NarrativeNarrative

The narrative or “telling of a story” is The narrative or “telling of a story” is the part of the movie that people the part of the movie that people respond most to. respond most to.

This chapter hopes to teach you to This chapter hopes to teach you to analyze the narrative in more precise analyze the narrative in more precise and conscious detail.and conscious detail.

Dramatic StructureDramatic Structure

Exposition –characters, setting, basic Exposition –characters, setting, basic conflictconflict

Rising Actions- secondary conflictsRising Actions- secondary conflictsClimax- turning point (protagonist Climax- turning point (protagonist

begins to overpower the antagonist)begins to overpower the antagonist)Falling Actions- principal conflict Falling Actions- principal conflict

moves toward resolutionmoves toward resolutionResolution- everything made clear, Resolution- everything made clear,

no more questions or surprisesno more questions or surprises

StoryStory

The movie’s STORY is everything The movie’s STORY is everything explicitly presented on the screen explicitly presented on the screen PLUS all the events that are implicit PLUS all the events that are implicit or that we infer to have happened or that we infer to have happened but are not presented on screen. but are not presented on screen.

PlotPlot

A structure for presenting everything A structure for presenting everything we see and hear in a film.we see and hear in a film.

Diegetic ElementsDiegetic Elements

All of the events, characters, objects All of the events, characters, objects settings and sounds that form the settings and sounds that form the world in which the story occurs.world in which the story occurs.

Nondiegetic ElementsNondiegetic Elements

Something that we see and hear on Something that we see and hear on the screen that comes from outside the screen that comes from outside the world of the story (including the world of the story (including background music, titles, credits and background music, titles, credits and voice-over narration). voice-over narration).

OrderOrder

Bringing order to the plot is one of Bringing order to the plot is one of the most fundamental decisions the the most fundamental decisions the filmmaker must make.filmmaker must make.

Unlike story order which flows Unlike story order which flows chronologically, plot order can be chronologically, plot order can be manipulated into a nonchronological manipulated into a nonchronological sequence to emphasize importance sequence to emphasize importance or meaning.or meaning.

EventsEvents

Hubs- Major events or branching Hubs- Major events or branching points in a plotpoints in a plot

Satellites- minor plot events that Satellites- minor plot events that add texture and complexity to add texture and complexity to characters and events but are not characters and events but are not essential elements of the narrative.essential elements of the narrative.

DurationDuration

Story duration- the amount of time Story duration- the amount of time the implied story takes to occurthe implied story takes to occur

Plot duration- the elapsed time of the Plot duration- the elapsed time of the events within the story explicitly events within the story explicitly presentedpresented

Screen duration- length of movieScreen duration- length of movie

CharactersCharacters

ProtagonistProtagonist- central figure (sometimes is - central figure (sometimes is the hero, does not have to be a good the hero, does not have to be a good guy…can be a bad guy who struggles with guy…can be a bad guy who struggles with the oppostion.)the oppostion.)

AntagonistAntagonist- opposes the protagonist, - opposes the protagonist, provokes the actions of the protagonistprovokes the actions of the protagonist

Round characters-Round characters- three-dimensional, three-dimensional, possess several traitspossess several traits

Flat characters-Flat characters- posses one or very few posses one or very few traits.traits.

SettingSetting

Time and place in which the story Time and place in which the story occurs. Not only establishes date, occurs. Not only establishes date, city or country but also the city or country but also the characters’ social, educational, and characters’ social, educational, and cultural backgrounds.cultural backgrounds.

ScopeScope

Related to duration and setting.Related to duration and setting.The overall range is time and place of The overall range is time and place of

the movie’s story.the movie’s story.For example, a war movie might be For example, a war movie might be

limited in scope to the story of a single limited in scope to the story of a single battle.battle.

In addition, the film In addition, the film The Longest DayThe Longest Day, , relates the D-Day invasion with a broad relates the D-Day invasion with a broad scope of what is happening in 4 scope of what is happening in 4 separate countries on the same day.separate countries on the same day.

NarratorNarrator

Narration literally means telling a Narration literally means telling a story and also implies there will be a story and also implies there will be a storyteller or “narrator”. storyteller or “narrator”.

In a movie the camera itself can be In a movie the camera itself can be both a visual recorder and narrator, both a visual recorder and narrator, showing us what the director wants showing us what the director wants us to see. us to see.

Forms of visual narrationForms of visual narration

OmniscientOmniscient- unrestricted, third-- unrestricted, third-person point of view, gives us all person point of view, gives us all aspects if the movie’s actions and aspects if the movie’s actions and characters.characters.

RestrictedRestricted - a narration that - a narration that reveals information to the audience reveals information to the audience only as a specific character learns of only as a specific character learns of it. (The movie it. (The movie HoodwinkedHoodwinked has has several restricted narrations )several restricted narrations )