La Jetee

This is La Jetee by Chris Marker, which uses the technique of photo montage to tell it's story. The college brief I have been given today is to create my own photo montage telling a story from my life. 


So I thought a good place to start would be evaluating this video - something that I will come back to and add to as I go along. 


I like the use of photo montage to tell the story, it takes the emphasis away from the action and places it on the narrative. It also allows the viewer to take in each image more thoroughly and pick up on the visual language being used in each shot to enhance the narrative. 


The panning and zooming techniques used with in the montage add movement and interest as do the transitions. The transitions within the montage help to create meaning for instance harsh cuts are used during dramatic events and soft dissolves are used when we are being shown the destruction of Paris - showing the way that the City has come to a stand still. 


I also like the use of sound and music within the piece. The music is used well to build tension as you follow it's flow. It build's up and then relaxes again as it follows the pace of the narrative. Whispering is the only sound used other then music and the narrator and shows the secrecy of the experiments they are doing and  the fact that what they are doing is dodgy. They need to whisper to cover up their act so others do not hear what they are doing. 


So these are my observations so far I will add more as I have more to say :)