Hell’s Club

Hell’s Club is a compelling lesson in montage created by director and editor Antonio Maria Da Silva. The artist uses editing and compositing to create a coherent spatiotemporal sequence that integrates not only actors from different films, but iconic characters performed by the same actor. The short presents a veritable remix and modern film collage staged on the dance floor.

Conflict is built through editing, by putting together face offs and chase sequences from various films, creating new situations by replacing characters. The amount of characters portrayed makes the film function as a bit of a tour through various films, though it frequently returns to a few main characters, managing to create progressions.

Great effort is dedicated to staging, and to building a coherent spatial continuity that can integrate the characters and situations. Tools employed include use of directions, matching eyelines, matching shot sizes, reaction shots, shot reverse shot sequences, creation of narrative POVs, integration of characters in the same physical space via compositing, variations in visual rhythm when conflict tension increases, etc. Music also plays an important role as it helps build temporal continuity. Especially worth noting are the sequences in which characters played by the same actor are made to appear interacting, emphasizing film’s potential for creating games of mirrors. The use of reflections for creating montage within the frame splits even more the film narrative.