{
  "id": 6370422,
  "title": "The split screen format helped sneak sex into Hollywood. Now it’s a storytelling staple",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/09/the-split-screen-format-helped-sneak-sex-into-hollywood-now-its-a",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-09-09T01:21:18.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "The Conversation AU",
    "slug": "the-conversation-au",
    "url": "https://theconversation.com/the-split-screen-format-helped-sneak-sex-into-hollywood-now-its-a-storytelling-staple-288814"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "The split screen format has been a game-changer in Hollywood, allowing filmmakers to sneak sex into their productions and become a storytelling staple. One prime example is the teen romance series Off Campus, which utilizes this technique to depict the complexities of relationships and self-discovery among young adults. The split screen effect, also known as a divided frame, divides the screen into two or more simultaneous images, providing viewers with multiple perspectives.\n\nThis cinematic technique has a rich history that dates back to the early days of cinema. French filmmaker Georges Méliès pioneered many film techniques, including split screen cinematography, which involved masking a portion of the camera lens and shooting separate scenes, which were later merged to create a composite image. Méliès' innovation allowed him to divide the screen vertically, leading to the doubling/twin effect seen in films like Adaptation (2000) and the Parent Trap series (1961 and 1998).\n\nThroughout its history, the split screen has been used for various purposes. It has been employed to heighten tension in films like The Thomas Crown Affair (1968 and 1999) and The Boston Strangler (1968), as well as to illustrate a fractured mental state in Requiem for a Dream (2000). The technique also served as a workaround for censorship rules, such as the Motion Picture Production Code (Hays Code) from 1934 to 1968, allowing filmmakers to depict intimate scenes without breaking the strict guidelines.\n\nToday, the split screen format remains relevant, thanks to its ability to engage viewers and give them a sense of agency in making meaning from the presented images. Filmmakers like Brian de Palma have consistently used the split screen in his films, employing it to convey complex narratives and emotions. In recent screenlife films, such as Unfriended (2014) and Searching (2018), the split screen is often used to depict conversations on smartphones and computer screens, reflecting changes in technology and communication.",
  "summary": "From talking bodiless heads to flirty phone conversations, this technique goes back to the earliest days of cinema.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}