I most definitely agree that non-linear narrative have deeply influence how subjects are presented and percieved in visual culture. In order to suppost this statement, I have chosen two films as examples; Memento written by Christopher Nolan and Jonathan Nolan, Christopher Nolan also being the director. (2000) and 500 Days Of Summer written by Scott Neustadter and Michael H. Weber, directed by Marc Webb, (2009).
Experimentation with non-linear structure in film dates back to the silent film era, including D. W. Griffith's Intolerance (1916) and Abel Gance's Napoléon (1927) [Debruge, Peter (December 7, 2007). "More scripts take nonlinear route". Variety. Retrieved on February 3, 2008.] Non-linear narrative is an interesting and an effective way of storytelling in filmaking. Re-arranging and deconstructing sequences affects the way the story progresses and also it's characters. Filmmakers who decide to introduce a non-linear narrative in their work, have the ability to adapt a films plot in order to produce a new beginning, middle and end. There are various techniques which are commonly used in a non-linear narrative to create states of confusion like, for example, the use of flashbacks, hallucinations, memory loss, amnesia, dream states, memories and the collision between fiction and reality. Fabula and syuzhet are also employed in narratology, they describe narrative construction. The fabula is "the raw material of a story, and syuzhet, the way a story is organized." 1 [Cobley, Paul. "Narratology." The Johns Hopkins Guide to Literary Theory and Criticism. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press, Web.] Hence, the fabula is the chronological way that the story happened whereas, the syuzhet is the way it was unraveled in the film, ...
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...ilm plots, however, putting film sequences out of order makes the film much more interesting and unforgettable. The audience have to think much more and try to figure out the story of the film. They have to endure some confusion and be unclear or certain things during the duration of the film.
Non-linear narrative is an unconventional way of storytelling in film and now a contemporary style of filmmaking. It provides infinite possibilities with structures that can use various time and space for the director. It deeply engages the viewer and gives them the task to interpret the movie through their individual way of thinking which is both tricky and enjoyable. The audience is almost put in a time-travel machine as they go on a journey through the serious of captivating non-choronological events. Non-linear narratives are definitely a feature of postmodern filmmaking.
Beginning the mid 1920s, Hollywood’s ostensibly all-powerful film studios controlled the American film industry, creating a period of film history now recognized as “Classical Hollywood”. Distinguished by a practical, workmanlike, “invisible” method of filmmaking- whose purpose was to demand as little attention to the camera as possible, Classical Hollywood cinema supported undeviating storylines (with the occasional flashback being an exception), an observance of a the three act structure, frontality, and visibly identified goals for the “hero” to work toward and well-defined conflict/story resolution, most commonly illustrated with the employment of the “happy ending”. Studios understood precisely what an audience desired, and accommodated their wants and needs, resulting in films that were generally all the same, starring similar (sometimes the same) actors, crafted in a similar manner. It became the principal style throughout the western world against which all other styles were judged. While there have been some deviations and experiments with the format in the past 50 plus ye...
Breathless is in many ways the antithesis of the classical Hollywood cinema; the changes have a direct effect on the relationship the film has with the viewer. Classical Hollywood cinema includes standards such as continuity editing, highly motivated, character-driven stories and a coherent narrative structure. Breathless defies these elements of traditional filmmaking, instead defining what we know as French New Wave.
A set of practices concerning the narrative structure compose the classical Hollywood Paradigm. These conventions create a plot centering around a character who undergoes a journey in an attempt to achieve some type of goal (). By giving the central character more time on screen, the film helps the audience to not only understand the character’s motivation but also empathize with his/her emotional state. Additionally, some antagonistic force creates conflict with the main character, preventing immediate success(). Finally, after confronting the antagonist, the main character achieves his or her goal along with growing emotionally(). This proven structure creates a linear and relatively easily followed series of events encompassing the leading character and a goal.
The Alfred Hitchcock film; Vertigo is a narrative film that is a perfect example of a Hollywood Classical Film. I will be examining the following characteristics of the film Vertigo: 1)individual characters who act as casual agents, the main characters in Vertigo, 2)desire to reach to goals, 3)conflicts, 4)appointments, 5)deadlines, 6)James Stewart’s focus shifts and 7)Kim Novak’s characters drives the action in the film. Most of the film is viewed in the 3rd person, except for the reaction shots (point of view shot) which are seen through the eyes of the main character.(1st person) The film has a strong closure and uses continuity editing(180 degree rule). The stylistic (technical) film form of Vertigo makes the film much more enjoyable. The stylistic film form includes camera movements, editing, sound, mise-en-scene and props.
Non-linear storytelling is the structure of a film in which time is presented. This means that the film can start at the beginning or the ending. The first film cited as an experiment of non-linear storytelling was Stanley Kubrick's The Killing (1956). The structure that Kubrick based the film was from Lionel White's novel Clean Break. As Kubrick's film was nearly meant to be a test, it wasn't until Quentin Tarantino whom with the release of Pulp Fiction (1994) raised the popularity of non-linear storytelling in the twentieth century (LoBrutto 2012). So non-linear storytelling is fairly ne...
