Applying Narrative Theory to my Short Film

1. Theorist Theory How this theory relates to my work
Todorov
(1977)
Stage 1: A point of stable
equilibrium, where everything is
satisfied, calm and normal.
Stage 2: This stability is disrupted
by some kind of force, which
creates a state of disequilibrium.
Stage 3: Recognition that a
disruption has taken place.
Stage 4: It is only possible to re-
create equilibrium through action
directed against the disruption.
Stage 5: Restoration of a new
state of equilibrium. The
consequences of the reaction is
to change the world of the
narrative and/or the characters
so that the final state of
equilibrium in not the same as
the initial state.
Stage 5 (New equilibrium): The film begins after Henry’s accident, when
Henry no longer lives in the house and Gen and Emily are having to pack it
all away. This is a new equilibrium because it it’s the new reality caused by
the disruption (Henry’s dementia).
Stage 1 (Equilibrium): The initial equilibrium is only seen briefly, when the
first flashback begins when Emily and Gen come into the house. From the
contrast in clothing, we can see this is the past tense and this is the
equilibrium because it is before Henry first starts to have symptoms of
dementia and everything is fine.
Stage 2 (Disruption of equilibrium): The disruption of the equilibrium us
Henry’s dementia getting worse which is seen through the flashbacks.
Stage 3 (Recognition of the disruption): The recognition that something is
wrong comes in the present day scenes of Emily walking through the house
and recalling how her Grandad’s dementia got worse.
Stage 4 (An attempt to repair the damage): There isn’t any attempt to
repair the damage because Gen doesn’t accept there is something wrong
until it is arguable too late (conservatory scene). In addition, the
recognition of the disruption isn’t until during the new equilibrium so it is
too late. This links to the message of the film – which is to talk about
dementia more as a society.
Pam Cook
(1985)
The standard Hollywood
narrative structure should have:
Linearity of cause and effect
within an overall trajectory of
enigma resolution.
A high degree of narrative
closure.
A fictional world that contains
verisimilitude especially governed
by spatial and temporal
coherence.
“A fictional world that contains verisimilitude especially governed by
spatial and temporal coherence.” – My short film creates verisimilitude
with the real world by including relatable characters, narrative and mise-
en-scene. My short film has temporal coherence because by using
flashbacks at different times in the year (depicted through character
costumes), I showed how dementia progresses over time in a realistic time
frame. It would’ve been unrealistic to show dementia as something that
happens overnight because it is a progressive illness. Also the fictional
word of my short film has spatial coherence because
“A high degree of narrative closure.” – My short film does not have a high
degree of narrative closure because it ends of a cliff-hanger where the
audience is not directly shown what happens to Henry, instead they have
to infer that he has fallen outside or something similar.
Tim
O’Sullivan
(1998)
Roland
Barthes,
(1977)
In short as O’Sullivan et al (1998)
suggests, narratives have a
common structure, starting with
the establishment of plot or
theme.
This is then followed by the
development of the problem, an
enigma (Roland Barthes, 1977),
an increase in tension.
Finally comes the resolution of
the plot.
Such narratives can be
unambiguous and linear.
“…Such narratives can be unambiguous and linear.” – The narrative of my
short film is not linear (non-linear) because it jumps between the past and
the present. Also, my film has an ambiguous ending in the form of a cliff-
hanger.
“…development of the problem, an enigma (Roland Barthes, 1977), an
increase in tension…” – The ‘enigma’ in my film was Henry’s dementia,
because as seen in the conservatory scene, it caused tension within the
family because Henry was frustrated (a symptom of dementia) and Gen
finally realised something was wrong with her dad. The increase it
dementia made the film dramatic which is a convention of the drama
genre.
Tim
O’Sullivan
et al.
(1998)
Through careful mediation, media
texts offer a way of telling stories
about ourselves – not usually our
own personal stories, but the
story of us as a culture or set of
cultures.
“…media texts offer a way of telling stories about ourselves – not usually
our own personal stories, but the story of us as a culture or set of
cultures.” – My short film tells a personal story about a family’s struggle
with dementia which is relatable to an audience who has had their own
experiences of caring for someone with dementia. However, my film also
tells the story of how our culture/society is very reluctant to talk about
taboo subject like dementia, and this leads to bad/avoidable situations (for
example, if Gen and Emily had addressed Henry’s dementia sooner, then
he maybe wouldn’t have fallen in the garden because he would’ve had the
appropriate help such as a carer).