The document provides an in-depth analysis of the sci-fi films Donnie Darko and Jurassic World, examining their narrative structures and stylistic codes and conventions according to various film theories. It analyzes iconic scenes from both films, noting how they establish atmospheres, characters, and advance the plots. While the films have different tones and styles, both utilize common sci-fi elements and follow narrative patterns described in theories like disruption of equilibrium and restoration of order.

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Analysis of Narrative and Stylistic Codes and Conventions of Different Films
Sci-Fi Section One – Genre:
Sci-Fi films are without question one of the most recognizable yet distinct genres in the film
industry, providing a perfect opportunity to analyse the stylistic codes and conventions that
make the genre what it is. By looking at two very different yet very alike films - Donnie
Darko (2001) and Jurassic World (2015), it can be seen how the generic conventions and
characteristics of the Sci-Fi genre are present, helping the audience recognize and interact
with what they see on screen in a multitude of ways.
A theory by Steve Neale suggests that genre cinema is constructed using a very particular
amount of repetition and difference. While audiences think they desire fresh and new
content from films, in the back of their minds they still require that hint of what they
already know and love. Recognisable characters are a method of reassuring the audience
and play a large role in the audience’s response to the film in general.
An Iconic scene from Donnie Darko takes place at the beginning of the film when the main
character Donnie is awoken by a mysterious voice which proceeds to lead him outside. The
atmosphere and overall construction of this scene makes the film feel like a genre-hybrid of
Sci-Fi and Horror. In particular, the camera and editing techniques, which includes excessive
darkness, slow panning and fading effects, as well as the gloomy and empty music that
plays, which all builds suspense. In fact, Donnie Darko is a particularly difficult film to classify
due to its obscurity and mind-bending nature; elements of different genres can be picked
out from the film such as Psychological Thriller, Mystery, Drama and fantasy to name a few.
The scene then progresses to introduce Frank, who upon inspection is more of an anti-hero
than a main antagonist. As can be seen in Ref. 1, the character appears first in a long shot,
shrouded in darkness – this also acts as a metaphor that he himself is a mysterious
character (what is hidden in darkness cannot be seen, neither can the true identity and
purpose of this character) whose identity will go on to be revealed over the course of the
film.
Ref. 1 – Frank eerily observers Donnie while taunting himto come closer.

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The costume that Frank wears also has connotations of horror as it is akin to most horror
films featuring serial killers disguised behind a disturbing mask, this piece of analysis comes
under the category of prop symbolism, with the strange and frightening costume of Frank
serving to scare the audience, as well as intrigue them due to its bizarre and unique design.
The sound that accompanies Frank’s appearance is non-diegetic and adds to the suspense
of what the presumed antagonist is going to do next – hooking the audience. Despite having
a horror-esque appearance, Frank’s strange static actions and modified voice suggest
something other than a horror film antagonist and more Sci-Fi. The scene that is being
referred to in this paragraph can be seen above entitled “Ref. 1”.
Donnie Darko is one of the few films that does not exactly fit “The Character Theory”,
mostly due to the antagonist not being entirely clear and the protagonist having elements of
an anti-hero, however still remains likable to an extent and is relatable to some audiences.
Colin Trevorrow’s Jurassic World follows a more generic take on the Sci-Fi genre compared
to the unique style of Donnie Darko, although they are different in many ways a large
amount of similarity can be drawn between them. Jurassic World is the fourth installation in
the Jurassic Park franchise, it successfully continues the already established timeline whilst
simultaneously acting as a reboot for a new generation. Because of this, the film’s formula is
practically the same as the first installation of Jurassic Park in 1993. This ties in once again to
Steve Neale’s theory that audiences desire repetition, which certainly applies to all of the
films in the Jurassic Park series – with the same plot being tweaked and essentially
reskinned with different actors, sets, props, improved special effects etc.
Whereas the supposed antagonist of Donnie Darko is shrouded in darkness and mystery, the
dinosaurs of Jurassic World are not - with some scenes showing them in broad daylight. This
is due to them being the main focus of the film – people were originally inspired by Jurassic
Park due to its spectacular special effects which were ahead of its time. Now that time has
moved on even further, audiences are eager to see what realism can be brought to the
screen via special effects now – primarily through use of CGI. This appears to be a
continuing trend, with each major film being superior in quality to its predecessor as
technology develops.
As well as being primarily a Sci-Fi film, Jurassic World is also a Thriller – involving many
scenes of anticipation and the action that follows. This results in many characters’ deaths
which are shown to be very brutal via CGI, similarities can be drawn from this to a scene in
Donnie Darko in which the aforementioned character Frank removes his mask to reveal that
he was shot through the eye. However, practical effects were used for this sequence unlike
Jurassic World – this clearly shows the development in technology from 2001 to 2015, as
film creators are confident enough in CGI that they do not require the same quantity of
practical effects.
One scene from Jurassic World features the main antagonist – Vic Hoskins, attempting to
negotiate with a Velociraptor before meeting his fitting end as his throat is torn out by the
prehistoric predator (see Ref. 2). When this takes place however, the camera pans away and
shows only the back end of the Velociraptoralong with some convincing almost horror-

