The cinema as a graphic art : on a theory of representation in the cinema (1959)

CREATIVE PROBLEMS OF THE ART OF THE CAMERA-MAN October " (Figs. 111-112), Tisse paid especial attention to lighting composition, has to be emphasised that in the creative growth of almost every camera-man te mastery of linear-dimensional composition almost always precedes the resoluDn of light and tonal tasks. Only after mastering the methods of distributing ejects in the shot does the camera-man begin to work on the problems of lighting, id this ' lag ' of light and tonal tasks is quite normal. It is so first and foremost icause linear construction is the starting-point from which lighting and tonal mstruction takes its beginning. And only after resolving the problem of linear instruction in the form natural to him does the camera-man pass to the mastery : the following stage, to the discovery of the compositional unity between the near scheme, tone, and distribution of light. In " October " Tisse provides a partial instance of functional exploitation of ght, in the shots depicting Lenin speaking from the armoured car at the Finland dlway terminus. The directed flood of light, in continual movement, acts here I an independent means of emotional and functional influence on the audience rig. in). The exploitation of the shifting rays of the searchlight, introduced to the film as an historical detail in order to effect a sharp delineation of the ?ure of the leader, and picking out of the darkness faces burning with enthusiasm id readiness for struggle, acts as a light accent fulfilling a definite task. In the picture " The General Line ", Tisse made an attempt at direct narrative cploitation of lighting. A milk separator is brought into the village. The sasants watch and wait. ' Will it work ? ' A feeble light emphasises the gloomy istrustfulness of the faces. ' A trick— or prosperity ? ' The separator works, le first drop of milk falls from the spout. The lighting grows brighter, the faces e gradually lit up. A steady stream of milk begins to flow, the separator has istified itself. Confidence is established. Bright reflections play on the polished tetal parts of the machine, and are reflected on the joyously laughing faces. The earns pass into a powerful flood of light as the joy of the peasants is transformed lto a turbulent outbreak of enthusiasm. Such an understanding of the role played by lighting was a considerable step irward for the time, for it clearly demonstrated the stupidity of the old laws of aturalistic lighting, which demanded absolute logical justification for the direction f every light ray. At the same time Tisse introduced a new understanding of le unity of the general lighting treatment of a film. He changed his lighting lethods in dependence upon the function and emotional task of each separate :ene. And this not only did not violate the compositional unity of the producon, but, on the contrary, conduced to an expressive exposition of the content. As early as " Potemkin " we find him making a distinction also in the optical eatment of separate scenes, in accordance with a purely emotional motivation, 'he lyrical scenes of the morning mists are given softened optical treatment, ut all the other scenes are given sharp, distinct optical transmission. Here also lere is no violation of stylistic unity, for that unity is determined by more complex Dnsiderations than the simple unity of technical methods. We maintain that even 1 his earliest works Tisse revealed a genuine understanding of style as distinct •om an understanding of the method of shooting. Tisse's work is distinguished by its expressiveness in exploiting the optical ^sources of the shot. In certain cases the expressiveness passes into the groisque, and so manifests the distinctive features of a great master who can finely snse a subject situation, and can link up the task of each shot with the basic idea f the work as a whole. Tisse has no tendency towards a contemplative pictorial treatment of a 193