Pieces Juxtaposition in Time of Series of Images, Temporal Montage
A piece is the basic building block of a Medlay artefact.
It is a mix/hybridization between the cinematographic shot and the comic panel and, as its precursors, it becomes significant when placed in context with other pieces, that is if it is spatially juxtaposed in a sequence1 of pieces.
Series of Images into Loop
A piece constitutes of one or more dynamic series of images2 sequentially juxtaposed in time.
Each piece is formed into a loop, which allows for the content represented to be repetitive in time, and thus always accessible to viewers.
A piece formed into a loop.
Different Types of Pieces
A piece being formed into a loop entails that the one or more series it is composed of are spliced together.
The splicing can be either continuous3, by means of a smooth transition of time and space, or discontinuous, by the lack of it.
A piece constituting of a single discontinuous series. The splicing is immediately perceivable.
A piece constituting of a single continuous series. The splicing is not immediately perceivable.
In the case in which a piece constitutes of a sequence of a single series, at the end of the piece the last and the first images of the series are spliced together: that is the series4 is juxtaposed in time with itself.
A piece constituting of a single series.
In the case in which a piece constitutes of a sequence of multiple series, at the end of the piece the last image of the last series and the first one of the first series are spliced together: that is the last series is juxtaposed in time with the first one.
A piece constituting of a multiple series 1–2.
A particular case of multiple series piece is when the piece constitutes of a sequence of two series of images where the second of the twos it is none other than the first one time reversed and played back.
A piece constituting of a multiple series 1–1 back and forth.
Length of Time
Each series is meant to run for a short period of time rather than a long one: the shorter a series is, the shorter the resulting piece is, the shorter the time viewers need to go through and grasp it will be.
The length of time of series needs always to be taken into account for the sake of crafting a quickly digestible piece, especially in the case the piece is composed by multiple series in sequence.
Viewer’s Interaction
A piece can be programmed to respond to viewers‘ interaction and/or focus of attention and thus change from a passive state to an active one if triggered by an event5.
For example, a piece constituted of a single series changes state and passes6 to a second different single series in response to viewers’ tapping of the piece or scrolling of the canvas into a certain area of focus.
A piece constituting of a multiple interactive series 1–2–1. The 1st series of the piece cuts to the 2nd one in response to the viewer’s tap. As soon as the 2nd series ends, the piece rests itself to the initial state.
A piece constituting of a multiple interactive series 1–2–3. The 1st series of the piece cuts to the 2nd transitional one in response to the viewer’s tap. As soon as the 2nd transitional series ends, the piece sets itself to the final state, where the 3rd series is played.
Frame
Since a piece is spatially juxtaposed on a canvas, its frame is directly visible7 to viewers: frame size, shape and borders become significant and can be shaped to express or reinforce the meaning of the piece.
A vertical or a horizontal shape can better emphasize the content of a piece.
Significant sizes.
Significant borders.
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More on sequences of pieces in the next chapter, Sequences. ↩
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What in cinematographic language are called shots.
In this context I prefer using the more generic term series, mainly because the term shot is too strongly connected to the cinema media form and its mainly photographic footage. ↩
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And here the bag of tricks of continuity editing comes into play. ↩
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The series coincides with the piece itself, since the piece is the series. ↩
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On mouse over, on tap, on scroll, …. ↩
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The transition can be either a cut or a whole new transitional series, which plays only once and works mainly as a connector between the starting and finishing state of the piece. ↩
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Similary to a comic panel and differently from a cinematographic shot, which latter frame is fixed sized and shaped and has transparent, non-significant borders. ↩