An Introduction to Film

plot duration. We can generally characterize that
relationship in one of three ways: (1) in a summary
relationship, screen duration is shorter than plot
duration; (2) in real time, screen duration corre-
sponds directly to plot duration; and (3) in a
stretch relationship, screen duration is longer
than plot duration.

Both stretch and summary relationships are

established primarily through editing techniques

(discussed in detail in Chapter 8). The summary

relationship is very familiar and occurs much

more frequently in mainstream movies than do the

other two. The summary relationship is depicted

in Figure 4.4, which illustrates one scene in our

150 CHAPTER 4 ELEMENTS OF NARRATIVE

FIGURE 4.3 Duration: Story versus Plot

Imagine a hypothetical movie that follows the lives of two people over the course of one week, starting with the

moment that they first move into an apartment together as a couple and ending with their parting of ways seven

days later.

Although the movie’s implied story duration is one week, the events that are explicitly part of the plot of the movie

take place during four discrete days within that week (the plot duration). Day 1 in the plot shows the couple moving

and settling in. Day 3 shows them already squabbling. Day 5 shows the misguided couple getting ready for and

throwing a housewarming party that concludes with a disastrous (but hilarious) argument. Day 7 shows them moving

out and then having an amicable dinner over which they agree that the only way they can live with each other is by

living apart.

Story duration = 1 week

Plot duration = 4 days out of that week

Day 1 Day 3 Day 5 Day 7

FIGURE 4.4 Duration: Plot versus Screen

One portion of the plot in this hypothetical movie involves the housewarming party thrown by our ill-fated couple. The

implied duration of this event (the plot duration) is four hours—from 8:00 in the evening to midnight of day 5.

8:00 PM Midnight

Plot duration = 4 hours

Although the implied duration of the plot event is 4 hours, the actual duration on-screen of the shots that cover this

4-hour event is only 10 minutes (the screen duration). As you can see below, those 10 minutes are divided among 15

discrete shots, each of which features a specific event or discussion at the party.

Screen duration = 15 individual shots = 10 minutes

Day 5