https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-9XB-Tt8X9I

Under the joint influence of rapid progress in economics, digital technology and aesthetics, it is widely acknowledged that all the perspectives of the contemporary film have been profoundly transforming. Using the film Everything Everywhere All At Once (2022) as an example, this post will introduce the post continuity and analyse the brand-new audiovisual experience it creates.

According to Shaviro (2010), the style of post-continuity has been commonly used in commercial filmmaking during the past decade. Compared to Griffith’s continuity editing – a linear, conventional standard, it tends to push the narrative forward at a very fast pace, cutting many shots within a fraction of a second. By stimulating the audience with instant excitement and consistent shocks, it keeps them preoccupied and immersed in the world they create. Everything Everywhere All at Once is an absurdist comedy film about the Chinese American immigrant Evelyn, who must connect with all versions of herself in parallel realities to prevent her powerful but desperate daughter from destroying the multiverse. Instead of following the order of time and space, it is clearly divided into three chapters to tell the story, with a large number of montages and flashbacks to portray characters and establish the logic of the narrative. There is a spectacular 41-second sequence: 127 close-up shots of Evelyn’s face showing her identity and status in different universes. Although it seems dazzling and unrecognisable, it perfectly recreates the chaos of her travelling through the multiverse. As the video above demonstrates, the same goes for the fighting scene between Evelyn and Jobu Tupaki. The strong visual impacts will deeply engage the audience as part of the action: They no longer need the details of every punch, kick, action and reaction (Pitter, 2013).

In addition, there are other post-cinematic embodiments in Everything Everywhere All At Once to achieve this kaleidoscopic feast, such as the green screen and various visual effects. They all are a part of valuable non-narrative experiments in sensory engagement.

Reference

Pitter, E. (2013) What New Editing Styles Can Do For Narrative, Digital Cinema Aesthetics. Available at: https://digitalcinemaaesthetics.wordpress.com/tag/post-continuity-2/ (Accessed: November 12, 2022).

Shaviro, S., 2016. Post-continuity: an introduction.

Wired. (2022) How a 5-person team made blockbuster-level movie effects | wired, YouTube. YouTube. Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hFFopPPrGiE (Accessed: November 12, 2022). 

By Peijia Hu – 2022/11/12