Modular narratives and visual digital culture in contemporary cinema. The case of Open Windows (Nacho Vigalondo, 2014)

Abstract

In the present day, digital visual and convergence culture permeate the modes of production, circulation, and consumption of audiovisual representations, following the postulates of authors such as A. Darley or H. Jenkins. In this context, A. Cameron defines modular narratives as those in which classical narrative causality is replaced by a database aesthetic, dividing the narrative into discrete elements subject to manipulations of order, frequency, and duration. Focusing on the case of Open Windows (Nacho Vigalondo, 2014), this study aims to explore the imprints of digital visual culture on contemporary Spanish cinema incorporating modular narratives. The methodology employs an analysis model adapted to this narrative and aesthetic specificity within the framework of Computational Media Aesthetics. The film's mechanisms of representation are scrutinized through a multi-screen interface, where simultaneous events are juxtaposed within the same visual field. Finally, the discussion encompasses the necessity of applying such models to the analysis of audiovisual content associated with digital visual culture, as well as their potential utility for future research.