Projections

We are pleased to present the Summer issue of Volume 20 of Projections. Our goal is to publish scholarship that reflects the highest standards of excellence across the disciplines that make up the cognitive study of film. In this issue, you will find contributions that reflect that goal.

This article analyzes the emotional attitudes of hospitality, trust, and gratitude in the context of the rescuer(s)-rescued relations found in contemporary superhero films of the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) and DC Universe (DCU). The analysis is based on Robert Jewett and John Shelton Lawrence's concept of the American monomyth. It would seem that the key factor for the monomythic adventures to even begin is the hospitality displayed by the threatened community toward the rescuer(s), and the trust laid upon them. And, at the end of a monomythic story, there ought to be expressions of gratitude on the part of the rescued toward their rescuer(s). However, the relations between the oppressed and their redeemers in the twenty-first-century monomythic stories are far more complex. In this article, I analyze factors and variables contributing to the complexity relations between the oppressed, the institutions representing the oppressed, and the (super)heroes.

This study conducts a systematic review of quantitative research examining the relationship between color and film genres, specifically focusing on the attributes of hue, saturation, and brightness. An extensive search of Web of Science and Scopus identified eight important articles on US film productions published in English. Given that most prior studies in this domain have been qualitative, the advent of quantitative studies offers novel insights. The results suggest that the correlation between color and genre is predominantly modest; still, distinct patterns were seen, including low saturation in action and adventure films, high saturation in animated films, and low brightness in horror films. Proportional weights of the provided findings were computed to assess consistency across research, emphasizing limited still important genre-specific color traits.

Television seriality demands sustained cognitive engagement, as viewers form hypotheses to navigate complex narratives. This article argues that beyond moment-to-moment (micro) and ultimate outcome (macro) predictions, medium-term “mesoscopic hypotheses” dominate spectator activity. These concern the unfolding, intersection, and temporary resolution of plotlines and character arcs. We propose a three-level (micro–meso–macro) model of engagement, showing through series like Grey's Anatomy, Breaking Bad, and Game of Thrones how viewers focus on the “middle game.” Genres shape distinct hypothesis patterns, while fan speculation amplifies mesoscopic focus. This framework clarifies how serial narratives sustain pleasure and interest without definitive closure.

With a focus on cinematic subjectivity, this article examines how The Father (2020) uses its formal elements to create spatial, temporal, and narrative disruptions that replicate the effects of the cognitive deterioration experienced by people living with dementia. In doing so, it differs from most screen representations of mental disorders that show symptoms from the perspective of an observer rather than the person experiencing them, consequently objectifying them as “other.” By constructing a subjective portrayal of dementia, The Father—a puzzle film with a few pieces missing—crafts an immersive experience aligning the audience's perceptions with those of its protagonist, offering insight into the lived experience of dementia symptoms and thus the possibility of an affective, experiential understanding of this disease.

Empirical studies on cinematographers’ creative processes remain limited, likely due to theoretical gaps. Drawing from the embodied mind theory, we hypothesize that cinematographers in action holistically simulate the characters’ situatedness in the diegetic world and, in doing so, translate it into the future viewers’ experience. We report initial findings from semi-structured interviews with cinematographers after shooting a dramatic scene with a handheld camera. Two main approaches were identified in the interview data related to participating cinematographers’ embodied decision-making processes. We describe detailed themes identified within each of these two approaches and adopt image schematic structures as a provisional explanation of how the cinematographers’ consideration of the actors and viewers’ experience is reflected in their creative decision-making processes. We envision future research building on these findings.

Jordan Schonig. The Shape of Motion: Cinema and the Aesthetics of Movement. New York: Oxford University Press, 2022, 264 pp. $125.00 (hardcover); ISBN: 9780190093884. Reviewed by David Vanden Bossche

Dan Leberg. Screen Acting: A Cognitive Approach. Edinburgh: Edinburgh University Press, 2022, 224 pp., $125 (hardcover, 2022), ISBN: 9781474484138; $27.95 (paperback, 2024), ISBN: 9781474484145. Reviewed by Mal Williamson

Philip Cowan, Authorship and Aesthetics in the Cinematography of Gregg Toland. Lanham, MD: Lexington Books, 2022, 337 pp, $126 (hardcover), ISBN: 9781793638953.Reviewed by Gianni Barchiesi