Tuesday, 13 November 2012

Theories of Narrative

Story - All the events of the film/program you see that happen or are implied via the characters or environment. (This is only diegetic material within the story)

Plot - Everything presented on the screen, this can include diegetic material and non-diegetic. This is stuff such as title sequence, credits and  anything else near enough that the characters wouldn't be able to see/hear.

Time 


Screen - Shortest (2 hours)
Story - Longest (25 years)
Plot - Medium (18 years)

Narration 

Range:
1) Unrestricted - When in tense situations, it cuts to the character and others around him
2) Restricted - Only the point of view of the character

Depth

1) Objective - Watching things
2) Subjective - Getting in peoples heads

Claude Levi Strauss - Binary Oppositions

Good - Evil
Light - Dark
Up - Down
Nature - Industry
East - West
Yorkshire - Bloody Southerners
Clean - Dirty

Syd Field's Three Act Plot

Act(1) : Setup
Act(2): Confrontation
Act(3): Resolution
(Vladimir Propp)

Monday, 12 November 2012

Proppian Analysis Comparison

Narrative Theory

A Proppian Analysis Comparison of "Raiders of the Lost Ark" & "Die Hard"

Eight Character Roles

Hero - John McLain
         - Indiana Jones
Villain - Hans Gruber & Blonde German Guy
            - Belloc/Nazis
Donor - villain with the radio and gun
           - Marion (amulet/medallion)
Helper - Chauffeur Argile & the black Cop
            - Marion/Falah
Princess - Holly McLain
              - Marion/Ark
Father - The Police
           - Government/University(God?)
Dispatcher - Christmas (The holiday period)
                  - Government Officials/University 
False Hero - Hans Gruber/ TV Anchorman Thorn-berg  
                  - Belloc (Saves Marion from Nazis)/Government

31 Functions

Preparation 

1) John McLain sets of to Los Angeles
1) Jones leaves university to find ark
2) Lift and doors locked down
2) He left Marion in the past/hates snakes
3) Villain, Hans Gruber, comes to the party
3) Sees Marion (later...snakes)
4) Hans Gruber asks around for who Takagi is
4) Nazies visit Marion
5) Find out who is he
5) Jones gets medallion 
6) Hans Gruber is mistaken for a Terrorist by Takagi
6) Nazies get Marion/Food is poisoned 
7) Takagi asks to be shot by Hans
7).....?

Complication

8) Hans does shoot him
8) Monkey dies/Needs staff/Needs map/Loses Marion
9) McLain overhears Takagi being interrogated
9) Goes to look for site of the map
10) McLain sets off the fire alarm
10) Finds where they should be digging

Transference

11) McLain goes to the top part of the building where it is still being built
11) Goes to site of the dig
12) Kills Heinrich and gets a radio and detonator
12) Finds map
13) Puts a note on the body "I have a machine gun ho-ho-ho
13) Reads hieroglyphs
14) Uses the radio to contact the Police and the chauffeur
14) Uses staff & medallion
15) Encounters Hans in the room with the glass door 
15) Finds location of the ark

Struggle

16) Shootout in the room with the glass on the floor (So he can't walk)
16) Jones fights Nazis
17) John gets glass shards in his feet
17) Jones gets a split lip/Gets shot
18) McLain shoots the vilains (In the room with the glass)
18) Nazi gets chopped up by aircraft propeller/Planes explodes/Defeats Nazis
19) Hans gets the detonators back, but McLain escapes
19) Jones escapes/Gets Marion/Gets Ark

Return

20) McLain returns to the place of safety (The bathroom)
20) Jones returns to village/Boards ship 
21) The vilains catch McLain near the top floor near the explosives
21) Caught by U-Boat
22) McLain hangs the vilain (Karl) with the chains
22) Hides in ship's funnel. Captain says he's dead
23) Tells the hostages to get down and it mistaken for a terrorist 
23) Not recognised by the Nazis (He's in uniform)
24) FBI thinks he is a terrorist and orders the gunships to open fire on him
24) Belloc says blow up the Ark
25) McLain has to escape from the roof from the FBI using the fire hose
25) Does Jones rescue Marion or get the Ark?
26) McLain escapes and rescues his wife, Holly
26) Jones & Marion escape 

