Shaviro (2016) suggests we have reached a new ‘cultural technological’ system of post- cinema which is heavily influenced by techniques such as editing, special effects, simulation and morph. These techniques break the boundaries of experience in cinema, creating experiences of hyper-realities creating feelings and experiences such as hallucinatory and dreamlike imagery. I will focus on the idea of post-continuity which I believe is an effective technique to engage a contemporary audience. Post-continuity challenges traditional ideas of linear narratives and story-telling which is over seen in classical Hollywood cinema. The intentions of creating a coherent storyline in Hollywood cinema is so the audience can easily follow the story without being distracted how the story has been constructed. Post-continuity subverts from these traditional ideas by creating non-linear and disjointed storylines. Post-Continuity fragmented story-telling focusing on visually impactful storytelling. This demonstrates how contemporary cinema prioritizes sensory and emotional impact over narratives.

A great example of post-continuity techniques in contemporary films is in Everything Everywhere All At Once (By Scheinert and Kwan 2022). The film consists of multi-universes and dimensions which are reflected in fragmented timelines leaving the viewer in a state of spatial confusion as you are unable to place which present you are in. Throughout the film the main character is rapidly jumping between dimensions which reflects a disjointed timeline. This effectively maintains the viewers’ attention as you frantically try to make sense of the narrative timeline which is then cemented in the ending scene. This film successfully reflects the unpredictable and fast-paced nature of the world we live in today as we are bombarded with so much information and are rapidly consuming high volumes of information. Due to the viewer’s structure of feelings which are shaped by the fast-paced nature of society the viewer is able to stay engaged with the chaotic timeline as they are more receptive to this than a slow linear narrative.

References:

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

Everything Everywhere All At Once (2022) Directed by Daniel Scheinert and Daniel Kwan)

Zara Bloom – 33751437