1. FILM NARRATIVE (PART 1)
Jan 14/13

2. Weekend homework
 Make sure partner presentation draft 2 (and draft
1) is on each of your blogs by 4pm (or it is
incomplete)
 You need assessment records for EACH draft!
 Hand in mise-en-scene (Hustle) h/w

3. PART 1
 L/O:
-to know what narrative is
-to be able to define it
-to be able to identify narrative in a film
-to be able to apply existing knowledge of stories (from
books) and their narrative structure and apply this in
relation to film narrative
-to be able to apply knowledge and definitions of
narrative to an existing film; and explain the narrative
structure by using key terms by creating a PowerPoint
with annotated screen grabs as evidence

4. Key Terms
 Narrative
 Story
 Plot
 Implicit Narrative
 Explicit Narrative
 Structure
 Linear and non-linear narrative
 Genre: codes & conventions
 Actions
 Events

5. Narrative is….
 A) the telling of a story
 B) the story
 C) the plot
 D) all of the above

6. Answer is…..A
 A) the telling of a story
Or
-the way the story is told
-message that tells the particulars of an act or occurrence or course of events
-a chain of events in a cause-effect relationship occurring in time
Ex. Girl is lonely, goes out for coffee, gets lost, needs help, asks a man for
directions, they fancy each other, he asks her out, they go on date, they fall
in love, get married, the end. (girl in love (cause) causes things to happen
(effects)

7. Implicit/explicit
 Implicit =
 Explicit =

8. Story, plot, event
 STORY =
all events referenced both explicitly (clearly/obviously) in a
narrative and understood and summarized
 PLOT =
The events directly incorporated into the action of the text and
the order in which they are presented
 Events =
something that happens in story to character, something that
impacts them, (usually they have very little control)
 Ex. Character getting hit by a car

9. Fairy Tales – common narrative
(starter)
 Think of how you were told stories when you were little
 Put this story in the „correct order‟ in terms of your understanding and familiarity from your childhood and
the media
A) A massive heroic battle occurs between villain and prince
B) Prince wins and prince accepts girl for who she is and they are in love
C) Girl is born to lovely parents
D) And they lived happily ever after
E) Prince and girl get married and she is now princess
F) Girl is living her daily life as a poor girl, but she is happy, giving, beautiful and one with nature
G) She suffers an unfair loss, (maybe by villain) (audience feel sympathy)
H) They separate and because they are star cross‟d lovers she runs off, but he is determined to get her
I) Once upon a time….
J) Girl‟s parents die in a tragedy
K) A prince discovers her and falls in love with her

10. Starter - The correct order
SELF ASSESS IN GREEN (___/11)
1. (I) Once upon a time…
2. (C) Girl is born to lovely parents
3. (J) Girl‟s parents die in a tragedy
4. (F) Girl is living her daily life as a poor girl, but she is happy, giving, beautiful
and one with nature
5. (G) She suffers an unfair loss, (maybe by villain) (audience feel sympathy)
6. (K) A prince discovers her and falls in love with her
7. (H) They separate and because they are star cross‟d lovers she runs off, but he is
determined to get her
8. (A) A massive heroic battle occurs between villain and prince
9. (B) Prince wins and prince accepts girl for who she is and they are in love
10. (E) Prince and girl get married and she is now princess
11. (D) And they lived happily ever after.

11. Intro to narrative
Our experiences of film and fictional TV lead us to form expectations based
on the type of text that we are watching, which in turn enable us to make
sense of what we watch and „read‟ from the text. We form expectations
based on GENRE, CHARACTER, STYLE, and FORMAT, and even the
INSTITUTION that has produced the text.
Our expectations regarding narrative relate to one of the most basic human
activities: storytelling, the casual relationship between one event and
another. Just as we are able to „report‟ on our own lives, we also become
skilled/familiar at a very early age at engaging with the plot of a TV
programme or film. Most fictional narratives also fulfill another basic
psychological need for a resolution to any event, although the journey
toward this resolution and the time taken to reach it differ between
texts, (example a drama film and a comedy sit-com are different).
We watch so much TV/film that we might get bored with the certainty of this
cause/effect structure, but we enjoy anticipating the sequence of events
and the potential resolution, and there are of course, more challenging texts
which both confuse and/or amaze our expectations.

12. Where else is narrative?
 Think of Shakespeare, how is play divided?
 ACT 1
 ACT 2
 ACT 3…
 Can you think of any other narrative styles?

13. Narrative theory (intro)
Narrative theory involves studying the conventions and structures of
stories represented in the media. Films and fictional TV shows are
comprehensible (understandable, logical, clear) and therefore
enjoyable because they tell fictional stories which are organized in
ways that reflect the patterns and structures of our „real‟ lives.
This pattern of events in a film reflects the chronology (order) of real
life, but more importantly, the causality (cause – why things happen).
David Bordwell says “Action triggers reaction: each step has an effect
which in turn becomes a new cause.” It is this motivational
relationship between events that creates narrative. We become
involved with the chain of events and start to anticipate their
progress and possible conclusion.