Recognition

27) McLain meets the Cop and is recognised as a hero
27) Jones is recognised
28) Dwaine is shown to be an idiot
28) Government is exposed
29) McLain is given a new coat
29) Government locks up the Ark
30) Karl is killed, and the journalist gets punched
30) Nazis and Belloc are dead
31) McLain is reunited with his family and goes home in the limousine 
31) Jones & Marion go for a drink 

Tuesday, 6 November 2012

Narrative Theories


          Todorov

          The theory is simply this:
  • The fictional environment begins with a state of equilibrium (everything is as it should be)
  • It then suffers some disruption (disequilibrium)
  • New equilibrium is produced at the end of the narrative

    Personally I think that this theory could be implemented into our short production quite well seeing as the type is a 'mockumentary', where the thing in focus is a teenager, as it's pretty obvious that teenagers come across struggles throughout the years.
    A quick example could be that the teenager gets into trouble with the police repeatedly for harassing a neighbourhood, then to solve this he is restricted as to when he can go to said neighbourhood, such as only when it's day light. Equilibrium is restored but it is not how it used to be. 

    Vladimir Propp

    Vladimir Propp's theory is that after an initial event, the characters/plot will go through one or more of the following situations:


    1. ABSENTATION: A member of a family leaves the security of the home environment. This may be the hero or some other member of the family that the hero will later need to rescue. This division of the cohesive family injects initial tension into the storyline. The hero may also be introduced here, often being shown as an ordinary person.
    2. INTERDICTION: An interdiction is addressed to the hero ('don't go there', 'don't do this'). The hero is warned against some action (given an 'interdiction').
    3. VIOLATION of INTERDICTION. The interdiction is violated (villain enters the tale). This generally proves to be a bad move and the villain enters the story, although not necessarily confronting the hero. Perhaps they are just a lurking presence or perhaps they attack the family whilst the hero is away.
    4. RECONNAISSANCE: The villain makes an attempt at reconnaissance (either villain tries to find the children/jewels etc.; or intended victim questions the villain). The villain (often in disguise) makes an active attempt at seeking information, for example searching for something valuable or trying to actively capture someone. They may speak with a member of the family who innocently divulges information. They may also seek to meet the hero, perhaps knowing already the hero is special in some way.
    5. DELIVERY: The villain gains information about the victim. The villain's seeking now pays off and he or she now acquires some form of information, often about the hero or victim. Other information can be gained, for example about a map or treasure location.
    6. TRICKERY: The villain attempts to deceive the victim to take possession of victim or victim's belongings (trickery; villain disguised, tries to win confidence of victim). The villain now presses further, often using the information gained in seeking to deceive the hero or victim in some way, perhaps appearing in disguise. This may include capture of the victim, getting the hero to give the villain something or persuading them that the villain is actually a friend and thereby gaining collaboration.
    7. COMPLICITY: Victim taken in by deception, unwittingly helping the enemy. The trickery of the villain now works and the hero or victim naively acts in a way that helps the villain. This may range from providing the villain with something (perhaps a map or magical weapon) to actively working against good people (perhaps the villain has persuaded the hero that these other people are actually bad).
    8. VILLAINY or LACK: Villain causes harm/injury to family member (by abduction, theft of magical agent, spoiling crops, plunders in other forms, causes a disappearance, expels someone, casts spell on someone, substitutes child etc., commits murder, imprisons/detains someone, threatens forced marriage, provides nightly torments); Alternatively, a member of family lacks something or desires something (magical potion etc.). There are two options for this function, either or both of which may appear in the story. In the first option, the villain causes some kind of harm, for example carrying away a victim or the desired magical object (which must be then be retrieved). In the second option, a sense of lack is identified, for example in the hero's family or within a community, whereby something is identified as lost or something becomes desirable for some reason, for example a magical object that will save people in some way.
    9. MEDIATION: Misfortune or lack is made known, (hero is dispatched, hears call for help etc./ alternative is that victimized hero is sent away, freed from imprisonment). The hero now discovers the act of villainy or lack, perhaps finding their family or community devastated or caught up in a state of anguish and woe.
    10. BEGINNING COUNTER-ACTION: Seeker agrees to, or decides upon counter-action. The hero now decides to act in a way that will resolve the lack, for example finding a needed magical item, rescuing those who are captured or otherwise defeating the villain. This is a defining moment for the hero as this is the decision that sets the course of future actions and by which a previously ordinary person takes on the mantle of heroism.
    11. DEPARTURE: Hero leaves home;
    12. FIRST FUNCTION OF THE DONOR: Hero is tested, interrogated, attacked etc., preparing the way for his/her receiving magical agent or helper (donor);
    13. HERO'S REACTION: Hero reacts to actions of future donor (withstands/fails the test, frees captive, reconciles disputants, performs service, uses adversary's powers against him);
    14. RECEIPT OF A MAGICAL AGENT: Hero acquires use of a magical agent (directly transferred, located, purchased, prepared, spontaneously appears, eaten/drunk, help offered by other characters);
    15. GUIDANCE: Hero is transferred, delivered or led to whereabouts of an object of the search;
    16. STRUGGLE: Hero and villain join in direct combat;
    17. BRANDING: Hero is branded (wounded/marked, receives ring or scarf);
    18. VICTORY: Villain is defeated (killed in combat, defeated in contest, killed while asleep, banished);
    19. LIQUIDATION: Initial misfortune or lack is resolved (object of search distributed, spell broken, slain person revived, captive freed);
    20. RETURN: Hero returns;
    21. PURSUIT: Hero is pursued (pursuer tries to kill, eat, undermine the hero);
    22. RESCUE: Hero is rescued from pursuit (obstacles delay pursuer, hero hides or is hidden, hero transforms unrecognisably, hero saved from attempt on his/her life);
    23. UNRECOGNIZED ARRIVAL: Hero unrecognized, arrives home or in another country;
    24. UNFOUNDED CLAIMS: False hero presents unfounded claims;
    25. DIFFICULT TASK: Difficult task proposed to the hero (trial by ordeal, riddles, test of strength/endurance, other tasks);
    26. SOLUTION: Task is resolved;
    27. RECOGNITION: Hero is recognized (by mark, brand, or thing given to him/her);
    28. EXPOSURE: False hero or villain is exposed;
    29. TRANSFIGURATION: Hero is given a new appearance (is made whole, handsome, new garments etc.);
    30. PUNISHMENT: Villain is punished;
    31. WEDDING: Hero marries and ascends the throne (is rewarded/promoted)

