What is the technique called when series of events in a film are played in reverse order?

What is the technique called when series of events in a film are played in reverse order? - Modern laptop with blank screen arranged with retro filmstrips photo camera and framed picture placed on table near coffee and stack of books

For example, Memento (2000) is presented as two different sequences of scenes: a series in black-and-white that are shown chronologically, and a series of color sequences shown in reverse order.

Another example I can remember is Seinfeld's 9th season episode "The Betrayal".

Does this style have a name in movie jargon?



Best Answer

Well, I've found out that term is Reverse Chronology. Wikipedia gives some nice details together with the examples of use in movies & TV.

Reverse chronology is a method of story-telling whereby the plot is revealed in reverse order.

In a story employing this technique, the first scene shown is actually the conclusion to the plot. Once that scene ends, the penultimate scene is shown, and so on, so that the final scene the viewer sees is the first chronologically.

Many stories employ flashback, showing prior events, but whereas the scene order of most conventional films is A-B-C-etc, a film in reverse chronology goes Z-Y-X-etc.




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What are film techniques called?

Extreme long shot. Bird's eye shot. Long shot. Medium shot.

What does reverse chronological order?

The reverse chronological order is when the timeline starts with the most recent events going back to the oldest. For resumes, it means listing the latest job position and qualifications you've worked or achieved first. And then continuing backward from there.

What is reverse narration?

Instead of presenting a series of situations, actions or scenes that follow in a linear fashion, a reverse narrative works backward through time, showing the effect before the cause, and the end at the beginning. The film "Memento" is a prime example of this technique.



Ultimate Guide to Camera Movement — Every Camera Movement Technique Explained [The Shot List Ep6]




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Answer 2

Well, "Reverse Chronology" sounds like a fitting term.

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