1. Some Views on
Narrative Structure

2. Narrative serves a number of purposes:
1) It delivers the Story in Visual & Dialogue
2) It decides what order information is to be
delivered and when
3) It places the audience on the side of the
protagonist by way of ‘privileging’ their
perspective above others
4) It establishes the pace of the text
5) It delivers implicit messages & values (Ideology)
which support the perspectives of the makers.

3. Story:
All the events. Both those that are visually
represented and those that are
inferred, before and parallel to those
onscreen, which we DO NOT see…
Plot:
The filmic arrangement of the story – which is
usually less than the story and may be in a
different order (eg. Go or Pulp Fiction)

4. The world of the Film’s Story
Everything that is going on in the fictional
reality on screen. This is why the most
common use of the term is to describe
SOUND as either Diegetic (as in dialogue &
naturalistic background noise)
or Non-Diegetic (use of ‘mood’ music in a scene)
Romantic Violins in a Love Scene…

5. Continuity Editing:
A style of Editing which creates the impression of
seamlessness (invisible editing) which draws the Audience in
to the world of film – when a character walks through a door
to the left, they enter the next room from the right to create
the impression that the room is ‘real’
Montage Editing:
A term used in a number of different ways but here, in contrast to
the aforementioned Continuity editing – a style of editing which
employs effects to create particular moods or
meanings, particularly when shots are crashed together without
logical progression or relationships. Eg: The Shower scene in Psycho
or Action sequences.

6. Compression of Time:
Most films operate a high degree of Ellipsis or Time
manipulation. In order to move the story
forward, the audience only ‘sees’ the moments in
time which are relevant to the Narrative.
Some texts operate time as a more balanced ‘Real
time’ construction but Classical/Post Classical
Hollywood Narrative maintains strict control over
Narrative Time.

7. Use of Narrative to create Suspense and
Audience expectations…
Restricted or Unrestricted Narratives determine
how much information is released to the
Audience at a time… What do they need to
know and when?
Eg the Mysterious visitor, Gina Hawkes– she is not what she
seems. As serial progresses more information is revealed
about her.

8. Todorov Propp
Stage One: Equilibrium Stage one: Preparation
Stage Two: Disruption Stage two: Complication
Stage Three: Recognition of Stage Three: transference
disruption
Stage four: Struggle
Stage four: Attempt to repair
damage Stage five: Return and
recognition
Stage five: Return to a new
Equilibrium

9. And The Action Codes
Action Codes: Images or sequences which work as
a form of a Visual Shorthand making complex
Ideas immediately apparent and carrying the
story forward.
Enigma Codes: Images/sequences which control
how much we know in the story, engaging and
holding audience interest. They present puzzles
which demand to be solved

10. And the Binary Opposites
Skill & expertise of the hero Vulnerability of those in need of
protection
Strong
Weak
Masculine
Effeminate/Feminine
Civilised set of ethics
Uncivilised/No ethics
Sense of Justice
Ignore Justice
______________________
__________________________
On the side of Good
On the side of BAD
Innocence
EVIL / Guilt
Honest
Dishonest
Law abiding
Criminality

11. And the Hero’s Journey…
1) Separation:
The hero ventures forth from the world of common
day to a region of Supernatural wonder.
2) Initiation:
The hero encounters dangers/threats which he
overcomes with guidance from a mentor –
rewarded for his heroism with powers or gifts.
3) Return:
The hero returns from this Adventure with the power
to bestow boons upon his fellow man / with the
power to free his fellow man.

12. • Prioritises Narrative over Form.
• Highly constructed Reality which masks its own
constructions
• Continuity editing which ‘stitches’ the audience into
the film
• Disruption to Equilibrium – Complication – new
Equilibrium
• Neater, Higher degree of Narrative Closure
• Spacial & Temporal Clarity – Audience aware of
Time & Space