NARRATIVE (PART 1)

Narrative is….

A) the telling of a story B) the story C) the plot D) all of the above

Answer is…..A

A) the telling of a story

Or

-the way the story is told-message that tells the particulars of an act or occurrence or course

of events

-a chain of events in a cause-effect relationship occurring in timeEx. Girl is lonely, goes out for coffee, gets lost, needs help, asks a

man for directions, they fancy each other, he asks her out, they go on date, they fall in love, get married, the end. (girl in love (cause) causes things to happen (effects)

Implicit/explicit

Implicit =

Explicit =

Story, plot, event

STORY/PLOT = all events referenced both explicitly

(clearly/obviously) in a narrative and understood and summarized

Events = something that happens in story to character,

something that impacts them, (usually they have very little control)

Ex. Character getting hit by a car

Action and events

An action is something a character does to themselves, an object or another character.

An event is something that happens to the character. (Example being hit by car (unless another character intentionally hit another character on purpose then it is action)

A narrative is usually a serious of events and actions and the audience’s expectations at any stage are often related to the pattern of events and actions taking place.

Think of narrative structure of fairy tales (linear)

1. (I) Once upon a time…2. (C) Girl is born to lovely parents3. (J) Girl’s parents die in a tragedy4. (F) Girl is living her daily life as a poor girl, but she is happy,

giving, beautiful and one with nature5. (G) She suffers an unfair loss, (maybe by villain) (audience feel

sympathy)6. (K) A prince discovers her and falls in love with her7. (H) They separate and because they are star cross’d lovers she

runs off, but he is determined to get her8. (A) A massive heroic battle occurs between villain and prince9. (B) Prince wins and prince accepts girl for who she is and they

are in love10. (E) Prince and girl get married and she is now princess11. (D) And they lived happily ever after.

Intro to narrative

Our experiences of film and fictional TV lead us to form expectations based on the type of text that we are watching, which in turn enable us to make sense of what we watch and ‘read’ from the text. We form expectations based on GENRE, CHARACTER, STYLE, and FORMAT, and even the INSTITUTION that has produced the text.

Our expectations regarding narrative relate to one of the most basic human activities: storytelling, the casual relationship between one event and another. Just as we are able to ‘report’ on our own lives, we also become skilled/familiar at a very early age at engaging with the plot of a TV programme or film. Most fictional narratives also fulfill another basic psychological need for a resolution to any event, although the journey toward this resolution and the time taken to reach it differ between texts, (example a drama film and a comedy sit-com are different).

We watch so much TV/film that we might get bored with the certainty of this cause/effect structure, but we enjoy anticipating the sequence of events and the potential resolution, and there are of course, more challenging texts which both confuse and/or amaze our expectations.

Where else is narrative?

Think of Shakespeare, how is play divided?

ACT 1 ACT 2 ACT 3…

Can you think of any other narrative styles? What about books? Video games? Advertising?

Narrative theory (intro)

Narrative theory involves studying the conventions and structures of stories represented in the media. Films and fictional TV shows are comprehensible (understandable, logical, clear) and therefore enjoyable because they tell fictional stories which are organized in ways that reflect the patterns and structures of our ‘real’ lives.

This pattern of events in a film reflects the chronology (order) of real life, but more importantly, the causality (cause – why things happen).

David Bordwell says “Action triggers reaction: each step has

an effect which in turn becomes a new cause.” It is this motivational relationship between events that creates narrative. We become involved with the chain of events and start to anticipate their progress and possible conclusion.

Hollywood/mainstream filmsMost mainstream films will tend to have plots which follow the

chronological chain of story events.Example: Sleeping Beauty (starts with birth, growing up, meeting and

process of falling in love)

However, many examples of films do not follow this format.Example: Momento (works backwards in time revealing past events to

give clues/answers of his initial actionsThis text is a challenge to modern audiences who are still fundamentally

expecting linearity. (linear = like a line, obvious order: beginning to end)

However, it is a useful example of how narrative structures can reflect the mood, and in this case, confusion of a story. (just like how the main character feels) If this film was told chronologically, this narrative would have far less impact and just be another typical crime film.

Linear/non-linear

Linear narrative: -narrative where time is presented chronologically (in order)

Non-linear narrative:-narrative where time is not presented chronically in order to communicate desired effects(Example: film starting with a flashback) and then going forward in time to when was thinking about that event)

Genre

Whenever we receive a media text, our response to that text are framed by the genre of the text. We expect certain things of the text, depending on the genre. If we are receiving an action film, what do you expect?

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Codes and conventions

Associated with any genre are codes (iconography) and conventions. This means textual codes which give meaning to an audience and the conventions of the genre, such as the themes, ideologies or narratives, which are used or subverted by the text.

These codes and conventions are important for the audience (because they know they are likely to be used in a text within this genre) and also the institution because there is a genre framework for the text and it is more likely to attract audiences.

Link to Stam’s theory

Think of Grant’s theory: “…allows audiences to identify them specifically by their familiar and what become recognizable characteristics”

The film industry relies on audience’s understanding and familiarity of GENRE and their familiar codes and conventions.

Example MARKETING: relies on audience familiarity (horror film

posters and trailers (they know we recognise the iconography and connotations of them)

Narrative is a one of the familiar codes and conventions. You already have expectations of how a story is going to be told

Common narrative structure(Hollywood/mainstream films)

ACT 1 = (beginning) …….(set up)introduction to story/characters, everything is ‘ok’ (audience feel ok), end of 1 = start to ‘crisis’

ACT 2 = (middle) ……….(conflict)height of crisis (audience feel worried) working towards resolving the crisis

ACT 3 = (end) ……..(resolution)happy resolution and everything is ‘ok’ (audience feel happy)

*Think of how relates to Grants theory = must be familiar and recognizable codes and conventions

*Think of how this relates to Chomsky (to diverge audience from real problems/hard-hitting texts)

Common narrative structure - diagram

Common narrative structure - diagram

Conventional Film structure

How audience feel

PROS CONS

Identify the pro’s/con’s…. (minimum 4 bullet points each)

PROS OF CONVENTIONAL FILM NARRATIVE MODEL

CONS OF CONVENTIONAL FILM NARRATIVE MODEL

Task

1) How does/doesn’t your AS opening sequence apply this format/structure?

2) How does/doesn’t your A2 documentary apply this format/structure?

3) How does/doesn’t your A2 ancillaries apply this format/structure?

Extension: why has the text been formatted this way?