Propp's theory of Characters and Narrative

This is a theory written by Vladimir Propp and Tzvetan Todorov which states that in all stories, each character will fit in to at least (possibly more) one of eight character profiles, and each story will make use of a variety of 31 different 'sections' to make a narrative.

After analysing a hundred Russian folk tales, Propp and Todorov decided that each character would fit in to at least one of eight profiles:
  1. The Villain - Struggles against the hero.
  2. The Dispatcher - Character who informs the hero on lack and sends him on his quest.
  3. The (magical) Helper - Helps hero during quest.
  4. The Princess/Prize - Hero deserves to marry her, but cannot throughout the film because of the villain, often the quest is ended with the Hero and the Princess getting married.
  5. Her Father - Gives Hero task and identifies False Hero, Propp noted that the Princess and the Father cannot be clearly distinguished.
  6. The Donor - Prepares the Hero
  7. The Hero or Victim/ Seeker Hero - Reacts to the donor and gets married to the Princess
  8. False Hero - In order to marry the Princess, he takes credit for the Heroes actions to impress her.
The theory does state that each character must fit in to one of these profiles, but not ONLY one. E.G, the Father may also be the Villain.
Once these have been established, it can be predicted what the character will do within the story, as each profile has per-detirmined actions relating to their role in the narrative.

After the characters are decided and the initial idea for the narrative is chosen, what happens in the story can then be broken down in to 31 different sections, which are as follows:

