SUPER(IM)POSITIONS: Subverting Melodramatic Representation Through Personal Unpredictability

Emilio Santoyo

About this exposition

This Artistic Research in and through cinema explores the possibilities of using outdated melodramatic elements of cinematic representation in a new way, dissolving the intersection between the personal and the fictional as a tool for creating a redemptive act of filmmaking. "Super (im) positions: Subverting melodramatic representation through personal unpredictability" delves into the transformative potential of these elements within cinematic representation. By dissolving the boundaries between the personal and the fictional, this work engages in a redemptive act of filmmaking that reimagines melodrama. The approach employs a contemporary, polyphonic, and playful film language to propose a new form of melodrama—one that acknowledges its inherent perversity to challenge and deconstruct its toxic narratives. Rooted in the pervasive influence of telenovelas and melodrama, particularly within Mexican culture, this exploration questions and critiques the genre's impact on cultural and individual perceptions of love and relationships. The research was catalysed by a significant personal and professional rupture, leading to a critical examination of the genre's conventions. By employing a contemporary, polyphonic, and playful film language, Santoyo reimagines melodrama as a genre capable of portraying complex, personal emotions and generating critical, boundary-pushing narratives. This self-reflective genre deviation, temporarily termed the "New Melodrama," seeks to subvert traditional melodramatic tropes by acknowledging and confronting their perverse nature. Through this approach, Santoyo aims to dismantle the toxic knowledge perpetuated by conventional melodrama, offering a sophisticated and nuanced critique from within the genre itself. His work presents a trojan horse strategy, using the familiar systems of melodramatic representation to question and ultimately transform them, proposing a relevant and self-aware cinematic experience. Through innovative use of superimpositions and a deliberate deconstruction of melodramatic mise-en-scène, this study aims to create a critical and self-reflective genre deviation termed "New Melodrama." This method seeks to subvert traditional cinematic conventions by integrating multiple perspectives and temporalities, fostering a richer, more complex narrative experience. Ultimately, the research stands as a trojan horse within the film industry, using the very mechanics of melodrama to critique and reinvent it, offering a fresh, introspective take on a genre often dismissed as superficial.

type	research exposition
keywords	FILM, filmmaking, cinema, cinema studies, melodrama, representation, representational theories, unpredictability, analogue film, augmented reality, 3D scanning, mexico, netherlands, collaboration, collaborative processes, patriarchy, fiction, fiction-based research, speculative fiction
date	22/07/2024
published	22/07/2024
last modified	22/07/2024
status	published
affiliation	Amsterdam University of the Arts - Netherlands Film Academy, Master of Film - Artistic Research in and through Cinema
copyright	Emilio Santoyo
license	CC BY-NC-ND
language	English
url	https://www.researchcatalogue.net/view/2945107/2945106
doi	https://doi.org/10.22501/rc.2945107
published in	Research Catalogue
external link	https://artisticresearchweek.filmacademie.nl/2024/research-projects/emilio-santoyo/

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SUPER(IM)POSITIONS: Subverting Melodramatic Representation Through Personal Unpredictability (2024)