A2 Media - Narrative Theories

1. Genre & Narrative Structure
Research
Danielle Pankhania

2. Narrative
In order for a narrative to make sense we must first decide on what the ‘logical change’ is within it. Tzvetan
Todorov showed that narrative is, in fact, a ‘causal’ transformation. This is the cause of an initial situation.
1 ) Beginning > Middle > End
or
Situation > Problem > Resolution
However the 2nd situation, similar to the first, removes the lacking element.
E.g Lord Of The Flies : Boys evacuated by aircraft
Aircraft crashes leaving boys stranded
Boys Rescued.
In addition to this point, Todorov suggested a more complicated description of narrative structure because the
elements of a narrative are defined in relationship to one another meaning the significance of the events at the
beginning of the plot are worth nothing until we know how they are going to be disrupted:
State Of Equilibrium
Disruption to Equilibrium
Recognition of disruption
Attempt to repair disruption
Equilibrium reinstated

3. The Blair Witch Project
Narrative Structure : One of the films I have analysed audiences and trailers for is The Blair Witch Project. Upon
further analysis and research I have discovered how The Blair Witch Project breaks the conventions of
Todorov’s theory and how this can be applied when thinking about our own trailer/poster/magazine cover. The
Blair Witch Project is a classic example of how the internet was used in order to market the film successfully
and a lot of the films success was to do with how it was marketed. Moviegoers were convinced that the events
were true happenings which built the suspense and added to the unconventional narrative structure.
The narrative starts in the town where the story begins, the equilibrium is not as apparent because the
townsfolk are already scared of the ‘monster’ and the stories the they are telling the three moviemakers are
true as far as they are concerned so the state of equilibrium is already disrupted.. As they venture off into the
woods, they set up camp passing man made piles of rocks on the way. The map goes missing to begin with,
which arguably is the disruption to the ‘equilibrium’ at this point. The next night Josh claims to hear strange
noises which is the recognition of disruption. The discovery and confirmation faze merge when three piles of
rocks emerge outside the tent. Paired with wooden crosses and stick figures the trio find in the woods they are
aware that they have crossed into antagonistic force and confrontation is upon them. Confrontation begins
when an attacker shakes their tent in the night. They flee the tent. Over the next days Josh is taken by the
antagonist and the group are tortured by his screams in the distance. They are then lured into the ‘house’ and
killed as legend suggests. This ending is an odd example as it reinforces an idea that protagonists are
defenceless and the confrontation element of horror narrative is made much more apparent so that good can
prevail over evil and not the other way around.

4. Binary Opposites
Claude Levi-Strauss’ theory on narrative suggests he was interested in Binary Opposites such as day and night,
good vs. evil or light and dark. His theory suggests that our understanding of words is based solely on the fact
that their is an opposite to that word. To recognise evil there must be good. This is apparent in many films of
my chosen genre. Avengers, Pirates of the Carribean, Chronicle, Cloverfield etc are all examples of films which
obvious binary opposites.
Oppositions include good and evil as a main aspect, light (heroes) and dark (villains), Foreign and American
(apart from Chronicle where the protagonist becomes the antagonist and he is a white American). The use of
Binary Oppositions are clearly a convention used within these films to make characters more recognisable and
for the audience to easily pick sides. This is a theory in which I will thoroughly consider using in my film trailer
because it is an important aspect in order for the audience to recognise the characters.

5. Cloverfield
The Binary opposites in the Cloverfield trailer are apparent almost immediately. The good
characters are set in downtown NYC having a party for what we can assume the protagonists
birthday. Yet as we can assume they are the good characters in this film, there are many things
which propose to the audience that they are the characters side they should take. For example
the soft glowing light which emanates off their faces and gives a nice social buzz to the
opening scene. (Below Left)
However shortly after this the trailer cuts to a scene of an explosion in the distance. It is night time
outside and the lighting reflects it showing a dark an ominous twist for the narrative. The lighting of
prominent dark and lights not only show one binary opposite but two as this is clearly a ‘good vs evil’
narrative. (Above Right)

6. Propp’s Theory
Vladimir Propp, a Russian critic, suggested that all characters in films/fairy tales etc are essential to
text because they provide structure. There are all in all eight main characters which make appearances
throughout any story or film which contributes to the narrative in order for the story to make sense.
These are : Hero
False Hero
Villain
Princess
Donor
Dispatcher
Helper
Princess’ Father.
Whilst these values are not completely followed anymore throughout all films, within the Action
Adventure genre, Propp’s theory allows us to see the conventions of a movie labelled by this genre
through use of stock characters. Without these characters the narrative would make little to no sense
and the values attached with the ‘good vs. evil’ binary opposite theory would be lost because
the idea of these films is a form of escapism and in order to be such a film evil must get their/his/her
comeuppance.

7. Bibliography
1) Lacey, Nick. Narrative And Genre; Key Concepts in Media Studies (Macmillan Press Ltd, 2000)
2) Benyahia, Sarah Casey; Gaffney, Freddie; White, John. A2 Film Studies; The Essential Introduction (Second
Edition, Routledge, 2009)
3) Klemm, Alexander J. Breaking With Convention : Narrative Structure and Mechanisms of Suspense in The
Blair Witch Project (http://www.utcc.ac.th/public_content/files/001/P48_1.pdf Accessed : 10/10/2012)
4) Thrasher, Julie. Vladimir Propp’s Theory (http://www.scribd.com/doc/8332774/Propps-theory-in-detail
Published : 24/11/2008 Accessed : 10/10/2012)