Montage is an editing technique terminology commonly associated with film editing. It is French for ‘putting together’ or ‘assembly’. In the classical sense, this simply refers to stringing the film shots together to create a unified object.
The term montage has since changed into the method of putting two seemingly unconnected shots together to create an entirely new meaning. Imagine three different and separate shots: a dark night, a disembodied scream, and a smoking gun. Taken separately, these shots mean nothing. But a montage of the three shots strung together creates a nearly complete narrative.
This editing technique allows the filmmaker to put the power of deriving meaning from the film or video primarily in the audience’s hands.
photo credit: perry bible fellowship