Title: Towards an Integral Cinema: The Application of Integral Theory to Cinematic Media Theory and Practice 2010 Integral Theory Conference Paper and Presentation July 30, 2010 Presented By Mark Allan Kaplan, Ph.D. ABSTRACT: This presentation will provide an introduction to the application of Integral Theory to cinematic media theory and practice. An integral historical and theoretical analysis of Germaine Dulac’s “integral cinema movement” of the 1920s will be presented, suggesting an early introduction of integral consciousness into cinematic media that corresponds to and predates both Jean Gebser’s and Ken Wilber’s Integral Theories. The application of Integral Theory to cinematic media will be set within the context of the integral movement, and defining characteristics and evaluation criteria of what may constitute an integral cinematic work will be introduced using the theories and works of Dulac, Gebser, and Wilber. A summary of the testing of these evaluation criteria with the viewing of several motion pictures will be presented, suggesting that several past and recent films demonstrate qualities that could be said to constitute an integral cinematic work. An integral analysis of the cinematic creation process and the nature of the cinematic medium will be presented, along with a preliminary typology of forms of Integral Cinematic Creation. The potential benefits and challenges for the application of integral consciousness and Integral Theory to cinematic theory and practice will be discussed, and an integral analysis of the current state of cinematic media will be presented, suggesting that Integral Theory is the natural application for this moment in the evolution of the cinema.

1. Towards an Integral Cinema
The Application of Integral Theory to
Cinematic Media Theory and Practice
Mark Allan Kaplan, Ph.D.
Presented at Integral Theory Conference 2010

2. Presentation Overview
Questions and Answers
Screening Experience
Didactical Presentation
Integral Cinema Historical and
Theoretical Analysis
Defining Characteristics of an
Integral Cinematic Work
Integral Dimensions of Cinematic
Expression
Forms of Integral Cinematic
Creation
Potential Benefits of an Integral
Cinema

3. INTEGRAL CINEMA HISTORICAL
AND THEORETICAL ANALYSIS
Dulac, Gebser, and Wilber

4. Germaine Dulac (1882-1942)
Integral Cinema
• The use of the
inherent language of
the cinema to
capture and express
the interior and
exterior life of both
the individual and
the collective.

5. Inherent Language of the Cinema
Visual
Meaning
Visual
Object
Visual
Structure
Visual
Context

6. The Seashell and the Clergyman (1926)
(La Coquille et le Clergyman)
Germaine Dulac’s abstract surrealist visual-poetic exploration of individual and
collective repression, obsession, and transformation may very well be the very
first Integral cinematic work.

7. Jean Gebser (1905-1973)
Integral
Art/Cinema
Aperspectivalism
•Concretion of
Time
•Concretion of
Interiority

8. Concretion of Time
Sunrise Clergy
man
Woman General Sunset
From The Seashell and the Clergyman (1926)

9. Concretion of Interiority
From The Seashell and the Clergyman (1926)

10. Ken Wilber (1949--)
Integral-
Aperspectival
Cinematic Vision
• Multiple Perspectives
• Multiple Perspectival
Meaning and Value
• Perspectival Holarchy

11. Cinematic Quadrants/Quadrivia
From The Seashell and the Clergyman (1926)

12. Egocentric Ethnocentric
Worldcentric Kosmocentric
Cinematic Levels/Lines
From The Seashell and the Clergyman (1926)

13. Egocentric Imagery
The Clinging/Grasping Limited/Separate Self
From The Seashell and the Clergyman (1926)

14. Ethnocentric Imagery
The Ballroom of Communal Dance
From The Seashell and the Clergyman (1926)

15. Worldcentric Imagery
The Self in the World Sphere
From The Seashell and the Clergyman (1926)

16. Kosmocentric Imagery
Drinking the Kosmic Soup
From The Seashell and the Clergyman (1926)

17. Cinematic States
From The Seashell and the Clergyman (1926)

18. Cinematic Types
Masculine and Feminine
Symbolic Transformation from
Woman as an Object of Man’s Desire
to the Divine Feminine
From The Seashell and the Clergyman (1926)

