Modular Narrative in Contemporary Cinema: Allan Cameron

In his book 'Modular Narratives in Contemporary Cinema, Allan Cameron says that there are four types of narrative and these are:

• anachronic
• forking paths
• episodic 
• split screens

Anachronic

modular narratives involve the use of flashbacks and/or flashforwards, with no clear dominance between any of the narrative threads. These narratives also often repeat scenes directly or via a different perspective. Examples of these in films would be 'Vantage Point', 'Click' and '50 First Dates'.

Forking Paths

Forking-path narratives juxtapose alternative versions of a story, showing the possible outcomes that might result from small changes in a single event or group of events. The forking-path narrative introduces a number of plot lines that usually contradict one another. Examples of these include 'Mr Nobody', 'Source Code' and 'Groundhog Day'

Episodic

Episodic narratives are organised as an abstract series or narrative anthology. Abstract series type of modular narrative is characterized by the operation of a non- narrative formal system which appears to dictate (or at least overlay) the organization of narrative elements such as a sequence of numbers or the alphabet. Anthology consists of a series of shorter tales which are apparently disconnected but share a random similarity, such as all ‘episodes’ being survivors of a shipwreck. Examples of these would be 'Heroes', 'Lost' or 'Game of Thrones'.

Split Screens

Split screen narratives are different from the other types of modular narrative discussed here, because their modularity is articulated along spatial rather than temporal lines. These films divide the screen into two or more frames, juxtaposing events within the same visual field, in a sustained fashion. An example of this would be 500 Days of Summer: