Events
Hollywood blockbusters are very popular among the public. And, as it turned out, this is not only due to handsome actors, stunning special effects and an interesting script. Scientists have put forward a somewhat incredible theory about the success of Hollywood films, and it is related, oddly enough, to the mathematical calculations that directors use to capture attention viewers.
“Filmmakers are all improving their skills at creating frames of certain lengths that capture attention,” says James Cutting, a psychologist from New York university. After analyzing 150 Hollywood films, Cutting found that the later they were shot, the more often the frame length followed a mathematical principle that describes the length of attention span.
In the 90s of the last century, a group of scientists from the University of Texas measured the attention span of volunteers who performed hundreds of consecutive sessions assignments. When they turned these measurements into waves using a mathematical principle called the Fourier transform, they found that the wavelengths increased as their frequency decreased.
This formula is known as 1/f oscillation, or “pink” noise. In this case, this means that a concentration of attention of a certain length is repeated at regular intervals. Mathematician Benoit Mandelbro found that the Nile River follows this formula when it overflows, while other scientists have noted that the same oscillations are observed in music and air turbulence.
To understand whether the frame length in films corresponds to the 1/f formula, Cutting measured the length of each frame of 150 Hollywood films in a wide variety of genres, shot between 1935 and 2005. He then converted the resulting data into a series of waves for each movie. The results were as follows: films shot later followed this formula more often than earlier films.
Cutting also draws attention to the fact that adherence to the 1/f formula is not unique to dynamic action movies like Die Hard. The most important thing to achieve the desired result is to have frames of the same length, repeated at regular intervals.
Cutting assumes that films that follow this formula attract viewers, as they coincide with a person's rhythm of concentration. However, he does not believe that directors use this formula intentionally. Cutting thinks that a film shot at this rhythm will be more successful, and therefore, there will be copycats who will simply copy this style. This may explain the fact that recent films are increasingly following this formula.
Cutting, who enjoys noir films, admits that this rhythm is not the decisive factor in the film's success. He found that in such films, frame lengths are usually erratic. According to Cutting, he thinks Star Wars episode 3 is useless, despite the fact that he strictly adheres to the 1/f formula. Actors' play and an interesting script are equally important.
There is some connection between this theory and that of Tim Smith at the University of Edinburgh, who monitored the direction of the audience while watching movies. He showed that modern technique and style of filmmaking lead viewers to focus on the same parts of the screen at the same time. Smith interprets this as a sign of viewers' attention to the film.