A way to see the whole
From the whole picture
to a specific question.
The Canon provides professional principles and grounds for analysis. The matrix organises observations; the stained glass shows the same cells in a circular view.
Choose a cell to see its meaning, a question to examine and a link to the evidence.
48 cells. One film.
Saved data from the Magnit analysis
One cell may include both a successful device and a question about another passage. Unmeasured does not mean poor; brightness is not a numeric rating.
Reference
What each cell means
Eight groups and six scales, from a phrase to its relationship with culture.
Eight groups: what the matrix examines
- Intent — The action and question a work chooses.
- Dramaturgy — How parts connect and develop.
- People — Who acts, speaks and knows.
- Memory — What persists, repeats and returns.
- Emotion — How emotional experience changes.
- Sensory form — How images, sound and sensory layers act.
- Language — How speech, rhythm and voice are organised.
- Honesty — How the work handles people and facts.
Six scales: from phrase to culture
- Phrase / Sign
- Scene / Unit
- Episode / Chapter
- Work
- Series / World
- Audience / Culture
The matrix does not assign a universal score to artistic value. The definitions below explain the cells. The diagrams show saved example data, not an assessment of your work.
ЗцHookIntent · Phrase / Sign
The opening phrase or sign creates interest in what follows.
- Question to examine
- What catches attention at the entrance?
- Evidence
- The first phrase, image or sound and the material immediately following it.
Applicability depends on the medium and task; conclusions are limited to the supplied evidence.
УдImpactDramaturgy · Phrase / Sign
The position of the verbal impact shapes what remains after a phrase.
- Question to examine
- Where does the impact fall, and does the continuation dilute it?
- Evidence
- The exact phrase and its ending in context.
Applicability depends on the medium and task; conclusions are limited to the supplied evidence.
ИмNamingPeople · Phrase / Sign
Names and emotional labels shape our judgement of a person.
- Question to examine
- Is the label supported by the person's behaviour?
- Evidence
- Words about a person compared with their actions and speech.
Applicability depends on the medium and task; conclusions are limited to the supplied evidence.
ФзForm lockMemory · Phrase / Sign
Rhythm, repetition and sound help a phrase survive in memory.
- Question to examine
- What makes the wording memorable?
- Evidence
- The recurring phrase, its rhythm and sound pattern.
Applicability depends on the medium and task; conclusions are limited to the supplied evidence.
ВхEmotional entranceEmotion · Phrase / Sign
An entrance has an emotional direction and energy.
- Question to examine
- What feeling and energy invite us into the work?
- Evidence
- The opening speech, images, sound and pace.
Applicability depends on the medium and task; conclusions are limited to the supplied evidence.
ЗнSignSensory form · Phrase / Sign
Shape, sound and the chosen degree of stylisation act together.
- Question to examine
- Are the visible and audible features consistent?
- Evidence
- A specific image, voice, movement and level of stylisation.
Applicability depends on the medium and task; conclusions are limited to the supplied evidence.
ИдIdiolectLanguage · Phrase / Sign
An individual voice is audible in small language choices.
- Question to examine
- What belongs to this particular voice?
- Evidence
- Characteristic vocabulary, syntax and retained speech features.
Applicability depends on the medium and task; conclusions are limited to the supplied evidence.
АгAgencyHonesty · Phrase / Sign
Wording makes an action and its agent visible.
- Question to examine
- Can we tell who performed the action?
- Evidence
- The named agent, verb and event context.
Applicability depends on the medium and task; conclusions are limited to the supplied evidence.
ГеUnit actionIntent · Scene / Unit
A scene or unit contains an action directed towards someone.
- Question to examine
- Who does what, and towards whom?
- Evidence
- The participants' actions, purpose and addressee.
Applicability depends on the medium and task; conclusions are limited to the supplied evidence.
ГсEvent boundariesDramaturgy · Scene / Unit
A unit's opening and ending relate to event boundaries.
- Question to examine
- Why does the scene begin and end here?
- Evidence
- The event compared with its opening, ending and edit.
Applicability depends on the medium and task; conclusions are limited to the supplied evidence.
ОцCost of an eventPeople · Scene / Unit
An event gains meaning through its consequences for people.
- Question to examine
- What has the event changed for a participant?
- Evidence
- A person's behaviour, reaction or choice after the event.
Applicability depends on the medium and task; conclusions are limited to the supplied evidence.
КфConcrete detailMemory · Scene / Unit
A tangible detail can carry a broader meaning.
- Question to examine
- Which detail makes the event memorable?
- Evidence
- An object or observable detail in its narrative context.
Applicability depends on the medium and task; conclusions are limited to the supplied evidence.
АкActivationEmotion · Scene / Unit
A unit's ending may activate or quieten its audience.
- Question to examine
- In what state does the scene leave the viewer?
- Evidence
- The scene's opening and ending, their actions and emotional context.
Applicability depends on the medium and task; conclusions are limited to the supplied evidence.
ПжAttention spotlightSensory form · Scene / Unit
Presentation directs attention and sets distance from an event.
