

For a story to unfold, a series of cause and effect events must take place. CausalityĪ key distinction to narrative film is cause and effect. What is a narrative movie? To answer this, we must look at its characteristics. However, the fundamental characteristics of narrative film have been present throughout.

Various film genres were born, techniques were crafted, and cinema evolved. Since Arrival of a Train, narrative films have gone in nearly every direction imaginable. What is narrative filmmaking? Characteristics of narrative film
#CAUSALITY SCREENWRITING MOVIE#
Whether you think it qualifies as a narrative movie or not, Arrival of a Train undoubtedly opened the doors for filmmakers to create definitive narrative films. The debate of whether or not Arrival of a Train is a narrative film proves how boundless the term “narrative film” can be. Some newspaper reporters at the time even adorned their experience of the film by writing their interpretations of specific individuals in the shot. They also argue that although the causality is not as clear, there is cause and effect present of a train stopping, passengers getting out, and passengers getting on board. Those who say it does qualify as a narrative movie argue that it is shot on location as narrative films are. Those who say it is not argue that it is a shot of reality that aligns more with documentary filmmaking.

Many have argued whether or not this can be considered the very first narrative movie ever.