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esque diegetic sound, before the camera cuts swiftly to blood splashing onto the nearby
glass. Showing this scene in front of the camera would likely not have kept the film at its 12
rating and a large quantity of potential audiences would be lost. The camera technique used
also allows for the audiences’ imagination to fill in the gaps.
Ref. 2 – Hoskins meets his demise at the mercy of Delta the Velociraptor.
In the first three films of the Jurassic Park franchise, animatronics were specially
constructed and used prominently in order to authentically portray the dinosaurs; however,
in Jurassic World only one relatively short scene uses this technique. This did not sit well
with the fans of the franchise however, as they preferred the animatronic method and
claimed that using CGI as a replacement was a step backwards. This even further supports
Steve Neale’s theory of repetition in films, something previously established was changed
and fans were not happy. It would appear that the audiences’ response has since been
taken on board, with the next instalment of the franchise entitled Jurassic World: Fallen
Kingdom set to release in 2018 being confirmed to heavily feature animatronics as practical
effects.
The main character of Jurassic World is Owen Grady; in this scene (see Ref. 3), he is shown
to run into the raptor paddock, putting himself in imminent danger in order to save a
worker who has fallen into the enclosure. This scene in particular fits the Thriller genre as
well as having the obvious elements of Science Fiction which are ever-present throughout
this scene and movie as a whole. It works well in gripping the audience due to being
incredibly fast paced, having 23 cuts in just the first 30 seconds, this is to show how quickly
things escalate from the worker falling in and everyone’s reactions – including that of Owen,
the worker, security and of course the raptors themselves.

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Ref. 3 – Owen barely manages to keep the raptors at bay.
A notable prop in this scene is the gate that appears behind Owen as he confronts the
raptors, this could be interpreted as mise en scène due to its later prominence as Owen
slowly backs off and narrowly escapes the raptors by sliding under it as it closes. This
portion of the scenein particular creates a large build-up of tension for the audience, a
notable filming techniquethat aids this responsebeing that the camera is situated insideof
theraptor enclosure with Owen, not leaving until the second he does – which is an evidently
effective way of throwing the audience into the predicament and making them feel as
though they are in that particular scene.
Focusing techniques are also used that single out Owen from the background – emphasising
his vulnerability to the raptors and how open the ground is. In the background two other
characters can be seen – Barry, as well as the worker who remains latched onto the floor in
fear, although relatively safe compared to where Owen is stood, the gate is still open
making these characters also vulnerable. All of these elements add up to create a large
amount of possibilities for outcomes, remaining in the back of the audiences’ minds whilst
they focus on Owen.
Donnie Darko is left with an inescapably closed ending, as the main character dies
preventing everything that has happened in the film previously from happening the way it
did and almost comes full circle, with the same scene happening at the end that happens at
the beginning – however with an altered outcome. This is all due to the prominent theme of
time travel and many other Sci-Fi elements throughout the film, making it an incredibly
unique film and in the eyes of some, “a masterpiece that can never truly be defined”. The
ending of Jurassic World leaves all of its main characters alive, while resolving the main
threat of the movie. However, there are still many more possibilities left open, some of
which will be explored in the upcoming fifth instalment of the Jurassic Park franchise –
Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom.

