2. In 1998, Tim O’ Sullivan and others argued that every media text will tells the audience
some kind of story. This has been argued because it has been seen that 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.
Narrative theory sets out to show that
what we experience when we ‘read’ a
story is to understand a particular set of
constructions, or conventions and that it
is important to be aware of how these
constructions are put together.
In the film ‘Shrek’ we can see that
a story has been made out of
animated fantasy characters - this
is a great way of explaining this
theory because it presents that
not matter what the media text is,
a story can still be generated from
it. This film demonstrates that
beauty is on the inside and not
the outside which is why this film
has a strong narrative as the mass
bulk of the film is about narrative.
O’ Sullivan suggests that 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), and
increase in tension. Then there is the resolution of
the plot. Such narratives can be unambiguous and
linear.
3. In 1997, Bordwell and Thompson offered two distinctions between story and plot
which relate to the diegetic world of the narrative that the audience are positioned to
accept and which they actually see. These theorists based this on a Russian film
theory known as ‘Fabula and Syuzhet’.
Fabula (story) is all the events in the narrative that we see and often
infer; this is defined as the chronological series of events that are
represented or implied. Syuzhet (plot) is everything visible and
audibly present before the audience. Syuzhet is considered to be the
order, manner and techniques of their presentation in the narrative.
4. 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 is not the same as the initial state
6. A good example of this theory is the music for ‘Song For Whoever’ by Beautiful South. In this video you are able to see that
there are two diegesis’ present. The first one is the band performing and the second is the narrative where the band have
written a song and they are looking for a star to sing it. In the narrative of this music video the audience are able to see that
the band are writing a song and once they have finished it, they then need to find someone to be the star of the and to sing
it for them. This results in a blancmange becoming the star who the band dress up and make look like a professional star,
but the blancmange turns out to be more famous and popular than the actual band. On the next slide I have written a few
things that have happened in the music video and what certain features in the music video mean.
Here is a video including the song, I was unable to find the actual
music video as it has been blocked in this country, so I decided just to
get a video which includes the song:
7. Here is a list of features that appeared in this music video in relation to Tzvetan Todorov’s theory:
• The pianist is seen writing the lyrics at the beginning of the song while the other members are playing the song which
goes against the idea of temporal and spacial coherence
• One line of the lyrics include ‘love you from the bottom of my pencil case’ which presents that this song is aimed towards
younger women because women stereotypically own pencil cases rather than men
• There are a range of one man artists presented when the band are looking for a star to promote the song, highlighting
that it is all about the looks and the band need someone that everyone will like due to their looks
• When the blancmange is shown there is a spotlight put on it to present its fame and importance
• The concept of the blancmange has been used because blancmanges are moulded which presents how it has been
moulded to become a star
• There are cuts of the blancmange wearing different outfits and this demonstrates that audience like people who dress
well rather than people who actually write the song which relates to Andrew Goodwin’s theory about star image
• There is also irony at the end of the video as the blancmange gets the hit and the band don’t, but by the end of the video
the two diegesis converge and you can see the band member eat the blancmange to get revenge
8. Kate Domaille (2001) stated that every story ever told can be fitted into one of eight narrative types.
Each of these narrative types have a source, an original story upon which the others are based. There
eight narrative types include:
• Achilles: The fatal flaw that leads to the destruction of the previously flawless, or almost flawless person. Eg. Superman, Fatal Attraction
• Candide: The indomitable hero who cannot be put down. Eg. Indiana Jones, James Bond, Rocky
• Cinderella: The dream comes true. Eg. Pretty Woman
• Circe: The chase, the spider and the fly, the innocent and the victim. Eg. Smokey And The Bandit, Duel, The Terminator
• Faust: Selling your soul to the devil may bring riches but eventually your soul belongs to him. Eg. Bedazzled, Wall Street
• Orpheus: The loss of something personal, the gift that is taken away, the tragedy of loss or journey which follows the loss. Eg. The Sixth Sense, Love
Story, Born On The Fourth Of July
• Romeo and Juliet: The love story. Eg. Titanic
• Tristan and Iseult: The love triangle, man loves woman, but unfortunately one or both of them are already spoken for, or a third party intervenes. Eg.
Casablanca
9. In 1958, Claude Levi-Strauss had some ideas about narrative
which amount to the fact that he believed all stories
operated to certain clear binary opposites. For example,
good vs evil, black vs white and rich vs poor. The importance
of these ideas is that essentially a complicated world is
reduced to a simple either/or structure. Things are either
right or wrong, good or bad and there is no in between.
10. In 1984, Michael Shore argued that music videos are;
• Recycled Styles
• Surface without substances
• Simulated experience
• Information overload
• Image and style scavengers
• Ambivalence
• Decadence
• Immediate gratification
• Vanity and the moment
• Image assaults and outré folks
• The death of content
• Anesthetization of violence through chic
• Adolescent male fantasies
• Speed, power, girls and wealth
• Album art come to turgid life
• Classical storytelling motifs
Some music videos which relate to this
theory include:
• Weezer – Buddy Holly
• Green Day – Basket Case
• Arctic Monkeys – Leave Before The
Lights Come On
• Bob Dylan – Beyond Here Lies Nothin’
I am unable to add the music videos for these
due to me presenting this on slide share.
11. In 1992, Andrew Goodwin argued that in music videos,
‘narrative relations are highly complex’ and meaning can
be created from the individual’s personal musical taste to
sophisticated intertextuality that uses multidiscursive
phenomena of Western culture. Many are dominated by
advertising references, film pastiche and reinforce the
postmodern ‘re-use’ tradition.
Andrew Goodwin (1992)
In 1999, Carlsson developed a mythical method of analysis of
music videos – which is centred on a ‘modern mythic
embodiment’. It is viewed from the perspective that the music
video artist is seen as embodying one, or a combination of
‘modern mythic characters or forces’. The music video artist is
representing different aspects of the free floating separate
universe of music video.
Carlsson (1999)