- Question to examine
- What receives attention, and what lies outside it?
- Evidence
- Framing, a selected detail, a sound emphasis or textual distance.
Applicability depends on the medium and task; conclusions are limited to the supplied evidence.
РдBreathing rhythmLanguage · Scene / Unit
Alternating durations create the unit's rhythm.
- Question to examine
- How does the rhythm change, and why?
- Evidence
- The sequence of long and short phrases, shots or pauses.
Applicability depends on the medium and task; conclusions are limited to the supplied evidence.
ПрCausality of an editHonesty · Scene / Unit
A cut can suggest a causal connection.
- Question to examine
- Is the connection suggested by the edit supported?
- Evidence
- Adjacent fragments and independent evidence of their relationship.
Applicability depends on the medium and task; conclusions are limited to the supplied evidence.
ПзChange of meaningIntent · Episode / Chapter
An episode gains direction through a change of state.
- Question to examine
- What changes between the beginning and ending?
- Evidence
- Comparable states before and after the episode.
Applicability depends on the medium and task; conclusions are limited to the supplied evidence.
КрHook or loopDramaturgy · Episode / Chapter
An unresolved question can invite a return.
- Question to examine
- What question remains open, and why continue?
- Evidence
- The stopping point, the question and a later return to it.
Applicability depends on the medium and task; conclusions are limited to the supplied evidence.
МтCharacter driversPeople · Episode / Chapter
A character's stated desire and underlying need can differ.
- Question to examine
- What does the character pursue, and what does behaviour reveal?
- Evidence
- Actions, choices and differences between speech and conduct.
Applicability depends on the medium and task; conclusions are limited to the supplied evidence.
АнAnomalyMemory · Episode / Chapter
An unusual detail stands out against an established background.
- Question to examine
- What breaks the pattern, and why is it noticeable?
- Evidence
- The recurring background and the element that departs from it.
Applicability depends on the medium and task; conclusions are limited to the supplied evidence.
РвReversalsEmotion · Episode / Chapter
A reversal changes our previous understanding of an event.
- Question to examine
- Where does an expectation give way to a different understanding?
- Evidence
- The initial expectation, new information and revised understanding.
Applicability depends on the medium and task; conclusions are limited to the supplied evidence.
ПтLayer scoreSensory form · Episode / Chapter
Sound, colour, light and pace form an emotional arrangement.
- Question to examine
- How do the layers support or challenge each other?
- Evidence
- Simultaneous observation of image, speech, sound and pace.
Applicability depends on the medium and task; conclusions are limited to the supplied evidence.
СкSemantic speedLanguage · Episode / Chapter
The density of new meaning affects processing speed.
- Question to examine
- How much new meaning must be processed here?
- Evidence
- The sequence of new concepts and facts in the passage.
Applicability depends on the medium and task; conclusions are limited to the supplied evidence.
РмFrameHonesty · Episode / Chapter
Dreams, reconstructions and other presentation modes need a clear frame.
- Question to examine
- Does the audience understand how the event is being presented?
- Evidence
- Indications of reconstruction, translation, dream or another mode.
Applicability depends on the medium and task; conclusions are limited to the supplied evidence.
ГвCentral questionIntent · Work
A work develops around a question with an unknown answer.
- Question to examine
- What question holds the work together?
- Evidence
- The question's introduction, development and outcome.
Applicability depends on the medium and task; conclusions are limited to the supplied evidence.
АрArchitectureDramaturgy · Work
A chosen organising principle connects the parts of a work.
- Question to examine
- How do the parts form a whole?
- Evidence
- The sequence of episodes, their connections and development.
Applicability depends on the medium and task; conclusions are limited to the supplied evidence.
ОзKnowledge axisPeople · Work
Speaker, observer and audience can possess different knowledge.
- Question to examine
- Who knows what at this moment?
- Evidence
- Information available to the character, narrator and audience.
Applicability depends on the medium and task; conclusions are limited to the supplied evidence.
КпRetelling backboneMemory · Work
Retelling retains a core, while experiencing the work offers more.
- Question to examine
- What survives retelling, and what does the work itself add?
- Evidence
- The events and images supporting a concise retelling.
Applicability depends on the medium and task; conclusions are limited to the supplied evidence.
ДгPeak and endingEmotion · Work
The emotional peak and ending shape memory of the whole.
- Question to examine
- Where is the emotional peak, and how does the work end?
- Evidence
- The position of peaks and the ending within the complete sequence.
Applicability depends on the medium and task; conclusions are limited to the supplied evidence.
ФаFormat anomalySensory form · Work
A departure from the work's own format can mark a special moment.
- Question to examine
- Where does the established form change, and with what effect?
- Evidence
- The usual format compared with a specific departure.
Applicability depends on the medium and task; conclusions are limited to the supplied evidence.
СпStyle identityLanguage · Work
An author and an individual work can each have a stable voice.
- Question to examine
- What belongs to the author, and what to this particular work?
- Evidence
- Recurring language choices within the work and comparable works.
Applicability depends on the medium and task; conclusions are limited to the supplied evidence.
