Vladamir Propp proposed that narratives can be classified by character roles and functions, such as the hero, villain, or helper. Claude Levi-Strauss suggested narratives are based on conflicts between binary opposites like good vs. evil. Tvetvan Todorov believed narratives follow a circular 5-stage structure: equilibrium, disruption, recognition, attempts to repair, and new equilibrium. The music video borrows the narrative of Romeo and Juliet, portraying the star-crossed lovers from feuding families in a dystopian setting, using costume and set design to distinguish the families.

1. Narrative – theories
Vladamir Propp
He proposed that it was possible to classify
the characters and their actions into
clearly defined roles and functions.
• The hero
• The false hero
• The princes
• The father (of the princess)
• The helper
• The villain
• The donor
• The dispatcher
Films such as Star Wars fit Propp's theory
Claude Levi-Strauss
suggested that all narratives were
based on conflicts and that these
conflicts were through binary
opposites. For example Good vs.
Evil, Ages vs. Youth.
In the film Titanic there are several
of these binary opposites at play.
Firstly there is the conflict
between technology (the ship)
and nature (the Iceberg). There is
also the opposites of working and
upper class.

2. Narrative – theories
Tvetvan Todorov
Using this structure, he believed that narratives were circular - they were about trying to
reach the beginning.
THE 5 STAGES
1.The equilibrium – the state of balance in the narrative, where we get to know the characters and
their situation.
2.The disruption – oppositional characters or events are introduced and the story moves forward
3.The recognition (of the disruption) – Where the story develops different events and characters
become involved and more drama occurs.
4.The attempts to repair the disruption – where there may be a twist or climactic point
5.The new equilibrium – the problem is solved and harmony is resolved, though things may have
changed.

3. Narrative
• Narrative is the media term for storytelling. Narrative is the way the different elements in a story are organised to
make a meaningful story. Some of these elements can be facts as in a documentary, or characters and action as in
a drama.
• The music video has intertextuality as it borrows the story of Baz Luhrmann’s film Romeo and Juliet (1996). The
music videos narrative is very similar to the film as it is about two star crossed lovers and their feuding families.
However, they have taken a more modern take while still including the iconic features of the film. In the music
video Halsey takes on the role of Romeo, which makes it more modern as she is taking the leading and more
masculine role. Her love interest plays Juliet. The video takes place in a world of purgatory between heaven and
hell, which adds to the videos fantasy genre. The music video starts with the law maker giving an order to the
chosen people to help protect halsey and her love interests love as it is pure and can help bring the two families
together. The audience are then shown how two different families live as one family wears white which connotes
purity and so they are shown as religious, the other family are pleasure seeking, they have guns and drugs and are
more sexual. The two main characters are then shown confiding in their best friends so that they can get help to
be with each other. Halsey then goes to a fortune teller who tells her about the state if their relationship. The
male love interests friend calls border control in order to stop them from being together which then leads to the
gunfire and members of both families dying. Halsey escapes and the video ends with her cutting up her hair.

4. Audience
• The audience of the video would be young females as the video has a genre of
romance and focuses on the story of Romeo and Juliet which young females are
likely to be interested in as it story like and so they may feel more engaged in the
video and would want to know what happens as the video is the first installation of
a series, so the audience may also choose to follow the series in order to know
what happens.
• The video would not appeal to males as it has a very feminine storyline but may
choose to watch the video as it has elements of action.

5. Representation
• The music video doesn’t follow the stereotypical representation of
Romeo and Juliet as in the video Halsey plays Romeo and her male love
interest is Juliet.
• They are stereotypically shown to be in love and willing to risk
everything to be together which is typical representation of young
people in love as they don’t think about the consequences. However,
at the end of the video Halsey does escape and leaves him behind.

6. Genre
• The word 'genre' comes from the French word meaning 'type' or 'class'. A genre can be
recognised by its common set of distinguishing features.
• The genre of the music video is fantasy as it takes place in purgatory and the audience can
see the run down city as there aren’t a lot of people, there's dust and rubble everywhere.
other elements of mise-en-scene also reinforce the genre of fantasy such as the men
wearing masks.
• The genre of the music video is different to the genre of the music as the video follows a
fantasy/dystopian theme and the genre of the music is indie/pop.

7. Media Language
• The music video uses both diegetic and non diegetic sound, this is because the music video
tells a story and so the use of dialogue helps the audience understand the story better.
• Through the use of mise-en-scene, the audience can differentiate between the two feuding
families as one family wears white as they are known for their purity, they worship a god as
their is a statue, they drink holy water as well as the use of angel wings which reinforces
the idea of purity.
• The other family wears red and gold connotes passion and aggression, this is reinforced
with props such as drugs, guns and the facial expressions and body language as they are
more sexual.
• The use of all these props and costumes also relates to the film where they took inspiration
from.
• The set is also similar to the film as they have used an old run down city to film in.
• A range of different camera angles and movements are used, a lot of the shots are mainly