16) KUSHELOV EFFECT

The Kushelov Effect is an editing technique that uses several pieces of separate footage in order to enhance a character’s emotion, without any real performance from the Actor. Developed by a Russian editor named Lev Kushelov, the effect consists of a simple structure made up of:

·        One shot of the Actor
The Actor could be straight-faced or show an emotion, it’s best to film a straight-faced shot then multiple shots of different expressions, then the Director and Editor can choose which one they feel suits the footage they are using.

·        FootageThe footage can be of absolutely anything but you do need separate shots. The footage doesn’t need to be linked or have any relevance between the shots; in fact the technique is more effective if the shots are completely irrelevant to each other.

     One shot of the Actor is used and repeated, interrupted by different shots of footage. Subconsciously the audience then links the Actor’s emotion to the footage the Editor then cuts to. In this case for example, once you’ve seen the first shot of the Actor, the Editor cuts to a shot of food, he then cuts back to the same shot of the Actor, which the audience don’t even notice. Now that the audience has seen the food, and the Editor has cut back to the Actor (which they haven’t noticed is the same shot), they link the Actor’s facial expression to the footage they’ve seen, which then makes them think that the Actor looks hungry.
Through carefully thought out, structured shots of footage, the Editor is able to control the way in which an audience responds to an Actor’s performance; that’s what makes the Kushelov Effect such a powerful tool.