Now that digital technology has accessed the Z-space in cinema, narrative artistry is at a loss. Motion picture
professionals no longer can readily resort to familiar tools. A new language and new linguistics for Z-axis storytelling
are necessary. After first examining the roots of monocular thinking in painting, prior modes of visual narrative in twodimensional
cinema obviating true binocular stereopsis can be explored, particularly montage, camera motion and depth
of field, with historic examples. Special attention is paid to the manner in which monocular cues for depth have been
exploited to infer depth on a planar screen. Both the artistic potential and visual limitations of actual stereoscopic depth
as a filmmaking language are interrogated. After an examination of the historic basis of monocular thinking in visual
culture, a context for artistic exploration of the use of the z-axis as a heightened means of creating dramatic and
emotional impact upon the viewer is illustrated.
|