The Writings of Dziga Vertov

The Writings of Dziga Vertov
EDITED AND WITH AN INTBODUCTIONBY
AnnetteMichelson
TBANSLATEDBY
KevinO'Brien
Uniyersiry
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ol Californid
Press . Eerketey
. Los Angetes
. London
To ElizavetaSvilova and M ikhailKauf m an
In Memoriam
U n i v e r s ity
o l Ca lifo r n iaPr e ss
B e r k e l e ya n d L o sAn g e le s,Ca lifo r n ia
o f Ca lifo r n ia
Pr e ss,L td .
U n i v e r sity
L o n d o n En
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T h e R e ge n tso l th e Un ive r sity
o l Ca lifo r n ia
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V e r t o vD, zig a ,1 8 9 6 1 9 5 4 .
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Printedin the United States of America
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lllustratronsfrom the collectionof Annette Michelson
T h e p a pe ru se d in th is p u b lica tio nm e e tsth e m ini mumrequi rements
of ANSI/NISO239.48-1992(R 1992)(permanenceof paper).
@
D Z IGA VERTOV: ARTICLES, ADDRESSE S
plannedfor summerproduction,
bothhereand in
The repertoire
the Ukraine,doesnot inspirethe leastconfidence.
Theproposalsfor broadexperimental
work havebeenpassed
over.
All efforts,sighs,tears,and expectations,
all prayers-are directedtowardit-the six-actfilm-drama
ThereforetheCouncilof Threewithoutwaitingfor the kinoksto
be assignedwork and ignoringthe latter'sdesireto realizetheirown
projects,aretemporarily
disregarding
rightsand resolve
authorship
publish
general
principles
immediately
for
use
common
to
the
and
for whichpurslogansof the futurerevolution-through-newsreel;
pose,frrstand foremost,kinokDzigaVertovis directed,in
accordancewith partydiscipline,to publishcertainexcerptsfrom
the pamphletKinoks:A Revolutron,
whichshallsuffrciently
clarifythe
"*t! ;!
.Ii-
natureof thatrevolution.
The Gouncil of Three
Infulfillment
of the resolution
of the Councilof Threeon Aoril10 of
thisyear,I am publishing
thefollowingexcerpts:
The Man with a Movie Camera
Uponobservingthe filmsthat havearrivedfrom Americaand the
Westand takingintoaccountavailable
information
on workand
artisticexperimentation
at homeand abroad,I arriveat the following
conclusron:
The deathsentencepassedin 1919by the kinokson allfilms,
withno exceptions,
holdsfor the presentas well.The mostscrupulousexaminationdoes not reveala singlefilm,a singleartistic
properlydirectedto the emancipation
experiment,
of the camera,
whichis reducedto a stateof pitiableslavery,of subordination
to the
imper{ections
and the shortsightedness
of the humaneye.
We do not objectto cinema'sundermining
of literature
and the
theater;we whollyapproveof the use of cinemain everybranchof
knowledge,but we definethesefunctionsas accessory,as secondary offshotsof cinema.
The mainand essential
thingis:
The sensoryexplorationof the worldthro_ugh
film
We thereforetake as the pointof departurethe use of the
cameraas a kino-eye;
moreperfectthanthe humaneye,for the
exploration
of the chaosof visualphenomena
thatfillsspace.
The kino-eyelivesand movesrntimeand space;it gathersand
recordsimpressions
in a mannerwhollydifferent
fromthatof the
position
humaneye.The
of our bodieswhileobservingor our perceptionof a certainnumberof featuresof a visualphenomenonin a
giveninstantare by no meansobligatory
limitations
for the camera
perceivesmoreand better.
which,sinceit is perfected,
We cannotimprovethe makingof our eyes,but we can endlessly
perfectthe camera.
Untilnow manya cameramanhasbeencriticized
for having
filmeda runninghorsemovingwith unnaturalslownesson the screen
(rapidcrankingof the camera)-or for the opposite,a tractorplowinga fieldtoo swiftly(slowcrankingof the camera),and the like.
Theseare chanceoccurrences,of course,but we are preparing
a system,a deliberatesystemof suchoccurrences,a systemof
D Z IGA VERTOV: ARTICLES, ADDRESSES
seemingirregularities
and organizephenomena.
to investigate
Untilnow,we haveviolatedthe moviecameraand forcedit to
copy the work of our eye.And the betterthe copy, the betterthe
shootingwas thoughtto be. Startingtoday we are liberatingthe
cameraand makingit work in the oppositedirection-awayfrom
copying,
The weaknessof the humaneye is manifest.We afftrmthe kinowithinthe chaosof movementthe resultof the
eye,discovering
kino-eye's
own movement;
we affirmthe kino-eyewithits own dimensions
of timeand space,growingin strengthand potential
to the
pointof self-affirmation.
