The Bordwell and Thompson (2013) reading for this week was incredibly long, and covered a wide range of topics. However, the idea that stood out most to me was the idea of Associated Form, which is commonly used in experimental films.

They state that “associational formal systems suggest that ideas and expressive qualities by grouping images that may not have any immediate logical connection…an association binds them together” (Bordwell and Thompson, 2013, p.363). Associated form creates associations between clips, images and ideas that may not necessarily have clear connections. They go on to discuss and demonstrate many different examples of how this has been used in experimental films such as Reggio’s Koyaanisqatsi, which binds together clips with have no narrative or pictorial connections. However, upon reflection, these clips all suggest and have similar ideas behind routine, mass production and impersonal production.

The idea of associational form can be closely related to Korsakow films, as Korsakow pushes users to look beyond narrative and linear ideas to create a film. It challenges users to not use in and out key words as a way of creating a linear narrative or use and obvious cause and effect structure. This is vastly different to the mainstream way of understanding narrative and film in general as it is incredibly challenging to create a fluid linear narrative within the Korsakow program.

Associational form, as discussed by Bordwell and Thompson (2013) challenges filmmakers to look beyond traditional ways of creating narratives and creating associations. Associational form and Korsakow are closely linked as they both creators to create links between imagery and poetry that would not have been traditionally used.