This document discusses several theories related to narrative, genre, representation, audience, and media language that could be applied to analyzing movie trailers. It summarizes each theory and provides an example of how the theory could partly or fully apply to teaser trailers. Some of the main theories discussed include Barthes' narrative theory, Todorov's stages of narrative, Propp's character types, Neale's genre theory, Mulvey's male gaze, and Saussure's semiotics.

1. THEORIES FOR Q1B
Holly Fairbairn

2. NARRATIVE
Concept 1

3. BARTHES
The Enigma Code – a narrative portrays a mystery that draws the
audience in and causes them to ask questions and get involved in the
narrative themselves.

4. Application:
Barthes' narrative theory can be fully applied to teaser trailers as the
trailer only shows part of the film therefore not only showing there
would be mystery in the narrative but also mystery in the trailer as it is
only teasing the audience and therefore making them question what
will happen during the actual film meaning we can apply Barthes'
theory of the Enigma Code can be applied to teaser trailers.

5. TODOROV
This theory states that the narrative goes through five major stages:
 Equilibrium (Normal life)
 Disequilibrium (A disruption)
 Recognition (Realising the disruption has been made)
 Resolution (Solution)
 New Equilibrium (New sense of normality)

6. Application:
Todorov's theory applies partly to teaser trailers as the trailer usually
shows the equilibrium and disequilibrium of the narrative but fails to
show the recognition, resolution or new equilibrium as it is merely a
teaser of the film and should not reveal the ending meaning that
Todorov's narrative theory can only be partly applied to teaser trailers.

7. PROPP
This theory states that there are 31 broad narrative functions but mainly revolves
around the characters of narrative he discovered by looking at fairy tales.
He found different character types which include:
 Hero
 Villain
 Sidekick
 Donor
 Princess
 Dispatcher

8. Application:
Propp's narrative theory applies partly to teaser trailers as the trailer
usually only shows a few characters (these usually being the hero and
sometimes the villain) the fact that only a few of the eight main
character types are shown means that we can only partly apply
Propp's character narrative theory to teaser trailers.

9. STRAUSS
This theory revolves around binary opposites which are sets of
opposite values which create the structure of the narrative.
These can include:
 Good vs Evil
 Love vs Hate
 Control vs Panic

10. Application:
Strauss' narrative theory applies to most if not all teaser trailers as the
teasers show the main themes of the upcoming film. The showing of
these themes may be brief but are still clear. A common binary opposite
used in films and therefore the teaser trailers is good vs evil and
sometimes love vs hate. Due to the themes being displayed in the trailer
we can apply Strauss' theory of binary opposites to teaser trailers.

11. GENRE
Concept 2

12. NEALE
The theory states that an audience cannot find pleasure in a film
without both repetition and difference. The use of repetition causes
recognition in the audience of the genre by using conventions.
However, the different elements will create a new approach to the
genre which will be refreshing to the audience. He states that “there is
no pleasure without difference”

13. Application:
Neale’s theory applies to my product as I challenged and followed
some conventions.
Followed: Challenged:
Backing music Camera Work
Themes Lighting

14. METZ
This theory states that genre develops in four stages:
 Experimental – where the genre is established and experiments with
different sceneries and scenarios.
 Classical – Developing the initial codes and conventions of the genre.
 Parody – Introducing comedic elements to mock the codes and
conventions.
 Deconstruction – selecting certain elements from different genres to
create a hybrid.

15. Application:
This theory partly applies to my product as it is in the experimental
stage as we were both following and challenging conventions of the
genre.

16. ALTMAN
This theory is known as the Semantic/Syntactic approach:
 Semantic – The conventions that communicate the genre to the
audience in ways of characters, props, setting e.c.t
 Syntactic – The relations between these conventions and the genre.

17. Application:

18. REPRESENTATION
Concept 3

19. MULVEY
Females are only on screen for the visual pleasure of the male
characters.
Men = Look (active)
Women = Looked at (passive)

20. Application:
This theory only semi-applies to my production as I did indeed have
female characters but they played quite a key part in the narrative
meaning that I challenged this theory more than followed it.

21. BAUDRILLARD
The media represents people or things how they want them to be
seen and the representation becomes more real than the reality.

22. Application:
This theory doesn’t apply to my production as we tried to keep all of
the situations as realistic as possible due to the genre meaning that we
didn’t create a hyper-reality.

23. DYER
The use of stereotypes indirectly promotes inequality so the audience
begins to treat people because of the way we see them which comes
from representation.

24. Application:
This theory applies to my production as I kept with the stereotype of
teenagers and irresponsibility as the trailer shows the consequences of
drunk driving and the fact that the other characters take drugs as well.

25. AUDIENCE
Concept 4

26. HYPODERMIC NEEDLE
The audience accepts "injects" a message that is presented to them by the media. It
often leads to violent behaviour being repeated by an impressionable audience.
This suggests that the audience is passive
An example of this is the Jamie Bulger case where a 2 year old was kidnapped and
murdered by two 10 year old boys who had recently watched Childs Play 3. It was
believed this influenced them and their behaviour.
The Hypodermic Needle Theory is believed to lead to Desensitization where the
constant exposure of violent behaviour creates a "drip drip" effect on young
children as it soon becomes apparent normal behaviour and accepted

27. Application:
Main issues posed in my production would be the viewing of:
 Drug Abuse
 Drink and Driving
These could pose as issues as the behaviour shown can be repeated by
influential audience members. To minimise this issue we will show these
behaviours to have negative consequences in an attempt to deter any want
to repeat the actions shown.

28. USES AND GRATIFICATION
The audience determines what to do with the media rather than being influenced by
it. This suggests that the audience is active.
There are 4 different types of gratification, these are:
 Personal Identity - The audience look for models of their own behaviour.
 Surveillance - The audience uses media to gather information.
 Entertainment - The audience uses media as a means of enjoyment and
relaxation.
 Personal Relationship - The audience uses media as a means of social
interaction and integration.

29. Application:
The main types of gratification that will apply to my production are:
 Personal Identity - Due to the age of our characters being in the age range of our
target audience, they will most probably be relatable to our audience in one way or
another.
 Personal Relationships - Due to our target audience being a very social age range, it is
likely that they would talk about our product with their friends if they enjoyed it.
 Entertainment - As our product is a film trailer it (plus if there really was a film)
would be viewed for entertainment purposes rather than surveillance.

30. AUDIENCE RECEPTION
The audience receives the message from the media before decoding it
themselves. They can then read the meaning in three ways:
 Dominant Reading - The audience completely understands and
accepts the encoded meaning from the media.
 Negotiated Reading - The audience understands the meaning but
accepts only part of it and rejects part of it also.
 Oppositional Reading - The audience understand the meaning but
rejects it for cultural or ideological reasons.

31. Application:
My audience mostly had a dominant reading of the messages showed
although there was a negotiated reading in terms of the fate of
Hayley.

32. MEDIA LANGUAGE
Concept 5

33. SAUSSURE
This theory suggests that there can be two levels of meaning in an
object within a media text.
 Signifier - what is there in front of us, what we see, the form the
sign takes.
 Signified—which is an idea we associate with the signifier, the
concept it represents.

34. Application:

35. PEIRCE

36. BARTHES
The theory states that the audience look for signs to help them
interpret the narrative which are based on expectations the audience
has due to their prior knowledge of old tales or myths.

37. Signifier
(The object)
Signified
(The meaning)
Semiology
(The relationship between the signifier and signified)
Sign
(the total of the signifier and signified e.g. how we
interpret the combination of the signifier and the
signified)

38. Application: