Problem statement
Terrence Malick is recognised as a filmmaker who draws both fans and strong detractors. His films frequently receive polarised reactions from critics as well as audiences. Malick’s creations are unique and unparalleled in areas such as narrative, character growth and artistic features, including camera movement, framing, sound and music. The cosmos shown in his films is mutable and dreamlike—a fantasy, to a dreamlike wakefulness placed within a real setting where the boundaries of time and space grow vague or ambiguous (Taheri & Karimi 2022: 7–8).
From the moment he introduced his film *Badlands* (1973) in the 1970s Malick has refrained from granting interviews and steered clear of marketing his films. He bans any photographs taken of him on set or elsewhere. Provides no explanations—neither in writing nor verbally—regarding his works. Except for a conversation at the Rome Film Festival in 2007, he has stayed completely silent about his movies and the film industry, in general.
"The Tree of Life" (2011) is frequently seen as his masterpiece—a film examining attempts to cherish life while facing the inevitable realities of illness and death. This movie has received honours, such as the Palme d’Or. His sixth film, "To the Wonder" (2013) provoked reactions; many critics and writers mocked it. Malick’s next pair of films each released in 2016 included "Knight of Cups" which was shot in Los Angeles and "Song, to Song" filmed in Texas (Khosravi Dehkordi, 2017: 7–10).
Many reviewers regard Malick’s directing as poetic, transcendent, centred on nature and profoundly philosophical. It strives to uncover meaning by emphasising the journeys of characters and their relationships, to themselves, society and the natural world, aiming to depict the bewilderment of modern individuals.
In creating a film with a stylistic method, certain structural and stylistic frameworks are commonly employed. Scholars and critics identify these elements to infer the concepts behind a film’s world—whether classical modern, postmodern or genre-oriented. However, what challenges emerge if we try to make a film employing a stream-of-consciousness narrative technique or adapt works that use this approach? How can we merge the characteristics of this mode with cinema's possibilities to create a cohesive work? Furthermore, how can we modify elements as needed to achieve this goal?
To respond to these questions, this research examines Malick’s films. Identifies the solutions he provides. It is crucial to note that the features of this approach have been gradually refined by scholars and investigators, and this article relies on the combined findings of those studies. The research also explores the question: Which cinematic structural elements are closely linked to the stream of consciousness?
Research Objective
This study intends to examine the elements of découpage, camera, space and mise-en-scène in Terrence Malick’s movies using the perspective of the stream-of-consciousness approach.
Research Questions
What official film techniques might be applied to create a feature movie using the stream-of-consciousness approach?
Which découpage approach is most suitable for depicting the flow of consciousness? What techniques does Malick employ?
Which elements—like editing, cinematography and production design—does Terrence Malick utilise in the making of his movies?
Research Method:
This study is applied with purpose, qualitative by design and conducted as a case study employing methods. Data was collected from library sources such as books, theses, journals and audiovisual records. The case study includes three films directed by Terrence Malick: "The Tree of Life" "To the Wonder" and "Knight of Cups".
 
Conclusion:
To summarise, the research questions of the study are addressed by the points:
1. Each official cinematic element can be modified to suit the stream-of-consciousness style.
2. A segmentation founded on discontinuity characterised by fragmentation—a commonality of contemporary cinema and stream-of-consciousness techniques—is advisable. This entails avoiding the use of establishing shots.
3. Key traits of editing are utilised:
– Avoidance of cutting despite camera movement
– Increased cutting speed
– Introduction of unfamiliar or disorienting shots
– Use of intellectual/associative montage
4. Avoid employing shots, simple viewpoints and direct camera positioning. Malick frequently uses Steadicam to start camera movement "before" the character enters the frame.
5. Cinematic elements initially serve to create meaning and develop ideas, and later transform into representations of characters.
Based on the examination of Malick’s movies, it becomes clear that each element of cinema can be employed to craft a continuous space as formal cinematic components are inherently flexible and not fixed or limited, but rather malleable and able to transform.
For example, narration—, as a method of storytelling—may be delivered through monologue or implemented with other techniques. However, camera movement must be modified to depict the flow of consciousness in a way that allows for the rebuilding and depiction of this phenomenon.
Regarding production design aspects, they become important in the story when they evoke memories or represent a character from the perspective of the characters. For instance in "The Tree of Life" the mother is associated with the tree symbol through her son Jack’s remembrance.
Therefore, all elements can be employed when creating a stream-of-consciousness film, provided they are modified to reflect the core of the technique. This method naturally aligns with features of art—particularly fragmentation. Malick illustrates these characteristics through linear editing, which is closely connected to essential principles of modern découpage such as rejecting continuity, in actor movements, shot arrangement, framing and unconventional camera movements.
Finally, based on the study’s results concerning the capacities of Jungian psychology—particularly the collective unconscious—and its relevance to characterisation in stream-of-consciousness cinema, further research is recommended on the concept of the “inner hero” and its relation to character construction in such narratives. Domestic scholarly sources on this topic are limited and primarily address thematic analyses of Malick’s works.