Key Concepts of Narrative

Narratives – every media text has a narrative! There are different types of narratives for example:

Linear narratives – this is when the narrative is told in chronological order from the first scene to the last. This makes the narrative easy to follow and make the story of something very straightforward

Another example is non-linear narratives – this is when the narrative is not told in a chronological way, this means the story may consist of flashbacks and/or flash forwards. By using this narrative, it makes the scenes much harder to follow and causes the audience to follow the story themselves. 

Todorov: Equilibrium – this theory states the all narratives are in a circular structure: equilibrium à disequlibrium à equilibrium. He also believed that there were 5 stages of a narrative:

1.       Equilibrium

2.       A disruption

3.       A recognition that the disorder has occurred

4.       An attempt to repair the disruption

5.       A return of a new equilibrium  

Classical Hollywood cinema – the plot of this narrative structure is led by its characters. In this structure the narrative must have closure and all questions must be answered no matter what genre. This type of narrative will come to a conclusion, even if it is happy or unhappy, and serve a purpose/offer a message

The Oedipal Trajectory - this narrative structure is based upon Freud's theory of sexuality. Within this the male lead character moves through the order disorder order trajectory and has to resolve the crisis. The female being just an object in which the male finds and act upon her.

Counter Hollywood Cinema - this type of narrative creates no seamless cause and effect, some things just happen just like in real life. There is an absence of heroes and focuses more on realism.

Ronald Barthes: semiotic codes - Barthes says all narratives are based on the signs that are decoded by the audience. (Enigma codes and action codes)

Levi Strauss: binary opposition - Strauss believes that all narratives are based upon opposites. For example: male vs. female, love vs. hate, humans vs. aliens, good vs. evil. The characters seek to resolve this conflict between the opposites.

Vladimir Propp - Propp interpreted the functions of characters and can be applied to narrative.

1.       HERO

2.       VILLIAN

3.       DONOR

4.       DISPATCHER

5.       FALSE HERO

6.       PRINCESS

7.       HELPER

8.       PRINCESSES FATHER

These functions are not gender specific nor does the 'princess' refer to an animate object.

By researching the most popular narratives it will give me an idea and allow me to think which narrative I will take on board to use in my opening sequence. Furthermore, it has given me a clear vision as to which narratives fit with each genre and which are commonly used for a certain type of film. This allows me to understand which narratives are expected within the genre of a psychological horror, also giving me the opportunity to decide whether to follow this idea or deliberately go against this in order to make the opening sequence different and unique than others.