I makethevrewersee in the mannerbestsuitedto my presentaThe eye submitsto thewillof
tionof thisor thatvisualphenomenon.
pointsof the
thecameraand is directedby it to thosesuccessive
actionthat,mostsuccinctly
andvividly,bringthe filmphraseto the
heightor depthof resolution.
Example:
shootinga boxingmatch,not fromthe pointof viewof
a spectatorpresent,but shootingthe successivemovements(the
blows)of the contenders
Example:
thefilmingof a groupof dancers,not fromthe pointof
viewof a spectatorsittingin theauditorium
witha balleton the stage
beforehim.
Afterall,the spectatorat a balletfollows,in confusion,
nowthe
combinedgroupof dancers,now randomindividual
figures,now
someone'slegs-a seriesof scatteredperceptions,
different
for
eachsoectator.
Onecan'tpresentthisto thefilmviewer,A systemof successive
movements
requiresthe filmingof dancersor boxersin the orderof
theiractions,one afteranother . . by forcefultransferof theviewer'seyeto the successive
detailsthatmustbe seen.
The camera"carries"thefilmviewer'seyesfromarmsto legs,
fromlegsto eyesand so on, in the mostadvantageous
sequence,
and organizes
the detailsintoan orderlymontagestudy.
You'rewalkingdowna Chicagostreettodayin 1923,butI make
you greetComradeVolodarsky,walkingdown a Petrogradstreetin
1918,and he returnsYourgreelrng'
heroesare loweredinto
Anotherexample:tne cothnsol national
in 1918);the graveis filledin (Kronthe grave(shotin Astrakhan
1920);memorialservice'
stadt,1921);cannonsarute(Petrograd'
thingsgo together'even
hatsare removed(Moscow,1922)-such
shotfor thispurpose(cf
footagenot specifically
withthankless
and o{ machinesgreetKinopravdano13).The montageof crowds
14) iilmedin differentplacesat
ing ComradeLentn(Kinopravdano
times,belongsto thiscategory
ditferent
placedyou'whomI've
l am kino eYe.I am a builder'I have
just
room whichdrdnot existuntil
craAtqg!o-g9; in an extraordinary
therearetwelvewallsshot
now whenI alsocreatedit'In thisroom
bringingtogethershotsof
by me in variouspartsof t6e world ln
themin an orderthatis
wa|lsand detai|s,|,vemanagedto arrange
a film-phrase
pleasingand to conslructwith intervals'correctly'
:
whichis the room.
perfectthanAdam'I create
I am kino-eye,I createa manmore
bluepeoplein accordancewithpreliminary
o{ different
thousands
printsand dragramsoJdifferentkinds
I am ktno-eYe.
strongestand most dexFrom one personr take the hands'the
swiftestand mostshapely;
terous;fromanotherltake the legs'the
fro m at hir d, t hem ost beaut if u|andexpr essivehead- andt hr ough
montagelcreatea new,Perfectman
1t
eye l' a machine'showyouthe
I am a mechanical
I am kino-eye,
worldas onlYI can seeit
I am tn
immobiliiy'
Nowand {orever,lfree myselffromhuman
jrom obiects'lcrawlunder'
drawnear'thenaway
constantmotion,-l
horse'
muzzleof a galloping
I climbontothem.I moveapacewiththe
on my
lfall
soldiers'
running
lplungefullspeedintoa crowd'l outstrip
back, I ascendwit hanair p|ane, I p|Ungeandsoar t oget her wit h
{lingmyselfalong
plungingand soaringbodies Now l' a camera'
recording
movement'
of
in the chaos
theirresultant,maneuveting
complex
most
the
of
movement,startrngwith movementscomposed
combinations.
framesper second'
Freedfrom the ruleof sixteen-seventeen
"rr*"'"I;
M i k h a il Ka u fm a n
Mi k hai l K aufman
freeof the limitsof timeand space,I puttogetheranygivenpointsin
the universe,
no matterwhereI'verecordedthem
My path leadsto the creationof a freshperceptionof the world.I
decipherin a newway a worldunknownto you.
Oncemorelet us agree:the eyeand the ear.The ear doesnot
spy,the eye does not eavesdrop.
Separatron
of functions,
Radio-ear-themontage"l hear!"
Kino-eye-themontage"l see!"
Thereyou haveit, citizens,
for the firsttime:insteadof music,
painting,
theater,cinematography,
and othercastratedoutpourings.
Withinthe chaosof movements,runningpast,away,runninginto
and colliding-theeye,allby itself,enterslife.
A day o{ visualimpressionshas passed.How is one to construct
the impressionsof the day into an effectivewhole,a visualstudy?lf
one filmseverythingthe eye has seen,the result,of course,will be a
jumble.lf one skillfully
editswhat'sbeenphotographed,
the resultwill
be clearer.lf onescrapsbothersome
waste,ii willbe betterstill,One
obtainsan organizedmemoof the ordinaryeye,srmpressrons.
