This document discusses different types of narrative structures in documentaries and films. It describes Vladimir Propp's theory that stories follow archetypes of eight character roles. Todorov viewed narratives as having an initial equilibrium, a disruption, and a restored equilibrium. Narratives can be linear with chronological order, or non-linear using techniques like flashbacks. Endings can be open-ended leaving questions unanswered, closed with no loose ends, or circular ending where it began. Narratives can also have a single or multi-strand structure following one or multiple storylines.

1. NARRATIVE STRUCTURE
Narrative in its simplest form relates to how a story is told, or in this case a documentary. It specifically regards to
the genre, the characters, the form and the time. All of these elements within a show/film make up the narrative

2. VLADIMIR PROPP
 Vladimir propp was a narrative theorist, whose work revolved around the idea of characters driving the story
and its narrative forward.
 Propp proposed that each film had an archetype of eight roles, in which one character from a film could be
applied to each role, and they would abide by a set of conventions/rules for that role.
 The roles which Propp talked about are as follows:
 Hero
 villain
 Princess and her father
 dispatcher
 false hero
 the donor
 the helper

3. TODOROV
 Todorov was a theorist, concerned with the structure of the story itself, the
simplest and most familiar that we know, being the beginning, the middle and the
end.
 Todorov, described the narrative at the start of a show/film as having
equilibrium, so that everything is easy and settled. as the show/film continues there
is a certain disruption of the equilibrium or conflict, which the characters will have
to resolve and/or overcome. This resolution from some of the characters would
then be what Todorov calls the restoration of equilibrium, in which the problem has
been resolved and everything is back to ‘Normal’.

4. LINEAR
 the show/film follows one timeline and everything is shown in
chronological order
 Example of linear narrative:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wkbI4EcOs9U (death row- the
final 24 hours)

5. NON-LINEAR
 the show/film is not all in chronological order, this can be due to
archive footage, flashbacks and flashforwards.
 Example of non-linear narrative:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=96WlRGJ_Wxs (How I met
your mother)

6. OPEN ENDING
 Main questions that a person has as a viewer regarding the
show/film has not been answered, leaving it open to either a new
show/episode or film, or leaving the answers to the viewers
interpretation and opinion.
 Example of open ending:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fMZkwUgUAHI (coronation
street- tram crash)

7. CLOSED ENDING
 the show/film has answered all main questions that the viewer may
have, leaving no loose ends.
 Example of closed ending:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w6d72WBQRU0 (CSI-MIAMI).

8. CIRCULAR ENDING
 the show/film ends at the same point in which it ended whether
that be an incident or a question.

9. SINGLE STRAND
 the film/show on has one story happening which the viewer is
emerged in, probably due to there only being one character.

10. MULTI-STRAND
 There are multiple stories going on within the show/film, due to
multiple main characters.
• Example of multi-strand:
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DNNRjLfZKsw (EastEnders
episode)