This document discusses various narrative structures and theories for storytelling in film and television. It describes Aristotle's 5 elements of narrative, Todorov's concept of equilibrium and disruption, Propp's analysis of common plot points in folktales, and Levi-Strauss's idea of binary oppositions representing cultural debates. Additionally, it examines the classical Hollywood narrative model and how it combines these structures with continuity editing, common ideology and representations to appeal to audiences' expectations of genres and a linear, closed narrative with a happy ending.

1. Film and Broadcast Fiction
Narrative Structures

2. “A story should have a beginning, a
middle, and an end…but not necessarily
in that order.”
~Jean-Luc Godard

3. What is Narrative?
 When writing about stories it is important to
recognise the structure, (how the narrative is
driven).
 Aristotle: 5 elements of a narrative:
 Presentation
 Development
 Complication
 Crisis
 Resolution

4. Todorov: Equilibrium
 Equilibrium: the balance of
harmony
 This is a model that reflects
social order.
 It fits with many Hollywood
productions.
 Why?
 Happy endings! Leaving the
audience with warm fuzzy
feelings of contentment and
pleasure, at having all the loose
ends tied up.
 Enforces the dominant ideology?
The American dream?
New Equilibrium
Equilibrium
Disruption

5. Propp
 1928, Propp studied Russian Folk/Fairy tales
and Mythology and found plot structures
which exist in many different narratives.
 Propps narrative theory has influenced many
main stream directors and writers…
 Have a look at the hand out, are there any
narratives that you recognise….

7. Propp
 Are there any films that follow this narrative
model?
 Not all the events that Propp identified will
happen, but those that do occur will happen
in sequence. They are ‘the fundamental
components of the tale’.
 Are these narrative models universal
components of a POPULAR narrative?
 CLASSICAL HOLLYWOOD NARRATIVE.

8. Enigma Code
 Conflict
 Surprise
 Expectation
 Satisfaction
 ENIGMA
 The Enigma code is
motivated by the
audience’s desire for
narrative closure. Controls
the pace and style of the
narrative by delaying the
resolution.
 Enigma causes the
Audience to constantly ask
questions of the narrative:
 ‘How will the villain be
defeated?’
 ‘Where will the lovers go?’
 ‘I wonder how she got her
hair to do that?’
 ‘Will Frodo get the ring to
Mordor before all the lands
of middle earth are cast
into darkness!”!!?’
 ‘Will there be a happy
ending? BUT HOW!!?’

9. Levi-Strauss: Binary oppositions
 He says that humans have always needed
and created myths to help understand their
world and reduce anxieties that life can
cause.
 Why would we do this?
 There are unresolvable contradictions in our
culture which we have to come to terms with.
 MYTHS help us to address these in an
imaginative way.

10. Binary Oppositions
 Myths use abstract opposing forces as metaphors
for larger debates/issues.
 In a Western for example:
Outdoors Vs Indoors
(homesteads, kitchens Vs deserts)
Law and Order Vs Lawlessness
(Sheriff Vs outlaws, Indians)
 i.e.: in a scene in a Western where a group of
Indians attack a homestead this is a metaphor for
the ABTRACT idea for nature threatening
civilisation

11. Binary Oppositions
 Binary oppositions can be seen in symbolic things
in a film like lighting, props, NVC, dress, camera
angles or framing (CU Vs LS).
Good Vs Evil
Hero Vs Villain
American Vs Non-American
Middle Class Vs Lower Class
Attractive Vs Unattractive
Light Vs Dark
Internal dilemma Vs External Problem
 The list is endless…

12. Classical Hollywood Narrative
 Is Classical Hollywood Narrative boring?
 How do audiences react to a narrative when
they are expecting a happy ending?
 How do directors react when audiences are
expecting a happy ending?

13. Classical Hollywood Narrative
 Combines these Narrative devices with:
 Continuity editing,
 Common Ideology (Hegemony). American Cultural
Imperialism. Criminals punished, good prevails! Comforting
to the Audience The American Dream. Capitalism.
 Representation of Men and Women
 The Audiences particular understanding of the Genre.
 CHN is a marketing tool? How?
 Genre as a marketing tool? How?
 Star signification
 Linear Narrative
 Closed Narrative