Thursday 29 September 2016

Narrative Theories

Todorov- Equilibrium/dis-equilibrium
Propp- Character types
Barthes - Enigma codes
Strauss-Binary oppositions
Cameron -Modular narratives
Freytag -Narrative pyramid

How Todorov's Theory would fit my narrative: My story will start with my main character going about his normal life (this represents stage 1- Equilibrium), then the main character will come across his dying friend who will bestow upon him and package he needs to keep safe until a set time (this represents stage 1- disruption of equilibrium), next he will have to run from people chasing him who want the package (this represents stage 3- dis-equilibrium), the main character will then hide and try to mentally think about how he can avoid finishing this job (this represents stage 4- attempt to repair dis-equilibrium), finally he will realise he has to keep his dead best friends wish and runs the last part to the spot where he delivers the package to a man and it ends in him being left alone in the woods thinking about what he has just done (this represents stage 5- new equilibrium)

How Propp's Theory would fit my narrative: Hero; My hero will be my main character who has to deliver the package in order to keep his, now dead, friends promise. Villain; the villain will be the man/men who are chasing the main character in order to take the briefcase. Dispatcher; this is his dying friend giving him the package to deliver. Helper; the mysterious man on the phone who is directing him where to go. There won't be a heroin or a false hero in my story

How Barthes' Theory would fit my narrative: My main Enigma would be the man behind the phone who is helping my main character get across the city and avoid the men who are chasing him. The other enigma would be whats inside the package, this won't revealed since when the main character reaches the man behind the phone, he takes the package without revealing what is inside. I could tease that he reveals what is inside but is just out of frame so the audience are wondering what it is.

How Strauss' Theory would fit my narrative: Strauss has the idea that fits into my narrative quite well, my main character (the hero/good guy) will be escaping the chasers (the villains/bad guys) in order to protect something important and secret

How Cameron's Theory will fit my narrative:

Anachronic: I won't be including any flashbacks in my teaser trailer, but if it were to be a full length/short five minute film, I would include flashbacks and this theory might apply

Forking Path: I won't have two different realities or stories available, so this theory won't apply to my narrative

Split screen: I would like to be able to include a split screen of a chase, but the problem would be massive continuity errors, so this might be a little out of my skill level

Episodic: My teaser trailer is only going to be around one minute long and will be advertising a full length film, meaning episodic doesn't apply to my narrative





Todorov






Propp








Barthes'








Strauss









Cameron



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