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Sci-Fi Section Two – Narrative Theory:
Alongside stylistic codes and conventions, it is also possible to view both Jurassic World and
Donnie Darko in terms of their narrative code, convention and structure. Theorist Tsetzvan
Todorov suggests that narratives will have a beginning, a middle and an end through five
stages of development: Equilibrium, disruption of equilibrium due to a particular event, this
is then followed by recognition that the disruption has taken place, an attempt to amend
the disruption followed by usual success - therefore returning to equilibrium.
There is a credible argument that most films of the Sci-Fi genre follow a similar pattern to
that of the theory, there is evidence to suggest that both Jurassic World and Donnie Darko
adapt to this in certain scenes of the film. Both have disruption to the equilibrium due to a
disaster that takes place relatively early on in the film, in the case of Donnie Darko this is the
jet engine crashing into Donnie’s house, whereas in Jurassic World it is the escape of the
Indominus Rex from its paddock, both of which cause their fair share of chaos.
The aforementioned Todorov Theory can certainly be applied to Jurassic World, the film
begins with the park functioning normally (along with hints of abnormality along the way),
this is referred to as the equilibrium. This then progresses to the Indominus Rex escaping,
which acts as a disruption to that previously established equilibrium. The film then ends
with a resolution and the previously mentioned equilibrium is restored to at least vague
normality.
This theory can even be applied to Donnie Darko in a sense, as although there is only
equilibrium for a short amount of time at the start of the film, it is still present. This is then
followed by the disruption of the equilibrium in the form of the jet engine crashing into
Donnie’s bedroom (see Ref. 4). Following this event, through the intrusion of Frank – Donnie
slowly discovers throughout the course of the film that something is not right and he
himself has to correct it. Donnie successfully restores equilibrium (to an extent) at the end
of the film, travelling back in time and reverting the course of history to how it should
always have been.
Ref. 4 – The jet engine is retrieved from Donnie’s house following the tragedy.

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Exploring the narrative theory in more depth and focusing on the character aspect of
Jurassic World and the previously analysed scene in particular, Vladimir Propp’s Character
Theory fits relatively well – with Owen acting as the main ‘hero’ whilst he is watched from a
distance by the previously mentioned Vic Hoskins; who has malicious intent involving
inappropriate and dangerous use of the Velociraptors, which are the main focus of the
scene. The way that Owen confronts the raptors with apparent confidence and seemingly
being in control of the situation can be related to the character of Donnie in the
aforementioned 2001 film Donnie Darko. In a particular scene where he willingly confronts
Frank (a six-foot-tall black rabbit) in his house, it is shown that he is not afraid (or at least
seemingly not) of what could potentially be a horrific outcome. However, like Owen,
approaches the situation with a mixture of curiosity and fear – yet his glazed and almost
malicious expression would suggest otherwise to the opponent.
Many codes and conventions of the Sci-Fi genre are present throughout both of these
examples, such as romantic sub-plots which are present in both films. The pair also fit under
the category of the common 12/15 age rating rule, with Jurassic World being a 12 and
Donnie Darko a higher 15. Hybridisation is another common element within the codes and
conventions of Sci-Fi, it is ever-prominent throughout both films once again with aspects of
genres such as action and thriller in each. These elements are obviously popular amongst
the audience, which would appear to be why they have been retained within the genre and
are now almost always used as codes and conventions when creating a Science Fiction film.
Ref. 5 – The Tyrannosaurs Rex makes an entrance before battling its opponent.
In Jurassic World, a dramatic battle occurs towards the film’s end (see Ref. 5), in which the
main threat of the film (the Indominus Rex) faces off against the original Tyrannosaurus Rex
from the first Jurassic Park movie back in 1993. The battle goes through many stages before
the Indominus Rex is finally killed due to the coincidental and unexpected assistance of the
native Mosasaurus. The purpose of this scene is to not only provoke nostalgia but to

