Narrative Complexity and Audience Perception in Nonlinear Filmmaking

This study focuses on nonlinear filmmaking techniques, where the narrative is portrayed not sequentially, representing the events in a different order than the characters’ pro-filmic experience of the events. More specifically, different classes of application of narrative structures are analysed and evaluated in their artistic and historical contexts, discussing the evolution of the filmic language regarding nonlinearity.

The different approaches influence the structural, logical and emotional features of the film, therefore foregrounding various aspects of the filmic experience of the viewers. This research has the goal of classifying and discussing their features, the rationale behind their application and the effect on the narrative content itself, as well as focusing on their influence on the viewers as intended by the filmmaker.

The techniques hence identified are then recontextualized applied to create a nonlinear short film, with the objective of evaluating their effectiveness and weaknesses thanks to a questionnaire, while potentially pushing the boundaries of experimentation and broadening the spectrum of nonlinear narrative applications in film. 

Key words: Film, Nonlinearity, Narrative structure, Causality 
  

Bio: Davide Simonetti is an aspiring independent filmmaker, video editor and music producer with professional experience in the entertainment industry. 

Webpage: https://davidesimonetti.wordpress.com/