1. Absentation
- This section usually includes a member of a family to leave the security of their home. The instant division of family/lack of security at such an early stage in the film immediately injects the storyline with tension. This particular character usually ends up being the hero/heroin of the story, and usually returns to rescue a member of their family. The hero will be shown as an ordinary person in this section but will be perceived in a different way after they overcome a courageous situation and prove everyone they are the rightful heroes.
2. Interdiction
- The hero or main character is given an interdiction and warned against doing something. An example of this would be where there is a sign prohibiting access to a particular place, and at this point the hero has to decide whether to carry on in his quest or not. The hero always ends up taking the prohibited/dangerous route, this helps arise suspense for the viewers.
3. Violation of Interdiction
- When the hero has entered the prohibited place, the villain is introduced. This usually results in misfortune and involves many obstacles for them to overcome. The whereabouts of the villain is not always clear to the hero; this is because usually the villain is lurking around without hero knowing. Another probable situation is to place the villain at the heroes’ family home threatening to cause harm to the family members.
4. Reconnaissance
- The villain attempts to reconnaissance. Usually, the villain tries to find valuable family possessions or even take the children or young family members to obtain desired information. Children are often taken because they are perceived to be vulnerable and helpless, which may be the villains’ tactful thinking as he can obtain the desired information with ease. This also gives the chance for the hero to shine as he can save them from the evil grasp of the villain. However, this technique is often undertaken by the villain to lure the hero into confrontation and result in the meeting of the two vital characters.
5. Delivery
-Villain seeks to meet hero, already knowing why he is special. At this point the villain receives some of the acquired information, usually through the innocent and frightened family member.
6. Trickery
-Often at this particular point the villain and hero/victim have yet to meet, or have only briefly met prior to this point. Tricking takes place in this section, usually this includes gaining the confidence of the hero/victim by using tactful tricks and disguises. This is done to fool the hero/victim into the villain is in actual fact a friend. At this point the villain has also taken somebody close to the hero/victim as a hostage and requires the hero to supply the villain with certain information or possessions.
7. Complicity
-Hero/victim is taken in by the villains’ disguises and deception. Due to the false confidence that has been provided by the villain they naively help him without knowing that the information he is obtaining from them is working against the good.
8. Villainy or Lack
-Either friend of hero or family member desire or lack something that can be provided by the villain. Villain usually offers what is desired in exchange of some important information on the hero. An alternative to this is that usually the villain inflicts pain onto one of the characters closest to the hero. This can range from forced marriage to death.
9. Mediation
- Villainy or lack is discovered or made known to the hero.
10. Beginning Counter-action
-At this point, the ordinary person needs to make an important decision which will set out a course of strenuous obstacles that will define the mantle of heroism.
11. Departure
- Hero leaves home.
12. First Function of Donor
- The donor tests, interrogates and attacks the hero which allows preparation to defeat the villain.
13. Hero's Reaction
-Hero reacts to what is being inflicted by future donor/helper; this could be by failing tests presented to the hero or even refusal to submit entirely.
14. Receipt of Magical Element
- Hero acquired consumption of a magical element.
15. Guidance
- Heroes location changed to lead onto whereabouts of an object of the search.
16. Struggle
- The hero rebels and forms situation that leads to a confrontation with the villain, which usually results in direct combat.
17. Branding
- The hero is 'branded' by the villain during the combat; this is usually a serious wound that leads the audience to believe that the villain may win the battle. This helps arise suspense and tension for the audience.
18. Victory
- After 'branding' the hero somehow finds it within him to gather enough strength to defeat the villain and claim his rightful victory.
19. Liquidation
- The villainy or lack is resolved or overcome by the defeat of the villain and normality is replaced.
20. Return
- After the quest is over, the hero returns to his family home.
21. Pursuit
- On the way back to his home, the hero is pursued. The pursuer usually intends on killing or seriously harming the hero.
22. Rescue
- The hero is rescued from the pursuer; this is sometimes done by using obstacles and delaying the pursuer or by the hero going into hiding.
23. Unrecognised Arrival
- Hero is placed in an unfamiliar place, usually in another country, where he is unrecognised.
24. Unfounded Claims
- The false hero is now introduced, interpreting original heroes’ acts.
25. Difficult Task
- The hero is proposed with difficult tasks to prove that he is who he claims to be. This can be done through various tests and riddles.
26. Solution
-The tasks and riddles proposed to the hero are successfully overcome and his identity is reclaimed.
27. Recognition
- The hero is recognised, usually through the 'branding' earlier inflicted by villain.
28. Exposure
- False hero is finally exposed by the real hero.
29. Transfiguration
- The hero is given a new appearance; this is usually done by the use of new garments resulting from his courageous act.
30. Punishment
- Villain/False Hero is punished. This is usually done by imprisonment or banishment.
31. Wedding
- Hero marries and is rewarded for completing the torturous quest and overcoming the villain and other evil characters.

(Taken and re-worded from http://media-studies-thriller.blogspot.co.uk/2011/03/vladimir-propps-narrative-theory.html)