According to historians like Neil Burch, the primitive period of the film industry, at the turn of the 20th century was making films that appealed to their audiences due to the simple story. A non-fiction narrative, single shots a burgeoning sense
People can feel better about themselves after watching these types of movies. Using these elements together, it makes the movie better, but not only that, but each element helps each other out in the scene to make it a very good movie
It’s funny how all these years I never figured out that one of my favorite movies, Memento, just happens to be a film noir. The film centers on our protagonist, Leonard Shelby, who is in pursuit of his wife’s killer. What takes this film out of the norm and into a neo-noir setting is that Leonard is unable to make new memories. This is due to a condition called Anterograde Amnesia, which he got trying to save his wife. It all seems like pretty a nihilistic film, because you can’t see this ever possibly working out. Too bad Leonardo doesn’t see it that way. Instead he believes that he is doing things in a very precise manner, such as taking Polaroid pictures to keep track of the people he meets and the places he visits, and tattoos of the facts as a reminder to what his mission in life is. While watching it with my newfound knowledge I can definitely see how this film fits into the criteria. The connection to film noir is shown in a number of ways. For one, many of the characters in film noir cater to the idea that the protagonist suffers from an identity problem. Another connection is the story plot and use of low-key lighting, and finally the most important aspect of this movie that ties it to many of the classic noir movies watched in class is the idea that male protagonist is an unreliable narrator.
The fact that the story starts off with the end of the story leads makes the plot nonlinear and as a result, makes the audience feel how Louise feels after being able to see the future. This is a technique that has been widely used in films, and Chiang adopts this technique in order to enhance "Story of Your Life." According to Allan Cameron audience are more accustomed to “radically achronological narrative structures” as a result of “the relative popularity of films such as Pulp Fiction (Quentin Tarantino, 1994) and Memento (Christopher Nolan, 2000)” (65). Normally, a writer would use this in order to hide information from the audience; for example, in 21 Grams, which is a nonlinear movie, there are “three apparently disparate tales turn out [to] be inextricably linked” (Cameron 67). Chiang does not use the nonlinear structure for this reason; most notably Chiang reveals that Louise’s daughter died in the second break from the main plot (95). By having this nonlinear form, Chiang is asking the question of what is the relationship between time and the character, and this one of the larger themes of “Story of Your Life.” The relationship between time and humanity, this is a notable theme as it progresses without regards to humanity and begs the question of what is the future. As Chiang uses the structure of the story to build another theme in the story, he also uses the voice within the breaks to bring the audience into the
Choose at least one main topic or theme PER CRITIQUE that has been discussed in class lecture / the text that appear to be related...
...verything around us is made by our actions. Positive or negative they cause an effect that will ultimately lead to a different story base on how we interpret life. Narrative elements are used as a bridge by the directors in their film to create any master plot that is currently known. Any modification at any narrative element used by the director at important moments inside the story can help you portray a different master plot. This used of narrative elements can be best described as an ever changing process that takes place inside an individual’s head. Depending on the individual that may be exposed to those narrative elements can create different meanings. This new interpretation can be different for everyone. We have to be aware that one change in the surface scenery can lead to many ideal outcomes in our minds and that is the main power the audience has.
Postmodernism is a vague term that can describe a variety of disciplines that include, architecture, art, music, film, fashion, literature…etc. (Klages). In the case of “Videotape”, postmodern literature would be the main focus or area of study. This type of literature emerged in the era that succeeded World War II and relies heavily on the use of techniques such as, fragmentation, the creation of paradoxes, and questionable protagonists. Furthermore, postmodern literature also exudes ambiguity and critical thinking where the focus is mainly on the reader and his/her experience of the work rather than the content and form. Building upon that, the selected passag...
Despite the loss of “montage” as an aesthetic vision in contemporary films, we see how “montage” as an editing technique had in fact contributed greatly to filmmaking as we know it today. While the continuity style’s emphasis is on the narrative as well as clear, understandable space and time, the montage style focuses on creating impact with different images juxtaposing against one another. It is hence clear that the Soviet montage style has given filmmakers new ways to express certain ideas that might have previously been limited by the continuity style – giving filmmaking greater nuance and complexity as an art form with its own unique
The postmodern cinema emerged in the 80s and 90s as a powerfully creative force in Hollywood film-making, helping to form the historic convergence of technology, media culture and consumerism. Departing from the modernist cultural tradition grounded in the faith in historical progress, the norms of industrial society and the Enlightenment, the postmodern film is defined by its disjointed narratives, images of chaos, random violence, a dark view of the human state, death of the hero and the emphasis on technique over content. The postmodernist film accomplishes that by acquiring forms and styles from the traditional methods and mixing them together or decorating them. Thus, the postmodern film challenges the “modern” and the modernist cinema along with its inclinations. It also attempts to transform the mainstream conventions of characterization, narrative and suppresses the audience suspension of disbelief. The postmodern cinema often rejects modernist conventions by manipulating and maneuvering with conventions such as space, time and story-telling. Furthermore, it rejects the traditional “grand-narratives” and totalizing forms such as war, history, love and utopian visions of reality. Instead, it is heavily aimed to create constructed fictions and subjective idealisms.
Memento is a captivating and beautifully written movie that incorporates the subject of amnesia and short term memory loss. The audience is enabled to view Leonard’s world through pieces of information he has gathered on post it notes, polaroid shots he takes of people and places, and tattoos on his body. Although the movie grasps many of the concepts of anterograde amnesia, some parts have been exaggerated and are unrealistic.