14. Hollywood/mainstream films
Most mainstream films will tend to have plots which follow the chronological
chain of story events.
Example: Sleeping Beauty (starts with birth, growing up, meeting and process
of falling in love)
However, many examples of films do not follow this format.
Example: Momento (works backwards in time revealing past events to give
clues/answers of his initial actions
This text is a challenge to modern audiences who are still fundamentally
expecting linearity. (linear = like a line, obvious order: beginning to end)
However, it is a useful example of how narrative structures can reflect the
mood, and in this case, confusion of a story. (just like how the main
character feels) If this film was told chronologically, this narrative would
have far less impact and just be another typical crime film.

15. Linear/non-linear
 Linear narrative:
-narrative where time is presented chronologically (in
order)
Non-linear narrative:
-narrative where time is not presented chronogically in
order to communicate desired effects
(Example: film starting with a flashback) and then going
forward in time to when was thinking about that event)

16. Genre
 Whenever we receive a media text, our response to
that text are framed by the genre of the text. We
expect certain things of the text, depending on the
genre. If we are receiving an action film, what do you
expect?
-
-
-
-

17. Codes and conventions
 Associated with any genre are codes (iconography) and
conventions. This means textual codes which give meaning to
an audience and the conventions of the genre, such as the
themes, ideologies or narratives, which are used or subverted
by the text.
 These codes and conventions are important for the audience
(because they know they are likely to be used in a text within
this genre) and also the institution because there is a genre
framework for the text and it is more likely to attract
audiences.

18. Link to Stam‟s theory
 Think of Grant‟s theory: “…allows audiences to identify them
specifically by their familiar and what become recognizable
characteristics”
 The film industry relies on audience‟s understanding and familiarity
of GENRE and their familiar codes and conventions.
Example
 MARKETING: relies on audience familiarity (horror film posters and
trailers (they know we recognise the iconography and connotations
of them)
 Narrative is a one of the familiar codes and conventions. You
already have expectations of how a story is going to be told

19. Action and events
An action is something a character does to
themselves, an object or another character.
An event is something that happens to the character.
(Example being hit by car (unless another character
intentionally hit another character on purpose then it
is action)
A narrative is usually a serious of events and actions
and the audience‟s expectations at any stage are
often related to the pattern of events and actions
taking place.

20. What are common narrative structures
for most films?
 Discuss with partner/group for 2 mins ….

21. Common narrative structure
(Hollywood/mainstream films)
 ACT 1 = (beginning) …….(set up)
introduction to story/characters, everything is „ok‟ (audience feel
ok), end of 1 = start to „crisis‟
 ACT 2 = (middle) ……….(conflict)
height of crisis (audience feel worried) working towards resolving the
crisis
 ACT 3 = (end) ……..(resolution)
happy resolution and everything is „ok‟ (audience feel happy)
 *Think of how relates to Grants theory = must be familiar and recognizable codes and conventions
 *Think of how this relates to Chomsky (to diverge audience from real problems/hard-hitting texts)

22. Common narrative structure - diagram

23. Common narrative structure - diagram
Conventional Film
structure
How audience feel

24. Task
 In pairs, think of a film that applies this
format/structure:
 Explain how it uses this format by describing what
happens in film
 Extension: why has this film been formatted this
way?

25. PROS CONS
Due: Tues Jan 15
(10-15 mins)
PROS OF CONVENTIONAL FILM CONS OF CONVENTIONAL FILM
NARRATIVE MODEL NARRATIVE MODEL
 Identify the pro‟s/con‟s…. (minimum 4 bullet points each)

26. Task:
Assignment 6: Simple film narrative structure
analysis (PART A)
Set: Mon Jan 14
Due: Thur Jan 17
Completed on PowerPoint and put on blog. Consider all key terms at beginning of presentation.
Choose a film that uses common narrative format
Choose a film that does not use common narrative format.
Blue = both levels must do
 Slide 1: Title of assignment name
 Slide 2: Title of film and picture of film cover or poster, then BRIEFLY explain the story of the film (briefly what happens)
 Slide 3: A) Has the institution created a text with a conventional (stereotypical) narrative structure? (yes/no)
B) Explain how the film is narrative implicit or explicit?
 Slide 4/5/6: Explain with annotated screen grabs from the film how it uses the conventional narrative (on 3 different slides =
slide 1 = beginning, slide 2 = middle, slide 3 = end)
 Slide 4/5/6 Explain the films unconventional narrative structure with annotated screen grabs
 Slide 7: If not, which conventions have they subverted (overthrown) or broken?
 Slide 7 (8): Why have the film makers done this?
 Slide 8 (9) : What impact does this have on the audience?
 Slide 9 (10): What audience expectations have they established or challenged by using this structure?