Narrative 101

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Narrative 101
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What is Narrative?

• There is a distinct difference between Story and
  Narrative.
• Story is a series of events unfolding
• Narrative is the way in which these events and
  elements are related to an audience.
• "Story is the irreducible substance of a story (A
  meets B, something happens, order returns), while
  narrative is the way the story is related (Once
  upon a time there was a princess...)"
• (Key Concepts in Communication - Fiske et al
  (1983))

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How to shape narrative

• Many constructs are used to shape narrative in
  film and television
• Story Arcs
• A distinct narrative direction or strand
• These can be interwoven or run in parallel to
  form multi-strand narratives
• Feature-length films typically have 3 or more
  strands
• Oppositions / Challenge
• Characters / elements have binary oppositions
• An objective is set / a quest must be completed
• Story focus
• Type of story that will psychologically hold
  audience interest
• Human interest
• Mysteries

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Comprehending devices

• Understanding time in structuring narrative
• Devices used to modify the perception of time
• Flashbacks
• Dream Sequences
• Repetition
• Other Characters POV
• Flash Forwards
• Real-time interludes
• Pre-figuring on events that have not yet taken
  place.

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Cause and Effect

• To infer is to speak volumes
• Lev Kuleshov (The Kuleshov Effect 1918)

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Established Conventions

• Tzvetan Todorov
• Theory of Equilibriums
• A state of equilibrium at the outset
• A disruption of this equilibrium by some action
• A recognition of this disruption
• An attempt to repair the disruption
• The reinstatement of a new equilibrium
• Claude Levi-Strauss
• Structuralism
• Binary oppositions (challenge)
• That human beings try to make sense of their
  understanding of the world and myth/narrative
  through oppositions.
• Good being dependant on bad (eg. Batman and the
  Joker)

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Established Conventions

• Vladimir Propp
• Character sets
• Narratemes
• Elements themselves (as long as they are
  dutifully considered) are less important than the
  way in which they are put across.
• Characters
• The Hero
• The Helper
• The Villain
• The False Hero
• The Donor
• The Dispatcher
• The Princess
• The Princess Father

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Established Conventions

• Vladimir Propp
• Functions (Spheres)
• Preparation
• Complication
• Transference
• Struggle
• Return
• Recognition

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Established Conventions

• Roland Barthes
• Meaning does not derive from an authors
  intention and structured representation but the
  readers interpretation.
• Audience perspective is paramount.
• Codes
• Enigma - mystery builds audience intrigue -
  solving the enigma codes in the narrative
• Strings
• Strings (or Arcs) can run in parallel, crossover,
  and to the extent where if they are many and
  smaller, it is like a ball of string to be
  unravelled as a function of narrative.

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The Short Film Narrative

• Good methods for creating a successful short film
  narrative
• Practicalities and Scope
• Keep it simple
• Dont use too many settings, or settings you have
  little chance of filming in
• Eg. INT. PALATIAL MANSION - DAY
• Dont overcomplicate (1-2 narrative strands at
  most)
• Dont build in outlandish visual effects that
  require lots of time to create
• Dont create a huge cast of dozens of characters
  and extras
• Writing
• Be aware of the screen-time limitations, and
  write accordingly
• Dont build in any redundant content where the
  audience would be able to infer.
• Refinement
• Always get someone else to read your script
  before you decide its final - for constructive
  criticism.
• Workshop your dialogue with friends, relatives or
  actors is possible.

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Scriptwriting / Screenwriting
Scene
Action
Character
Dialogue
Parenthical
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Free, OpenSource Software
Mac OS X Windows Linux eeePC
http//www.celtx.com/download.html
Or go to
http//www.teamtv.org.uk
and login to access the resources area.
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Comments

• Comments?
• Questions?

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Meeting 2 will be
Camerawork 101