Post-continuity

Shaviro (2016) has come up with a perspective on the editing style of audiovisual content. The sequence of time and space, which can be understood as the continuity rules has been meticulously followed before; yet in films nowadays tend to break the rules occasionally and have a less rigid systematic sequence of time and space. The narrative structure in a film could be fragmented. Although the function of continuity is not being totally neglected in contemporary films, there is a decline in the significance of continuity.

Morphing in ‘Black and White’

These post-cinematic techniques are especially performed with digital special effects, such as morphing which allows filmmakers to manipulate time and space within the narrative. One iconic application of morphing techniques in audiovisuals is the ‘Black and White’ music video by Michael Jackson that was released in 1991.

This excerpt showcases how photorealistic morphing techniques is used to create transition through various personas, seamlessly dissolving the cuts from one character to another.

The production team for the ‘Black and White’ music video used self-developed software to create the morphing effect. The rendering of the effect itself could already take up to 4 hours for each frame. This groundbreaking use of digital special effects not only captivated audiences but also demonstrated post-continuity in today’s films by creating a visually stunning narrative. This video exemplifies how digital manipulation can blur the lines between reality and fantasy, pushing the boundaries of traditional storytelling in music videos. ‘Black and White’ opens an era of photorealistic morphing not only in music videos, but also TV commercials and films.

What’s next?

The characteristics of post-continuity are still being spotted today. Currently, we have a relatively mature understanding and utilisation of artificial intelligence (AI) technology to the extent that filmmakers have started incorporating AI technologies in editing and special effects. If we were to recreate the same visuals we seen in the ‘Black and White’ music video, how different would our method be and how would the efficiency differs to create the same outcome? Will we still use classic morphing softwares like Avid Elastic Reality and require 4 hours to render a single frame in today? With technological advancement, this fragmented editing style will carry on, more than ever.

by Hermione Au 33725262

References
Failes, I. (2016) An oral history of morphing in Michael Jackson’s ‘black or white’, Cartoon Brew. Available at: https://www.cartoonbrew.com/vfx/oral-history-morphing-michael-jacksons-black-white-144015.html (Accessed: 20 November 2024).
Shaviro, S. (2016) ‘Post-Continuity: An introduction’, in Post-cinema: Theorizing 21st-century Film. Boston: REFRAME Books, pp. 51–64.