Themechanical
eye,the camera,rejectingthe numaneyeas crib
sheet,gropesits way throughthe chaosof visualevents,lettingitself
be drawnor repelledby movement,
probing,as it goes,the pathof
rlsown movement.
lt experiments,
distending
time,dissecting
move_
ment,or, in contraryfashion,absorbingtimewithinitself,swallowing
years,thusschematizing
processesof longduratroninaccessible
to
the normaleye.
Aidingthe machine-eyeis the kinok-pilot,who not only controls
the camera'smovements,but entrustshimselfto it duringexperi_
mentsin space.And at a latertimethe kinok_engineer,
withremote
controlof cameras.
The resultof thisconcertedactionof the riberatedand perfected
cameraand the strategicbrainof mandirecting,
observing,
and
gauging-the presentation
of eventhe mostordinarythingswilltake
on an exceptionally
freshand interestingaspect.'
How manypeople,starvedfor spectacles,are wearingawaythe
seatsof theirpantsin theaters?
Theyfleefromthe humdrum,
fromthe ,,prose,'of life.And mean_
20
D Z IGA VERTOV: ARTICLES, ADDRESSES
whilethetheateris almostalwaysjusta lousyimitationof thatsame
musical
life,plusan idioticconglomerate
of balleticaffectation,
stagesets(fromdaubsto constructivsqueaks,tricksof lighting,
ism),and occasionallythe work of a talentedwriterdistortedby all
that nonsense.Certainmastersof the theaterare destroyingthe
old forms,and advancingnewslotheaterfromwithin,shattering
gansfor theatricalwork; to furthertheirrescuethey'veenlisted
(initselfa worthypursuit),
and cinema(honorand
biomechanics
gloryto it),andwriters(notbad in themselves),
and constructions
(howcan one not
(thereare somegood ones),and automobiles
dangerousand
and gunfire(something
admiretheautomobile?),
impressive
at the front);and by and largenot a damnedthing
comesof it.
Theaterand nothingmore.
mixture.
it's not evena legitimate
Notonlyis thisno synthesis;
And it cannotbe otherwise
("Forsynsynthesis
We kinoks,as firmopponentsof premature
that
understand
thesrsmustcomeat the summitof achievement!"),
the littleoneswillimmeit's pointless
to mixscrapsof achievement:
and disorder.And in generaldiatelyperishfromovercrowding
The arena'ssmall.Comeout,please,intolife.
Thisis wherewe work-we; the mastersof vision,the organizers
kino-eye.Thisis wherethe
of visiblelife,armedwiththe omnipresent
mastersof wordand sound,the mostskillfuleditorsof audiblelife,
mechanical
ear
work.And I makeboldto sliothemthe ubiquitous
and megaphone-theradiotelephone.
Thisis:
newsreel,
raoro-news.
I promiseto drumup a paradeof kinokson RedSquareon the
day whenthe futuristsreleasethe firstissueof a radio-news
montage.
Not the newsreelsfrom Path€or Gaumont(newspaperchronr
cle),not evenKinopravda(politicalnewsreel),but a realkinok
newsreel-animpetuous
surveyof visualeventsdeciphered
by the
camera,bits o{ realenergy(as opposedto theater)joinedthrough
intervalsinto a tectonicwholeby the greatcraftof montage.
Suchstructuring
of the film-oblectenablesone to developany
giventheme,be it comic,tragic,one of specialeffects,or some
othertype,
A FI L M E X P E R I ME N T S TA TI O N
It'sentirelya questionof the partlcular
of visual
luxtaposition
details,of intervals,
The unusualflexibility
of montageconstruction
enablesoneto
introduceintoa filmstudyanygivenmotif-political, economic,or
other.And therefore:
. As of now,neitherpsychological
nor detectivedramas
are neededin cinema,
. As of now,theatrical
productions
transferred
to film
are no longerneeded,
. As of now,neitherDostoyevsky
nor NatPinkerton
are
to be put on the screen,
. EveMhingis includedin the new conceptionol the
newsreel,
Intothelumbleof liferesolutely
enter:
1.kino-eye,
challenging
the humaneye'svrsualrepresentation
of theworldand offeringits own "l see,"and
2. the kinok-editor,
organizing
the minutesof the lifestructureseen lhrswavlor the firsttime.
1923
On the Organization of a
Film Experiment Station
The filmofficeand editorialstaffof Kinopravdaare beingeliminated.A smallnucleusof workers,unitedby innerdiscipline,
is being
formed-the firstfilmexperimentstation.
By organizedwork, the agencyaimsto breakthroughthe frontof
despaircausedby idleness,
amongotherfactors,if onlyon one
sectorof thisfront-that of the newsreeland of experimentation.
In
addition,experimentation
is alsoto be regardedas a kindof ferment
thatinvolvesinterested
colleagues
in intensive
cooperation-a
methodthatis triedand true.
Prospectsfor thefuture(a highoblective):
for continuan institute
ous invention
and perfection,
a stakein theworldwidequalityof
production,
the cinema-lighthouse
of the USSR.
Letthoseinclinedto smiletakenote:the higherthe objective,
the