Modular narratives in contemporary cinema by Allen Cameron

Modular narratives 'articulate a sense of time as divisible and subject to manipulation'.

 

Anachronic modular narrative

• Involve the use of flashbacks and/or flash forwards.
• There is no clear dominance between any of the narrative threads.
• Often repeat the same scene again but from a different perspective.
• Examples of this narrative in films: Pulp Fiction and Memento (check out my analysis  on Memento)

Forking-path narrative

• Includes juxtapose alternative versions of a story.
• The possible outcomes of the narrative might result after a small change/event.
• Examples of this narrative in films: Groundhog Day

Episodic narrative

• This type of narrative is organised as an abstract series or narrative anthology
• Involve individual short tales that are supposedly disconnected but they all share a random similarity.
• Examples of this narrative in films: Love Actually

Spilt screen narrative

• The screen is didived into more than one frame juxtaposing events within the same visual field.
• Examples of this narrative in films: Time code

Linear Narrative

• The plot moves in a straight line.
• This narrative is used in most films.

Parallel Narrative

• Two scenes are observed as happening at the same time by cross-cutting between them.