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alsoremove the main threat of the film, reassuring the audience that this is so in the
process. The scenes following this wrap up the characters’ arcs and show the progression of
some characters from the start through to the end of the movie, this ties up any loose ends
and presents everything clearly in front of the audience. This all reinforces the fact that
Jurassic World has a closed ending, as it deals with all major plotlines within the single
movie.
Another structural theorist that can be applied to help explore the narratives of the two
films is Vladimir Propp. In his work Morphology of the Folk Tale, Propp suggested that all
stories consist of a limited selection of characters, also occurring within limited spheres of
action. He suggested that the character types are:
1. The villain: Locked in a constant struggle with the hero, often trying to harm
princess.
2. The donor: Gives the hero an object or a piece of information that helps them
prepare for what is to come.
3. The helper: Assists the hero with their quest, often referred to as their 'sidekick'.
4. The princess: Needs assistance from the hero, usually because they are in some
form of danger, typically the princess is the victim within the narrative.
5. The dispatcher: Is the character who sends that hero on their mission or quest.
6. Hero: Reacts to the donor and saves the princess, often resulting in them falling in
love with the princess.
7. False hero: May appear good but has an ulterior motive, or attempts to take credit
for the hero's actions.
In Jurassic World, Hoskins acts as the central villain – he has many disagreements with the
main hero Owen and plans to use the dinosaurs for something that could potentially be
disastrous and harm many people. The donor is not present within the film, as well as the
princess and dispatcher which are all absent from the narrative also. The hero is the
aforementioned character Owen, he clashes with the villain and tries throughout the film to
correct what is wrong. The hero is also seen to develop a relationship throughout the film
with the character of Claire, however rather than being the “princess in distress”, she is a
more serious character that becomes much more likable throughout the film due to the
positive influence of Owen. As for the false hero. Hoskins could be interpreted as this also
due to his delusional intent only becoming apparent as the film progresses later on. Dr
Henry Wu is also a character that could be given this role, due to being an already
established character from the first Jurassic Park movie, who’s concern in this film appears
to shift more to his work, (being the out of control cloning of dinosaurs through the usage of
embryos) rather than the safety of the attractions’ visitors and general ethical correctness.
In Donnie Darko, there isn’t a clear villain character as such, however the jet engine and the
course of history itself could be seen as villainous elements – the whole plotline is basically a
twisted tragedy. The donor would be the character of Grandma Death, who cryptically gives
Donnie mysterious clues throughout the film, on top of the information given by Frank.
Donnie does not have a helper as such, however his girlfriend Gretchen acts as assistance to
him as well as previously being the princess who Donnie “saved” from aggressive individuals
at his school. The dispatcher would actually be Frank, although portrayed in a villainous way

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along with his misleading costume and voice, Frank has actually set out to assist Donnie in
saving the universe – even if that does mean Donnie meeting his demise in the process.
Frank provides Donnie with previously unknown information at the beginning of the film
which sets him on his journey, this is essentially sending the hero of the film on a mission –
even if the result of that ending is rather bleak. The character of Jim Cunningacts as a false
hero after being first presented as a beloved school lecturer, he is then debunked by the
actions of Donnie to actually sexually abuse children. The reverse of this character type
could also be applied to Frank, due to his unpleasant appearance contrasting from his true
intentions – this is a device to shock the audience by creating unexpected narrative.
Fantasy Section One – Genre:
The fantasy genre of filmsbears many similarities to Sci-Fi, although tend to be more
individual, unique and even “strange” to an extent. I will be analysing the films Harry Potter
and the Philosopher’s Stone (2001) and Doctor Strange (2016) in order to observe how the
stylistic codes and conventions of the fantasy genre are present within them. The presence
of these elements helps the audience respond to the film in a positive way due their hidden
desire of repetition.
A scene of iconography from Harry Potter occurs when Harry first receives his wand from
Ollivander. Just before entering the store, it is first introduced to both Harry and the
audience by Hagrid, the camera then proceeds to pan across the store’s name to reveal the
title – this acts as an establishing shot. Initially, there is no music in the scene at all – adding
to the suspense of who are what resides within the store, it is not until later on that some
magical themed non-diegetic sound accompanies the speech of Ollivander. The initial
entrance of Ollivander himself (this can be seen in Ref. 6) is edited smoothly and swiftly in
order to surprise both Harry and the audience once again, as he slides from around the
corner on his set of ladders. There appears to also be a gloomy and mysterious tint visible in
this scene in particular, this perhaps represents the mystery which will later go on to be
uncovered in the film.
Ref. 6 – Mr Ollivander carefully selects Harry’s wand.