ЧиFair playHonesty · Work
A resolution draws on possibilities and information already presented.
- Question to examine
- Were the grounds for the resolution available earlier?
- Evidence
- Earlier clues and world rules compared with the resolution.
This check concerns information and possibilities presented within the work; surprise alone does not establish unfair play.
СдThrough actionIntent · Series / World
A through action connects units to an overall direction.
- Question to examine
- What common action do the individual units serve?
- Evidence
- Actions across several units and their relationship to the whole.
Applicability depends on the medium and task; conclusions are limited to the supplied evidence.
КсCascade of loopsDramaturgy · Series / World
Resolving one question may open another.
- Question to examine
- How does a closed loop carry movement into the next one?
- Evidence
- The sequence of questions being raised, resolved and renewed.
Applicability depends on the medium and task; conclusions are limited to the supplied evidence.
АмAuthor and meta layerPeople · Series / World
A narrator chooses a level and moment of intervention.
- Question to examine
- When does the author address the audience, and what changes?
- Evidence
- Authorial interventions relative to action and emotional experience.
Applicability depends on the medium and task; conclusions are limited to the supplied evidence.
РжSetups and payoffsMemory · Series / World
An early detail acquires meaning when it returns.
- Question to examine
- What was established earlier, and where is it used?
- Evidence
- The detail's introduction, intervening context and later effect.
Applicability depends on the medium and task; conclusions are limited to the supplied evidence.
ПеEmotional switchingEmotion · Series / World
A change of emotional mode changes the audience contract.
- Question to examine
- How does the work move us between emotional states?
- Evidence
- Adjacent emotional modes and the transition between them.
Applicability depends on the medium and task; conclusions are limited to the supplied evidence.
ФкSignature constantsSensory form · Series / World
Stable sensory decisions support recognition.
- Question to examine
- Which features stay consistent across a series or world?
- Evidence
- Recurring visual, sonic and presentation choices.
Applicability depends on the medium and task; conclusions are limited to the supplied evidence.
РгRegisterLanguage · Series / World
Address and speech register establish distance and differentiate voices.
- Question to examine
- Are forms of address and voice differences consistent?
- Evidence
- Changes of address, register and speech between participants.
Applicability depends on the medium and task; conclusions are limited to the supplied evidence.
ПдProduction and disclosuresHonesty · Series / World
Presentation should make interests and production clear.
- Question to examine
- What does the viewer know about commissioning, interests and production?
- Evidence
- Disclosures of authorship, advertising, sponsorship and production.
A conclusion is limited to actual disclosures about production and interests; missing data does not justify inventing undisclosed ties.
КйKairosIntent · Audience / Culture
A work's moment of appearance relates to its audience's context.
- Question to examine
- Why does this address matter now?
- Evidence
- The date, public context and events in the addressee's life.
Without comparable works, external sources or audience observations, the corresponding check remains unmeasured.
ПчParticipationDramaturgy · Audience / Culture
A shared connection and opportunity to contribute can invite participation.
- Question to examine
- What enables a person to feel involved?
- Evidence
- Invitations to participate and confirmed community actions.
Without comparable works, external sources or audience observations, the corresponding check remains unmeasured.
СгAudience segmentPeople · Audience / Culture
An intended audience is visible in language and offered benefits.
- Question to examine
- Who is addressed by the work's actual features?
- Evidence
- Vocabulary, references, assumed knowledge and offered benefits.
Applicability depends on the medium and task; conclusions are limited to the supplied evidence.
Ам²Motif rangeMemory · Audience / Culture
A motif may recur within a work and inhabit a cultural context.
- Question to examine
- Where does the motif recur, and does its meaning change?
- Evidence
- An occurrence map; separate comparable sources for its external cultural range.
Recurrence within the work and the cultural range of a motif are separate checks. Without comparable sources, the external range remains unmeasured.
МлWord of mouthEmotion · Audience / Culture
Retelling can extend a work's life beyond its author's presentation.
- Question to examine
- What can the audience pass on, and in what setting?
- Evidence
- A transferable image or event and observed forms of retelling.
Without comparable works, external sources or audience observations, the corresponding check remains unmeasured.
ПнTransferabilitySensory form · Audience / Culture
A universal core and local context travel differently.
- Question to examine
- What remains understandable when the cultural context changes?
- Evidence
- Comparison of images, explanations and responses across audiences.
Without comparable works, external sources or audience observations, the corresponding check remains unmeasured.
ГлVoice and trustLanguage · Audience / Culture
Trust relates to a human voice and acknowledged limits of knowledge.
- Question to examine
- Where does the voice acknowledge its limits and address the person?
- Evidence
- Specific expressions of knowledge, uncertainty and address.
Applicability depends on the medium and task; conclusions are limited to the supplied evidence.
ДтTwo testsHonesty · Audience / Culture
Responses to an explained device and a revealed ending are checked separately.
- Question to examine
- What changes after a device is explained or the ending revealed?
- Evidence
- Observations of a real test audience under comparable conditions.
Without comparable works, external sources or audience observations, the corresponding check remains unmeasured.