MFALBUM: A Proposed Rhythm-Governed Form of Cinematic Storytelling
Year: 2026
Type: preprint
Abstract: MFALBUM (Music + Film + Album) is a proposed rhythm-governed form of cinematic storytelling in which one complete visual narrative unfolds within one invariant musical tempo and one uninterrupted rhythmic continuum. The framework defines rhythm as the temporal architecture of the work rather than as background accompaniment. Its formal criteria include a compact narrative duration of 1–7 minutes, a single invariant BPM, structurally continuous non-lyrical music, predominantly visual storytelling, minimal subordinate dialogue, natural performance, and a dominant visual pulse of approximately 2–3-second shots maintained across at least 90% of the narrative runtime. MFALBUM does not claim the invention of rhythmic editing, fixed-tempo music, rapid cutting, music-image synchronization, visual albums, or other constituent techniques. Its proposed contribution is the codification of these established elements into a single rule-governed audiovisual narrative framework. Core principle: One Story. One Tempo. One Continuous Rhythm.
Author: PAARY, Faheem M.
Language: English
Topic: Cinema History and Criticism
Subfield: Visual Arts and Performing Arts
Field: Arts and Humanities
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W7204236973
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