NARRATIVE Film and Media Studies What is Narrative? Latin –NARRE- To make Known Via Causally related eventsCausally related events ConnectedConnected.

NARRATIVENARRATIVE

Film and Media StudiesFilm and Media Studies

What is Narrative?What is Narrative?

Latin –Latin –NARRENARRE- To make Known- To make Known ViaVia

• Causally related eventsCausally related events• ConnectedConnected• Sequenced Sequenced • Logically presented Logically presented

Definition 2Definition 2

““Narrative is a way of organising Narrative is a way of organising spatial and temporal data into a spatial and temporal data into a cause and effect chain of events with cause and effect chain of events with a beginning, middle and end that a beginning, middle and end that embodies a judgement about the embodies a judgement about the nature of the events as well as nature of the events as well as demonstrates how it is possible to demonstrates how it is possible to know, and hence to narrate, the know, and hence to narrate, the events. “ events. “ Brannigan E. Brannigan E. Narrative Narrative Comprehension and FilmComprehension and Film

Macro Features of NarrativeMacro Features of NarrativeStructureStructure• Aristotle’s beginning, middle and end.Aristotle’s beginning, middle and end.• Todorov’s equilibrium>disequilibrium>re-equilibriumTodorov’s equilibrium>disequilibrium>re-equilibrium• Propp’s “functions”Propp’s “functions”• Vogler’s “twelve steps”Vogler’s “twelve steps”

2. Temporal order,temporal duration, 2. Temporal order,temporal duration, temporal frequencytemporal frequency

3. Story and Plot3. Story and Plot• Explicitly presented actions/eventsExplicitly presented actions/events• Implicitly inferred ationas/eventsImplicitly inferred ationas/events• Non diegetic material (captions/titles,drama Non diegetic material (captions/titles,drama

enhancing enhancing music etc.)music etc.)

Micro FeaturesMicro Features

1. Constructional Devices1. Constructional Devices CinematographyCinematography Mise- en- SceneMise- en- Scene EditingEditing SoundSound

2. Genre Associations2. Genre Associations Genre Codes (e.g. Iconography)Genre Codes (e.g. Iconography) Genre ConventionsGenre Conventions

3. Narrative Codes3. Narrative Codes Levi Straus’s Binary OppositionsLevi Straus’s Binary Oppositions Barthes Narrative CodesBarthes Narrative Codes Character PsychologyCharacter Psychology Semiotic AnalysisSemiotic Analysis

TodorovTodorov

Initial Situation (Equilibrium)Initial Situation (Equilibrium)

DisruptionDisruption (Non equilibrium) (Non equilibrium)

RestorationRestoration (Re Equilibrium) (Re Equilibrium)

Propp 1928Propp 1928

Morphology of the Russian Folktale Morphology of the Russian Folktale 19281928

Types of Characters, Specific Forms Types of Characters, Specific Forms of Action, function in the Narrative.of Action, function in the Narrative.

Thiry One Functions identified.Thiry One Functions identified.

Specific research on narrativeSpecific research on narrative

• Vladimir ProppVladimir Propp• Russian Formalist in the 1930sRussian Formalist in the 1930s• He wanted to see if there was a finite He wanted to see if there was a finite

number of structures for narrative. He number of structures for narrative. He analysied Russian folk tales and found analysied Russian folk tales and found they could be classified into 5 they could be classified into 5 categories.categories.

• He also identified seven archetypal He also identified seven archetypal characters.characters.

Propp’s character archetypesPropp’s character archetypes

The VillainThe Villain The Donor/giver of knowledgeThe Donor/giver of knowledge The HelperThe Helper The Princess (sought after person)The Princess (sought after person) The DispatcherThe Dispatcher The Hero (or victim)The Hero (or victim) The False HeroThe False Hero

Propp’s character archetypesPropp’s character archetypes

The Villain The Villain Darth VaderDarth Vader The DonorThe Donor The HelperThe Helper The Princess (sought after person)The Princess (sought after person) The DispatcherThe Dispatcher The Hero (or victim)The Hero (or victim) The False HeroThe False Hero

Propp’s character archetypesPropp’s character archetypes

The Villain The Villain Darth VaderDarth Vader The Donor The Donor Obi Won KenobeObi Won Kenobe The HelperThe Helper The Princess The Princess The DispatcherThe Dispatcher The Hero (or victim)The Hero (or victim) The False HeroThe False Hero

Propp’s character archetypesPropp’s character archetypes

The Villain The Villain Darth VaderDarth Vader The Donor The Donor Obi Won KenobeObi Won Kenobe The Helper The Helper Han SoloHan Solo The Princess The Princess The DispatcherThe Dispatcher The Hero (or victim)The Hero (or victim) The False HeroThe False Hero