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Mr Ollivander’s costume reflects the bizarre and imaginative nature of the fantasy genre, he
is well dressed however his clothes appear ill-fitting and his hair appears very “mad
professor-esque”. The majority of prop symbolism can be seen upon viewing the
surroundings within Ollivander’s store, as the shelves are stacked with wands which are a
staple item within the Harry Potter series and a common inclusion throughout fantasy films
as a whole.
Like the previously analysed Sci-Fi film Jurassic World, Harry Potter also contains elements
of a thriller on top of its main genre - which is fantasy. This “genre-hybrid” is also made up
of drama and mystery too, the latter of which can be seen prominently not only throughout
the film but is emphasised in the previously mentioned scene in particular.
2016’s Doctor Strangecan be related to Harry Potter primarily through the concept of magic
which is as previously stated a common theme throughout fantasy films. However, this film
is part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe – therefore it is akin to more action and thriller-
esque scenes, rather than the relatively tame first Harry Potter film.
In a scene towards the end of the film, Doctor Strange entraps himself and the film’s main
antagonist within a time loop, this can be seen in Ref. 7. This scene uses non-diegetic sound
to create suspense and tension for the audience, the diegetic sound of energy and the voice
of villain Dormammu can be heard throughout this scene also – creating a realistic
surround-sound atmosphere. The costume of Doctor Strange has been established by the
time this scene plays out, it replicates that seen in the original comic books with iconic
elements including his stylish beard, hairstyle and sentient cape. The cape is another
common convention of the fantasy genre, featuring heavily in the Harry Potter series of
films also – even if it does not play an important role in other films, the prop commonly
symbolises magic and the audience can already relate to this.
Ref. 7 – Doctor Strange confronts Dormammu.

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In Doctor Strange, special effects through use of technologically advanced CGI were a main
focus of the film. This was used to create all of the magic and abnormal elements that come
from the fantasy genre, this can be seen once again in Ref. 7; In which everything except
Doctor Strange himself is constructed via CGI.
Doctor Strange’s ending is followed by two after credits scenes which play amongst the
scrolling credits. These scenes, like almost allother Marvel movies, leave the ending open in
order to link over and merge the characters present within that film with others in future
instalments of their multiple franchises. This ties in once again with Steve Neale’s theory of
repetition due to the audience enjoying and wanting to see more of already established
characters. The theme of character reappearances can also be linked with the Harry Potter
franchsie, due to many of the characters carrying on through from the first film to the very
last. This evidence concludes that both films have an open ending which goes on to be
explored further in future instalments of their respective franchise.
Fantasy Section Two – Narrative Theory:
Once again, the character stereotypes are listed below; there are many examples of each
throughout both Harry Potter and Doctor Strange.
1. The villain: Locked in a constant struggle with the hero, often trying to harm
princess.
2. The donor: Gives the hero an object or a piece of information that helps them
prepare for what is to come.
3. The helper: Assists the hero with their quest, often referred to as their 'sidekick'.
4. The princess: Needs assistance from the hero, usually because they are in some
form of danger, typically the princess is the victim within the narrative.
5. The dispatcher: Is the character who sends that hero on their mission or quest.
6. Hero: Reacts to the donor and saves the princess, often resulting in them falling in
love with the princess.
7. False hero: May appear good but has an ulterior motive, or attempts to take credit
for the hero's actions.
Ref. 8 – Lord Voldemort performs a villainous laugh as he mocks the hero.

11. Jordan Scott
The villains of each movie would be Lord Voldemort for Harry Potter (shown in Ref. 8) and
the previously analysed Dormammu for Doctor Strange, both remain hidden throughout
most of the film – with Voldemort not appearing fully until later instalments and the future
of Dormammu is currently unknown.
The donors, dispatchers and helpers of the films would be Hagrid in the case of Harry Potter
and The Ancient One for Doctor Strange. In Harry Potter, Hagrid sends the characters off on
their journey (whether he is aware of this or not) and is also seen to assist them at various
points throughout the adventure. The Ancient One in Doctor Strange is the character that
teaches Strange the arts of magic and shapes him into a better person because of it, she
dies later on in the film when her mission to guide Strange is complete.
There is no princess character in particular across both of these films due to them putting
everyone at risk if the villain is not stopped, rather than just one individual. Also, there is no
saving of anyone required due to the main focus in the latter half of both films being to stop
the villain. False heroes are relatively uncommon throughout films compared to other
character stereotypes, this is at least what appears to be true in both Harry Potter and
Doctor Strange as no false heroes as such can be seen.
Comparing the fantasy genre to the previously analysed Sci-Fi genre, it is evident that many
similarities can be drawn between them. Despite this, it appears that the Science Fiction
genre follows its codes and conventions more traditionally than fantasy does – as large
variations can be seen in this particular genre due to its more imaginative concept as a
whole. In conclusion, both films follow the basic codes and conventions of the Fantasy
genre, even if they appear to subvert at certain points.