and online media. It also intersects with screenwriting, cinematography, and sound design. In education, it is taught in film and media studies programs, often through analysis of excerpts and practical editing exercises that explore how montage shapes interpretation.