Original classification rating: not rated.
This clip chosen to be G
Clip description
The Spirit of Progress train is filmed from different angles as it passes the camera, followed by a tracking shot of the train tracks taken from on board the train. The next section is a dramatised sequence which shows a man with his car stalled across a railway crossing, cross-cut with footage of the train approaching – just in time the car starts and moves off the tracks. The clip ends with a shot of the car driving alongside the train followed by a tracking shot of the train as it speeds towards the station.
Curator’s notes
The dramatised sequence in this clip is an example of parallel montage – where two shots showing simultaneous events in different places are cross-cut with each other to create tension or suspense. This technique was pioneered by American filmmaker DW Griffith in films like The Birth of a Nation (1915). The Owen Brothers would almost certainly have been familiar with Griffith’s work; Will was a projectionist at a local cinema in Belgrave which screened local and Hollywood films – a perfect place to learn the elements of film language.
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choochoo1_pr.mp4
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choochoo1_bb.mp4
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Medium: 6.7MB |
Medium |
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australianscreen is produced by the National Film and Sound Archive. By using the website you agree to comply with the terms and conditions described elsewhere on this site. The NFSA may amend the 'Conditions of Use’ from time to time without notice.
All materials on the site, including but not limited to text, video clips, audio clips, designs, logos, illustrations and still images, are protected by the Copyright Laws of Australia and international conventions.
When you access australianscreen you agree that:
- You may retrieve materials for information only.
- You may download materials for your personal use or for non-commercial educational purposes, but you must not publish them elsewhere or redistribute clips in any way.
- You may embed the clip for non-commercial educational purposes including for use on a school intranet site or a school resource catalogue.
- The National Film and Sound Archive’s permission must be sought to amend any information in the materials, unless otherwise stated in notices throughout the Site.
All other rights reserved.
ANY UNAUTHORISED USE OF MATERIAL ON THIS SITE MAY RESULT IN CIVIL AND CRIMINAL LIABILITY.
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