Narrative
Read Media Factsheet 14 - Telling Stories: The Media's Use of Narrative and answer the following questions:
1) Give an example from film or television that uses Todorov's narrative structure of equilibrium, disequilibrium and new equilibrium.
One example is Prison break. The equilibrium is Michael the main character living his life normally and peacefully. The disequilibrium is Michael being put into prison and trying to break his brother out. The new equilibrium is when both characters escape prison and try to flee the country.
2) Complete the activity on page 1 of the Factsheet:
1. How could you show that the scene was taking place early
in the morning? (temporal marker)
Lighting could change from dark to light with an orange and pink background showing the sun rise. Also the sound of chickens clucking have conventions of the morning.
2. How would you show your film was set in London?
(geographical marker)
The background could have key aspects of London life, for example black taxis, red busses or monuments.
4. How could you make it clear one of the characters is a
married policeman? (character marker)
He could wear officers clothing and have a ring on his index finger.
5. What could you do to show the audience they are watching
a thriller? (generic marker)
Fast paced music, dramatic changes, sense of gore.
3) Provide three different examples from film or television of characters that fit Propp's hero character role.
James Bond acts as a hero by trying to remove and destroy the European villains.
Spiderman acts as a hero by saving people and putting their welfare first. He also has a female love interest which is expected.
Superman acts as a hero by saving the world. He also has a love interest that is typically expected with heros.
4) Give an example of a binary opposition.
Good vs evil in batman when Batman is forced to fight Doomsday. The binary opposition is the good vs evil. A different binary opposition is dark vs light.
5) What example is provided in the Factsheet for the way narratives can emphasise dominant ideologies and values?
The hero usually represents the dominant ideologies and values. When a hero fights a criminal this reinforces the ideas of the law.
6) Why do enigma and action codes (Barthes) offer gratifications for audiences?
Action codes are important because they give hints to suggest how the narrative is going to plan out. Enigma codes cause the audience to ask questions, assuring they are kept intrigued in the narrative.7) Write a one-sentence summary of the four different types of TV narrative:
8) How does the Factsheet suggest adverts use narrative?
Narrative is used in all media texts – not just fictions.
• Documentaries use the same structures to help construct their stories
• Broadcast news uses narrative structure and character roles in its bulletins
• A newspaper story may be part of a larger narrative arc which is in the complication stage. For example, the Beckhams’ move to Los Angeles, was presented as another episode in the ongoing narrative of their lives
• Photographs and still images cannot easily show the passing of time which is central to a moving image narrative but often the narrative is implied
o Newspaper photographs are often chosen specifically to reinforce the character role of an individual
o Paper based advertising often provides the solution a problem that is not stated but is understood by the audience • In advertising the idea of the problem and resolution is crucial. Often adverts set up a problem (bad breath) and then immediately offer the solution (buy their toothpaste) to create a swift resolution (fresh breath)
1) Give an example from film or television that uses Todorov's narrative structure of equilibrium, disequilibrium and new equilibrium.
One example is Prison break. The equilibrium is Michael the main character living his life normally and peacefully. The disequilibrium is Michael being put into prison and trying to break his brother out. The new equilibrium is when both characters escape prison and try to flee the country.
2) Complete the activity on page 1 of the Factsheet:
1. How could you show that the scene was taking place early
in the morning? (temporal marker)
Lighting could change from dark to light with an orange and pink background showing the sun rise. Also the sound of chickens clucking have conventions of the morning.
2. How would you show your film was set in London?
(geographical marker)
The background could have key aspects of London life, for example black taxis, red busses or monuments.
4. How could you make it clear one of the characters is a
married policeman? (character marker)
He could wear officers clothing and have a ring on his index finger.
5. What could you do to show the audience they are watching
a thriller? (generic marker)
Fast paced music, dramatic changes, sense of gore.
3) Provide three different examples from film or television of characters that fit Propp's hero character role.
James Bond acts as a hero by trying to remove and destroy the European villains.
Spiderman acts as a hero by saving people and putting their welfare first. He also has a female love interest which is expected.
Superman acts as a hero by saving the world. He also has a love interest that is typically expected with heros.
4) Give an example of a binary opposition.
Good vs evil in batman when Batman is forced to fight Doomsday. The binary opposition is the good vs evil. A different binary opposition is dark vs light.
5) What example is provided in the Factsheet for the way narratives can emphasise dominant ideologies and values?
The hero usually represents the dominant ideologies and values. When a hero fights a criminal this reinforces the ideas of the law.
6) Why do enigma and action codes (Barthes) offer gratifications for audiences?
Action codes are important because they give hints to suggest how the narrative is going to plan out. Enigma codes cause the audience to ask questions, assuring they are kept intrigued in the narrative.7) Write a one-sentence summary of the four different types of TV narrative:
- Episodic narrative (the series)- A story that is told through a number of episodes
- Overarching narrative (the serial)- A narrative that is told in many episodes however you can start watching at anytime and still understand the whole narrative
- Mixed narrative- Often revolves around one theme
- Multi-strand overlapping narrative (soap narrative)- Involves more than one narrative. Usually contains many scenes, settings and characters.
8) How does the Factsheet suggest adverts use narrative?
Narrative is used in all media texts – not just fictions.
• Documentaries use the same structures to help construct their stories
• Broadcast news uses narrative structure and character roles in its bulletins
• A newspaper story may be part of a larger narrative arc which is in the complication stage. For example, the Beckhams’ move to Los Angeles, was presented as another episode in the ongoing narrative of their lives
• Photographs and still images cannot easily show the passing of time which is central to a moving image narrative but often the narrative is implied
o Newspaper photographs are often chosen specifically to reinforce the character role of an individual
o Paper based advertising often provides the solution a problem that is not stated but is understood by the audience • In advertising the idea of the problem and resolution is crucial. Often adverts set up a problem (bad breath) and then immediately offer the solution (buy their toothpaste) to create a swift resolution (fresh breath)
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