Audiovisual Editing is a magical process: the Kuleshov Effect

In this new column I'm going to explain how I apply the cinematographic rules to the Wedding Story: this is why I produce Wedding Films and not "simple" Wedding videos.

A beautiful image is what it is. Using its infinite potential and power is up to the editor using its power.

One of the ways to bring out feelings and emotions from the viewers is the Kuleshov Effect, which takes its name from the Russian author who theorized it in the 1920s: Lev Vladimirovič Kuleshov.

Let's do an experiment. Which feelings the actor Ivan Mosjoukine’s face cause to you?

Well, now which emotions it gives you, linked to these images?

If you answered respectively: sadness, hunger and desire, then your answer is similar to most of the people.

Kuleshov Effect explained

The Kuleshov effect theory says that in an unconscious way the audience projects its emotions on the actor's face which, as you can see, actually has the same expression in the pictures. So what comes immediately after the actor's face is essential to give sense to the entire sequence.

This technique was also explained by the great Alfred Hitchcock in 1964.

How to apply the Kulesov Effect to a Wedding Film

This is just one of the cinematographic rules that I always keep in mind during my editing processes. It’s not the only rule I follow while I am shooting. I carefully choose which frame to record, already aware of the possible future use that I could do in the editing process.
I never record and edit without a sense, there is always a reason behind. This rule, like so many others (which I will explain to you in the next articles of this section), can be applied to the Wedding Film so that it will become a special memory, way beyond a simple collage of beautiful images with a musical base.

Take a look of this example taken from the wedding trailer: "Parole nel Bosco".

As you may have noticed, while she is getting ready, the bride's face may have been edited previously or after any image to give it a very specific meaning.

By placing this shot at the beninning and at the end of the trailer, I give the sensation that the Bride is living in flashforward the meaningful moments that she will live shortly after in that day. In other words, I suspend the chronological sequence to anticipate events that belong to the continuation of the Story.

A stylistic choice.

This is precisely my style of Wedding Films editing: apply cinematographic rules to Your Wedding Film to create not just a videoclip but a true narrative report.

Let's clarify that this is my precise stylistic choice and not the one and only. It is possible that you are more attracted to videoclip genre, in that case I am not the right videographer for you. About this I recommend You to read this my previous article: How to choose the right Videomaker for Your Wedding