Critique 15 March 2020

A Critique on the research paper, “Using Interactive Data Visualization to

Explore Non-Linear Movie Narratives” by Rasagy Sharma & Venkatesh

Rajamanickam

The paper aims to introduce a new mode of visual representation to visualize

narrative structures of non-linear movies, and further explores the scope of data-driven

analysis of non-linear narratives through interactive visual tools. To illustrate it, the nar-

rative structure of the movie “500 Days of Summer” is beautifully visualized through

various data points such as the chronology, length of the scenes and the state of char-

acters at every instant.

As a huge cinephile and data enthusiast, the idea of translating a narrative into

an intricate visualization is extremely intriguing and the result feels like an implicitly en-

joyable extension to the narrative experience, as going through such visualization pro-

vides viewers with a new lens to appreciate the narrative. Such representation can give

rise to a new range of tools that not only give insight into various dynamics of the narra-

tive but in fact provide us with new dimensions to study to the narrative, through the

diverse choice of the elements of visualization.

Non-linear narratives are inherently difficult to analyze due to the added com-

plexity not only through temporal discontinuity but also the discontinuity in the mood

and tone of the narrative throughout. And especially in a movie like “500 days of sum-

mer”, unlike for example “Interstellar” where the non-linearity adds complexity to the

plot, the non-linearity in 500 days of summer creates complexity in character arcs and

how we perceive the relationship at every instant. The non-linearity helps the narrative
Critique 15 March 2020

transcend into a whole new experience, which can be subtly affected by narrative ele-

ments like composition, length of the scene, etc. This kind of visual analysis can very

possibly give a new perspective in looking at how the narrative elements are playing

out, and aid the creator.

From the perspective of a film enthusiast, The form of the visualization is aes-

thetically very appealing and provides a lot of interactive elements and key trivia which

helps the viewers to reflect on their experience effectively.

Along with being a tool for analysis, there is a whole range of possibilities

through this kind of visualization. In the broader picture, these tools can help study and

analyze the evolution of narrative structures throughout time by comparing the visual-

izations. The model and design of the visual representation can itself be a source for

formulating new ideas to create a narrative.