Researcher and Dr.Film founder Shino Leela Sughavas has introduced a new cinematic narrative framework titled “The SINIMA Structure: Shino Leela Sughavas Narrative Model.”The framework proposes a seventeen-phase storytelling structure designed to examine how narrative construction influences audience engagement and film success.
According to the researcher, cinema should be understood not
merely as a sequence of story events, but as a structured emotional journey
experienced by audiences. The SINIMA Structure attempts to map the
relationship between narrative progression and the psychological responses of
viewers.
The study also notes that audience diversity plays a crucial
role in film reception. Differences in social background, cultural context, and
individual psychological traits and identity can significantly influence how
cinematic narratives are interpreted and experienced.
A key element of the framework is its emphasis on the interval used in many Indian films. Within the SINIMA Structure, the interval is considered a critical narrative axis that reshapes audience expectations and sustains engagement between the two halves of a film.
The model was developed through an analytical study of
narrative patterns observed in Malayalam cinema. Based on these observations,
the researcher identified structural storytelling phases that eventually formed
the seventeen-stage SINIMA narrative model.
The research has been documented and published in an
open-access academic repository, making it accessible to filmmakers,
researchers, and students interested in narrative design and cinematic
storytelling.
Through this framework, Shino Leela Sughavas aims to
encourage further discussion and exploration of structured narrative approaches
in contemporary cinema.
