frameacts

Frameacts refer to a narrative or performative construct in which the experience is divided into clearly bounded units called acts, each occurring within a defined frame. The term is used in discussions of contemporary theatre, cinema, and digital media to analyze how boundaries shape meaning.

Etymology and scope: The word combines frame, denoting an enclosing boundary, with act, the performed or narrative unit. Frameacts are discussed as a modular approach to storytelling, where the frame provides a context for the act and can themselves carry thematic or visual cues.

Applications across media: In theatre, frameacts may unfold as a sequence of micro-dramas presented within distinct scenic frames or stage boundaries. In film and video, each act can be contained within a repeated visual frame, creating a mosaic of self-contained scenes that cumulatively form a larger arc. In interactive or digital media, frames can be defined by user interface states or viewer choices, with acts triggered as the frame changes or is selected, enabling non-linear or user-directed progression.

Structure and mechanics: A frame acts as a boundary—visual, spatial, or temporal—around an act. Transitions may involve lighting shifts, projection changes, or interface state alterations. The frame often signals what content belongs to the act and how it relates to neighboring acts, while the act delivers narrative or performative content.

Purpose and interpretation: Frameacts can facilitate modular storytelling, enabling flexible pacing, multiple viewpoints, and opportunities for remixing or recontextualization. They invite analysis of how form and boundary influence interpretation and meaning.

Relation to related concepts: Frameacts overlap with episodic structure, frame narratives, and vignettes but emphasize intentional framing of each act as a distinct experiential unit. See also modular storytelling and boundary-driven narrative.