"The Man with a Movie Camera" is a silent Soviet documentary produced by
VUFKU and released in 1929. It may be included in a series of films known as "city
symphonies," where filmmakers used experimental film techniques to explore their
cities. “The Man with a Movie Camera'' captures Soviet Russia and Ukraine, filmed
in Moscow, Kyiv, and Odesa, in the 1920s. It takes place from sunrise to sunset,
presenting parallel narratives: one depicting a day in the life of a civilian, and the other
revealing the filmmaking process itself. Introduced as an "Excerpt from a camera
operator's diary," the film begins with title cards stating the filmmaker Dziga Vertov’s
cinematic manifesto:
“This film is an experiment in cinematic communication of real events without the
help of intertitles. Without the help of a story. Without the help of theatre. This
experimental work aims at creating a truly international language of cinema based on its
absolute separation from the language of theatre and literature.”
We will be conducting a neoformalist analysis of this film's cinematic style,
specifically its experimentation with and innovation of cinematic language by way of split
screens, Dutch angles, and close-ups. We will evaluate how they contribute to the film's
aesthetic and narrative while considering how Vertov's political ideology impacted his
sensibilities.
One of the experimental techniques Vertov utilized in “The Man with the Movie
Camera” is the double exposure of the film to create a new and other-worldly multi-layered
image. This technique involves planning two images to impose over one another, filming
the first, rewinding the film, and then filming the second. During the film’s processing,
both images will appear. Vertov would use this technique to create split-screen images,
such as that in Figure 1. of two babies lying side by side in a nursery.
This was an unconventional tactic for traditional filmmaking of the time, and
Vertov used it for various impacts, such as emphasizing the chaos and movement of a
scene, such as a city street. These two examples of split-screen also stand to reflect
Vertov’s Soviet ideals. The image of two babies lying side by side in a nursery
symbolizes the unity and collective spirit encouraged by Soviet ideology, while the
split-screen streets depict the brutality of capitalism, presenting them as difficult to
navigate, magically chaotic, and destined for conflict and/or impact.
Figure 1: Two swaddled infants appear next to one another, created by the double
exposure of the film, creating a split-screen effect. This image evokes the cyclical nature
of life and the city, drawing parallels between the growth of individuals and the city.
Figure 2: This split screen shows the double exposure of two angles of a busy street
scene. We see the city of the time and its inhabitants dodging cars and one another.
Dutch angles were another unconventional yet enduring technique Vertov
experimented with to expand the storytelling capabilities of cinema in “Man with a Movie
Camera.” He employed Dutch angles to convey the psychology or perspective of the
viewer, tilting the camera off its horizontal axis to create a sense of disorientation or
unease. For instance, following a close-up of a person’s eye, the film transitions to
Dutch angles and moving shots of the city’s surroundings as observed by the eyes.
These angles disrupt the traditional visual grammar of filmmaking, prompting viewers to
engage intuitively with the scene and evoking emotional responses such as confusion
or anxiety. They also add visual interest to the scene, creating diagonal lines and
skewed compositions that draw attention to specific elements and create a sense of
imbalance.
Figure 3: A Dutch angle of a looming smokestack emitting black smoke cutting
diagonally across the screen, displaying its polluting domination of the environment.
Figure 4: An askew image of a city street, cars, and pedestrians moving quickly about
their business, the buildings, cobblestone streets, and cars blending surreally.
Close-up shots may surprise some to be considered innovative filmmaking
technique, because they are a fundamental part of cinematic language in modern times,
yet during Vertov’s time, the close-up was a new and incredibly powerful tool to draw
audiences intimately into the story. Close-up shots are a type of compositional framing
where the subject fills the majority of the frame and the audience can see it in
detail. Utilized commonly in modern cinema to bring the audience into the world of the
characters by showing their facial expressions or other details, Vertov experimented
with the close-up to include inanimate objects such as the camera’s lens itself. Close-up
shots revolutionized filmmaking during the '20s, when previously filming was often
restricted to wide, static shots due to the equipment and conditional requirements of
filming during the time.
Figure 5: A close-up view of the camera lens, occupying the entirety of the screen, with
the iris staring back at the audience from the center of the image. This composition
communicates the imposition of the "Kino-Eye" on the life being captured.
Figure 6: A close-up of an observer's shadowed eyes, everything else overexposed and
lacking detail, emphasizing their observation of the film’s scenes.
Dziga Vertov's manifesto, titled "WE: VARIANT OF A MANIFESTO," outlines his
approach to filmmaking and his mission to reject cinematic conventions and experiment
with new forms of cinematic language. He advocates for the use of cinema as a tool for
social change and calls for a more objective and scientific portrayal of reality. At the
heart of his cinematic vision, Vertov celebrates rhythm and movement and embraces
the freedom modern technology awarded filmmakers to go out and adventure. His use
of split screens highlights the interconnectedness of individuals and societal elements.
Dutch angles disrupt traditional visual perspectives and challenge viewers' perceptions,
in line with Vertov's rejection of conventional storytelling techniques. Close-up shots
reflect Vertov's belief in the importance of capturing reality in a way other mediums of art
such as theatre and literature could not. Overall, Vertov's cinematic style realizes his
manifesto principles by pushing the boundaries of cinematic language and advocating
for a more objective and dynamic portrayal of reality.
