Narrative, however, is not the only way to organize a cinematic text, and film history is filled with experimental movies that do not follow narrative canons, nor do they even tell stories. Abstract films, for example, exploit the pictorial and rhythmic potentials of the cinematic medium, taking the distance from theatre or literature. Take a look at the following short, where Canadian director Norman McLaren painted lines and shapes directly onto the film, without resorting to cameras.