Towards 'cinematic' hypertext

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Abstract

This paper proposes the paradigm of 'Cinematic' Hypertext (CH), in which discourse form is represented following principles that underpin the expression of narrative patterns in cinema. Primarily tackling hypertext discourse coherence in the non-linear medium, CH is conceived as a way of thinking the hypertext medium that is consistent with its characteristics. CH envisages the consistent and concurrent use of the medium's formal features, grounded in structuring principles, in order to allow the emergence of a local language. Relational primitives based on Cognitive Coherence Relations are proposed as a structuring principle to define hypertext links, while the use the medium's graphic features is proposed to render these relational primitives as patterns that will take shape during navigation. Taking scholarly hypertext as a domain, this paper articulates the theoretical basis for cinematic hypertext, presents the elements of a prototype visual language to express a sub-set of CCR, provides experimental evidence of its significance, and finally envisages the realisation of a cinematic hypertext environment.