The document outlines Tsvetan Todorov's theory of 5 stages in a narrative structure: Equilibrium, Disruption of equilibrium, Realization of disruption, Attempt to repair damage, and Restoration of equilibrium. It then provides examples from 3 film plots and trailers that follow this structure, summarizing the key events that fall under each stage.

1. Film Narrative Structure

2. Tsvetan Todorov
Tsvetan Todorov theory is that there are 5 distinct stages to
a story:
• Equilibrium
• Disruption of equilibrium by a person/event
• Realisation of the disruption
• Attempt to repair damage
• Restoration of Equilibrium

3. My Plot
Equilibrium Mel is living a normal life alone as a
student. She doesn’t have many friends and
is estranged from her family.
Disruption On her way home she witnesses a murder
of someone in an alleyway. Unknown to
her, she is the only one who as seen the
killers real identity. Killer spots her and
starts going after her.
Realisation Managing to escape to her home, she calls
the police but they do not believe her
leaving her no choice but to go on the run.
Repair Killer eventually gets hold of the Mel but
Mel manages to wound him and ends up
burning the house down with him in it.
Restoration Mel returns to a life of being a student but
decides to live under a different name for
safety reasons.

4. Gone
The Film Plot
Equilibrium Her life is shown as normal at the
beginning
Disruption When Jill returns home and realises that
her sister is missing.
Realisation Jill goes to the police but because of her
history they don’t believe her. She decides
to investigate on her own.
Repair Molly (the sister) manages to escape and
realises she has been under the house the
whole time. She tells the detectives who
now believe Jill about her past. In the mean
time, Jill is meeting her kidnapper.
Restoration Jill shoots the kidnapper and leaves him die
in the very whole she escaped from.
Sometime later, the officer is seen
reopening the case on other missing
women.

5. Gone
The Trailer
Equilibrium Her sister is shown inviting her sister to an
evening out.
Disruption Main character is seen realising that her
sister is missing.
Realisation Jill is seen talking to the detectives and
then not believing her. She is then seen
finding information on her own.
Repair Main character is seen talking to the killer
on the phone and saying she knows who he
is.
Restoration Not shown

6. The Call
The Film Plot
Equilibrium Jordan is shown at her place of work as a
911 operator. Relationship with a police
man is also shown.
Disruption She receive a phone call of a girl getting her
house broken into. The girl gets caught by
the killer and dies. Just as she gets her life
back together, another phone call is then
received by a girl getting kidnapped.
Realisation Jordan gets over the shock and fear and
manages to guide both the girl and the
police on what to do next.
Repair Deciding to take things on her own accord,
Jordan goes looking for the girl and the
killer on her own.
Restoration Jordan and the girl chain the guy to a chair
in his secret hideaway and leave him there
to die.

7. The Call
The Trailer
Equilibrium Jordan in her everyday setting is shown at
the beginning of the trailer
Disruption Both traumatic phone calls are shown in
the trailer. Her Trauma after the first
phone call is shown.
Realisation The main character is seen when she
realises that she is dealing with another
major incident. It is also shown when she
realizes it’s the same man who killed the
earlier girl.
Repair Main character is seen guiding the girl in
what to do next. It islo hinted at the end
that she goes looking for her on her own.
Restoration Not shown