Propp’s character archetypesPropp’s character archetypes

The Villain The Villain Darth VaderDarth Vader The Donor The Donor Obi Won KenobeObi Won Kenobe The Helper The Helper Han SoloHan Solo The Princess The Princess Princess LeahPrincess Leah The DispatcherThe Dispatcher The Hero (or victim)The Hero (or victim) The False HeroThe False Hero

Propp’s character archetypesPropp’s character archetypes

The Villain The Villain Darth VaderDarth Vader The Donor The Donor Obi Won KenobeObi Won Kenobe The Helper The Helper Han SoloHan Solo The Princess The Princess Princess LeahPrincess Leah The Dispatcher The Dispatcher R2 - D2R2 - D2 The HeroThe Hero The False HeroThe False Hero

Propp’s character archetypesPropp’s character archetypes

The Villain The Villain Darth VaderDarth Vader The Donor The Donor Obi Won KenobeObi Won Kenobe The Helper The Helper Han SoloHan Solo The Princess The Princess Princess LeahPrincess Leah The Dispatcher The Dispatcher R2 - D2R2 - D2 The Hero The Hero Luke SkywalkerLuke Skywalker The False HeroThe False Hero

Propp’s character archetypesPropp’s character archetypes

The Villain The Villain Darth VaderDarth Vader The Donor The Donor Obi Won KenobeObi Won Kenobe The Helper The Helper Han SoloHan Solo The Princess The Princess Princess LeahPrincess Leah The Dispatcher The Dispatcher R2 - D2R2 - D2 The Hero The Hero Luke SkywalkerLuke Skywalker The False Hero The False Hero Darth Vader (Luke’s Darth Vader (Luke’s

dad)dad)

Basic PlotsBasic Plots

Romance: Boy meets girl / boy loses Romance: Boy meets girl / boy loses girl / boy finds girl(or girl / boy finds girl(or Vice versaVice versa))

Bordwell and Thompson (1991) Bordwell and Thompson (1991) define narrative as “A chain of define narrative as “A chain of events in cause-effect relationship events in cause-effect relationship occurring in time and space.occurring in time and space.

The Kuleshov Effect: The linear The Kuleshov Effect: The linear connections we make between shots.connections we make between shots.

Definitions from Bordwell and Definitions from Bordwell and Thompson (1991)Thompson (1991)

Plot: What we see on screen. Includes Plot: What we see on screen. Includes extra-narrative things.extra-narrative things.

Story: all that we know about the narrative Story: all that we know about the narrative including seen and unseen.including seen and unseen.

Diegesis: The total world of the story.Diegesis: The total world of the story. Parallelism: Parallel development of Parallelism: Parallel development of

multiple storylines.multiple storylines. Cause and effect: Cause and effect. Cause and effect: Cause and effect.

Causes can come from a character.Causes can come from a character.

Chris Vogler 1992Chris Vogler 1992The Writers JourneyThe Writers Journey

ArchetypesArchetypes• HeroHero• MentorMentor• ShapeshifterShapeshifter• TricksterTrickster• HeraldHerald• AlliesAllies• ShadowShadow• Threshold GuardiansThreshold Guardians

The Hero’s JourneyThe Hero’s Journey• Ordinary WorldOrdinary World• Call to AdventureCall to Adventure• Refusal of the CallRefusal of the Call• MentorMentor• First ThresholdFirst Threshold• Tests, Allies, EnemiesTests, Allies, Enemies• Approach to the Inmost CaveApproach to the Inmost Cave• OrdealOrdeal• Reward (seizing the sword)Reward (seizing the sword)• The Road BackThe Road Back• ResurrectionResurrection• Return with the ElixirReturn with the Elixir

Levi StraussLevi Strauss

Binary Opposites (Macro)Binary Opposites (Macro)• Protagonist/AntagonistProtagonist/Antagonist• Action /InactionAction /Inaction

Binary Opposites (Micro)Binary Opposites (Micro)• Good looking / UglyGood looking / Ugly

• Witty / HumourlessWitty / Humourless

BarthesBarthes

Audience DecodesAudience Decodes• Enigma Code (sets up a question to be Enigma Code (sets up a question to be

answered later)answered later)• Semic Code (How characters, actions ,events, Semic Code (How characters, actions ,events,

settings etc. take on meaning within a culture.settings etc. take on meaning within a culture.• Symbolic Code - Binary Oppositions or Symbolic Code - Binary Oppositions or

Psychological symbolsPsychological symbols• Action Code - understood by cross reference to Action Code - understood by cross reference to

other narratives in our cultureother narratives in our culture• Cultural Codes - understood through our Cultural Codes - understood through our

interaction with the wider world.interaction with the wider world.