Narrative theory's

1. NARRATIVE

2. Todorov
 Todorov theory says that a story begins with a status quo or a
equilibrium which is interrupted by an event that then puts in
place a chain of events making the film, these problems are
solved in an order and at the end of the story everything is
restored to ‘social norms’.
 Following this idea, it fits into a thriller genre as the typical
thriller film starts of happy with equilibrium of normality and
happiness for example a holiday and then an event happens
such as a killing, kidnapping or some extreme event which then
leads to a series of events. In a thriller these events often are
finding the killer or experiencing the kidnap/torture of the
person up until they escape, are dead or are found/ saved. After
this often in a thriller film everything is slightly back to normal as
often the psycho gets away or even can be killed.Then
everything returns to normality.

3. Todorov theory structure

4. Todorov and my trailer
 Todorovs theory has helped me in planning my trailer/
film as I am doing the thriller genre I intend to follow the
typical conventions in order for it to be successful.
 This means I will use my protagonist of the little girl
shown to be normal and having a lovely time on holiday,
and then when she is back in England something
happens which causes her to become a killer.
 She will then kill Ella the victim and this event follows
the disruption inTodorovs theory followed by the
protagonist being hunted/ tried to return to normal.

5. Propps theory
 The theory is based on the fact that characters have
a narrative function, they provide structure for the
text.And that these characters have a ‘struggle’
scene as well as a ‘recognition’ scene so that they
are identified as different characters.
 For example, the hero is often a character that is
seeking something and the villain opposes this
character leading to a struggle.
 The hero is branded as a heroic character whereas
the villain is seen as evil and is overcome.

6. Propp’s theory in my trailer
 As my trailer is very short only a few of
Propp’s theories are met:
 Villain-Amber
 Anti-hero/victim- Ella
 Hero- Chloe

7. Levi Strauss theory
 Levi Strauss argued that a narrative is down
to binary opposites.
 For example:
 Good vs Evil
 Strong vsWeak
 Black vs White

8. Levi Strauss theory in my
trailer
 I use the idea of binary opposites within my
trailer with the struggle of good vs evil with
the villain amber becoming a psycho and
killing the good person- Ella.

9. My narrative outline
 Amber is a young girl of 10 years old. She is on holiday with her family
when something changes in her behaviour, she seems distant and
‘weird’- this is where Levi Strauss theory of good vs evil comes in as well
as propp's theory of the villain.
 Once back in the UK things take a turn for the worst, she carries a bag
around with a knife in and focuses on one person to kill- Ella.The reason
for this is unknown in the trailer but it is because Ella hurt her brother in
the past. Binary opposites used as victim Ella= Good and Amber= Evil.
 She is distant from her family and does not talk or listen to her mum
when her mum tries to ask why she is spending some much time in her
room.
 She stalks/ follows Ella with this bag around a shopping centre and
returns to her home to sharpen her knife.
 The next day she goes to an isolated location (where Ella is on a dog
walk) and she strikes her.This is the stage whereTodorov’s theory comes
in and the equilibrium is disrupted by an event.
 She takes her to a close by abandoned barn where it is obvious she is
possessed and this is where we see blood on her hands but the use of
the enigma theory is used and there is left worry in the viewers mind as
to what has happened/ is Ella dead?
 These scenes are done through flashes not as a short story and it leaves
enigma within the trailer as a hook as to what happens in the film to Ella.