Towards an Integral Cinema

The Application of Integral Theory to Cinematic Media Theory and Practice

Mark Allan Kaplan, Ph.D.

Presented at Integral Theory Conference 2010

Presentation Overview

Questions and Answers

Screening Experience

Didactical Presentation Integral Cinema Historical and Theoretical Analysis

Defining Characteristics of an Integral Cinematic Work

Integral Dimensions of Cinematic Expression

Forms of Integral Cinematic Creation

Potential Benefits of an Integral Cinema

INTEGRAL CINEMA HISTORICAL AND THEORETICAL ANALYSIS

Dulac, Gebser, and Wilber

Germaine Dulac (1882-1942)

Integral Cinema• The use of the

inherent language of the cinema to capture and express the interior and exterior life of both the individual and the collective.

Inherent Language of the Cinema

Visual Meaning

Visual Object

Visual Structur

e

Visual Context

The Seashell and the Clergyman (1926)(La Coquille et le Clergyman)

Germaine Dulac’s abstract surrealist visual-poetic exploration of individual and collective repression, obsession, and transformation may very well be the very first Integral cinematic work.

Jean Gebser (1905-1973)

Integral Art/Cinema Aperspectivalism

• Concretion of Time

• Concretion of Interiority

Concretion of Time

Sunrise Clergyman

Woman General Sunset

From The Seashell and the Clergyman (1926)

Concretion of Interiority

From The Seashell and the Clergyman (1926)

Ken Wilber (1949--)

Integral- Aperspectival Cinematic Vision

• Multiple Perspectives• Multiple Perspectival

Meaning and Value• Perspectival Holarchy

Cinematic Quadrants/Quadrivia

From The Seashell and the Clergyman (1926)

Egocentric Ethnocentric

Worldcentric Kosmocentric

Cinematic Levels/Lines

From The Seashell and the Clergyman (1926)

Egocentric ImageryThe Clinging/Grasping Limited/Separate Self

From The Seashell and the Clergyman (1926)

Ethnocentric ImageryThe Ballroom of Communal Dance

From The Seashell and the Clergyman (1926)

Worldcentric ImageryThe Self in the World Sphere

From The Seashell and the Clergyman (1926)

Kosmocentric ImageryDrinking the Kosmic Soup

From The Seashell and the Clergyman (1926)

Cinematic States

From The Seashell and the Clergyman (1926)

Cinematic Types

Masculine and Feminine Symbolic Transformation from

Woman as an Object of Man’s Desire to the Divine Feminine

From The Seashell and the Clergyman (1926)

Cinematic Worldviews

Magical Mythic Rational

Pluralistic Integral

From The Seashell and the Clergyman (1926)

Magical Worldview ImageryThe Alchemist At Work

From The Seashell and the Clergyman (1926)

Mythic WorldviewThe King and Queen Rule

From The Seashell and the Clergyman (1926)

Rational Worldview ImageryThe Chessboard of Life

From The Seashell and the Clergyman (1926)

Pluralistic Worldview ImageryThe Union of Views

From The Seashell and the Clergyman (1926)

Integral Worldview ImageryThe Integration of all Dimensions

From The Seashell and the Clergyman (1926)

DEFINING CHARACTERISTICS OF AN INTEGRAL CINEMATIC WORK

Integral Cinematic Aperspectivalism

Integral Cinematic Aperspectivalism (ICAP)

1. Multiple Perspectives

2. Multiple Perspectival Meaning and Value

3. Perspectival Holarchy

4. Concretion of Time

5. Concretion of Interiority

6. Cinematic Language Integration

Basic Integral Cinematic Aperspectivalism Test (BICAT) Results

The Fountain (6/6) Groundhog Day (6/6)

I Heart Huckabees (6/6)

The Matrix Trilogy (6/6)

The Seashell and the Clergyman (6/6)

Rashomon (5/6)

BICAT Additional Results

Expanded Awareness Viewing Experience

Holarchical Character Development

Character Evolution Conflict Resolution

Death as Transformational Experience

Integrally-Related Thematic Patterns

Cinematic Content/Expression Integration

INTEGRAL DIMENSIONS OF CINEMATIC EXPRESSION Cinematic Content/Expression Integration

The 4 Dimensions of Cinematic Expression and Constructed Cinematic Reality (CCR)

Text Image

Sound Time

Synchronization of the Senses

Text Image

Sound Time

ContentStructure

FormStyle

Cinematic Worldview Embedding

The Cinematic Work

The Cinematic Artist(s)

Worldview(s)

Content

Structure

Form

Style

FORMS OF INTEGRAL CINEMATIC CREATION

Integral Cinematic Creation Typology

The 4 Dimensions of Cinematic Creation

The Cinematic Creator

The Cinematic Work

Cinematic

Creation Culture

Cinematic

Creation Process

Integral Cinematic Creation Typology

Comprehensive Integral Cinema (CIC)

Integrally-Shared Cinema (ISC)

Integrally-Created Cinema (ICC)

Integrally-Designed Cinema (IDC)

Integrally-Informed Cinema (IIC)

POTENTIAL BENEFITS OF AN INTEGRAL CINEMA

Theory, Development, Production, and Distribution

Potential Benefits

• The fostering of a greater understanding of the cinematic medium itself• Integrating the truths of the many different cinematic theoriesTheory

• The creation of more powerful and effective cinematic realities that could potentially induce transformative states of consciousness and stimulate shifts in stages of human development and the evolution of consciousnessDevelopment

• The capacity to establish more creatively fulfilling, healthy, efficient, and cost-effective production workflowsProduction

• An increased ability to target and reach desired audiences• An enhanced aptitude for comprehending and navigating the rapidly

evolving and convergent cinematic media environmentDistribution

The 4 Dimensions of Cinematic Analysis

The Cinematic

Experience (Intention- Reception)

The Cinematic

Work (Form)

The Language

of Cinema (Structure)

The Milieu of Cinema

(Context)

INTEGRAL SCREENING EXPERIENCE

Available for Viewing at: http://www.ubu.com/film/dulac_coquille.html

Towards an Integral Cinema

The Application of Integral Theory to Cinematic Media Theory and Practice

2010 Integral Theory ConferencePaper and Presentation

By Mark Allan Kaplan, Ph.D.

Download the Complete Journal Article of this Work at:http://integrallife.com/integral-post/toward-integral-cinema