19. Cinematic Worldviews
Magical Mythic Rational
Pluralistic Integral
From The Seashell and the Clergyman (1926)

20. Magical Worldview Imagery
The Alchemist At Work
From The Seashell and the Clergyman (1926)

21. Mythic Worldview
The King and Queen Rule
From The Seashell and the Clergyman (1926)

22. Rational Worldview Imagery
The Chessboard of Life
From The Seashell and the Clergyman (1926)

23. Pluralistic Worldview Imagery
The Union of Views
From The Seashell and the Clergyman (1926)

24. Integral Worldview Imagery
The Integration of all Dimensions
From The Seashell and the Clergyman (1926)

25. DEFINING CHARACTERISTICS OF AN
INTEGRAL CINEMATIC WORK
Integral Cinematic Aperspectivalism

26. Integral Cinematic Aperspectivalism (ICAP)
1. Multiple Perspectives
2. Multiple Perspectival Meaning and Value
3. Perspectival Holarchy
4. Concretion of Time
5. Concretion of Interiority
6. Cinematic Language Integration

27. Basic Integral Cinematic
Aperspectivalism Test (BICAT) Results
The Fountain (6/6) Groundhog Day
(6/6)
I Heart Huckabees
(6/6)
The Matrix Trilogy
(6/6)
The Seashell and the
Clergyman (6/6)
Rashomon (5/6)

28. BICAT Additional Results
Expanded Awareness Viewing Experience
Holarchical Character Development
Character Evolution  Conflict Resolution
Death as Transformational Experience
Integrally-Related Thematic Patterns
Cinematic Content/Expression Integration

29. INTEGRAL DIMENSIONS OF CINEMATIC
EXPRESSION
Cinematic Content/Expression Integration

30. The 4 Dimensions of Cinematic Expression
and Constructed Cinematic Reality (CCR)
Text Image
Sound Time

31. Synchronization of the Senses
Text Image
Sound Time
Content
Structure
Form
Style

32. Cinematic Worldview Embedding
The
Cinematic
Work
The
Cinematic
Artist(s)
Worldview(s)
Content
Structure
Form
Style

33. FORMS OF INTEGRAL CINEMATIC
CREATION
Integral Cinematic Creation Typology

34. The 4 Dimensions of Cinematic Creation
The
Cinematic
Creator
The
Cinematic
Work
Cinematic
Creation
Culture
Cinematic
Creation
Process

35. Integral Cinematic Creation Typology
Comprehensive Integral Cinema (CIC)
Integrally-Shared Cinema (ISC)
Integrally-Created Cinema (ICC)
Integrally-Designed Cinema (IDC)
Integrally-Informed Cinema (IIC)

36. POTENTIAL BENEFITS OF AN
INTEGRAL CINEMA
Theory, Development, Production, and Distribution

37. Potential Benefits
• The fostering of a greater understanding of the cinematic medium itself
• Integrating the truths of the many different cinematic theoriesTheory
• The creation of more powerful and effective cinematic realities that could
potentially induce transformative states of consciousness and stimulate
shifts in stages of human development and the evolution of consciousness
Development
• The capacity to establish more creatively fulfilling, healthy, efficient, and
cost-effective production workflowsProduction
• An increased ability to target and reach desired audiences
• An enhanced aptitude for comprehending and navigating the rapidly
evolving and convergent cinematic media environment
Distribution

38. The 4 Dimensions of Cinematic Analysis
The
Cinematic
Experience
(Intention-
Reception)
The
Cinematic
Work
(Form)
The
Language of
Cinema
(Structure)
The Milieu
of Cinema
(Context)

39. INTEGRAL SCREENING EXPERIENCE
Available for Viewing at: http://www.ubu.com/film/dulac_coquille.html

40. Towards an Integral Cinema
The Application of Integral Theory to
Cinematic Media Theory and Practice
2010 Integral Theory Conference
Paper and Presentation
By Mark Allan Kaplan, Ph.D.
Download the Complete Journal Article of this Work at:
http://integrallife.com/integral-post/toward-integral-cinema