Great Example of Montage

The Radiolab podcast featured this video.

I have no idea what makes videos go viral. Usually the ones that dominate the internet have something interesting about them, but they do not necessarily show the craftsmanship of filmmaking the way this one does.

This film is a beautiful example of the cinematic language. The images do not have an inherent narrative. Only by juxtaposing the images through editing does something larger emerge.

There is a question at the beginning, “What is a moment?” Then a failed attempt to answer it with words, and then an attempt to capture the power of a moment with images.

There is a rhythm and a pacing to this film. The screen strobes through a series of images and then lulls the mind into a meditative state by lingering on certain images. Few of these images are in themselves remarkable, but when strung together they form a greater context that celebrates the ordinary moment. They become both wonderful and heartbreaking all at once.

I wish more videos like this go viral.