Post-cinema is a term used to describe the notion of ‘new media’ that emerged in the 21st century. It reflects both technological changes and stylistics shifts in sensibility and affect. New techniques found in post-cinema such as ‘chaos cinema’ , post- continuity editing and CGI do not only reflect the shift from an analogue process to a heavily digitised one but can be understood as a new structure of feelings, sensations and experiences that they form for contemporary audiences.

Steven Shaviro describes these feelings as the ” post-Cinematic Affect” . He states that new digital technology and neoliberal economic relations have formed a new radical way of manufacturing and articulating lived experiences ( S.Shaviro 2010). He states that film and video works are ‘expressive’ as they give a voice to a kind of ” ambient, free-floating sensibility that permeates our society today” ( S.Shaviro pp.2 2010). Films and audio material in post-cinema reflect the complex social processes we see in todays society.

Our society today is forever changing and at a very fast pace. Post-cinema portray this through its complex non-linear narratives , non-linear editing, visual effects, intense action and chaotic scenes. The majority of narratives in post-cinema allows new ways of manufacturing and articulating lived experiences and fears. An example of this in the Matrix, the Matrix is an extreme way of thinking deeper about how post-cinema reflects society. The film is a sci-fi about reality being simulated and created by machines in order to subdue the human population. The film foreshadows the idea that digital computers and surveillance is everywhere it surrounds us but we have got so used to them that we no longer acknowledge their presence. In a way the film reflects some peoples fears in how fast technology is evolving and changing and how advanced it’s going to become in the future.

References

Shaviro, Steven 2010- Post- Cinematic affect: on Grace jones, Boarding Gate and Southland Tales. Edinburgh University press

Lois Reilly