25 Marker Response: Narrative

Apply the concept of Narrative to one of your coursework productions. (25 Marks)

For my AS coursework, I produced a three minute moving image sequence that was to be representative of a segment from a potential film. I can apply the concept of narrative to this particular product through various interpretations echoed by theorists and their respective theories. Narrative is defined by the way that a story is told and the way that meaning is constructed to enhance and achieve the understanding of relevant audiences.

Tzvetan Todorov (1969) theorised that all narratives have a three-part structure: equilibrium in the state of normality, disequilibrium and a resolution or a new equilibrium. The way in which I can apply this theory to my short film opening is that through a tilted camera shot, I established serene equilibrium or what would be perceived as a “normal” environment of my protagonist daintily walking through a street. A slow tilt camera angle creates an atmosphere of calmness and reiterates to the audience that equilibrium has been established. As my sequence progressed, I focused on creating a disruption in the narrative that subsequently added the element of suspense and concluded with a dramatic climax. This was captured through quick-cut editing in an environment that had low-key lighting, which in turn maintained and sustained a level of intense suspense.

Aside from following the three-part structure of Todorov, Vladimir Propp (1928) coined the theory of ‘Character Functions’ within a set narrative. He observed that narratives are almost entirely shaped and developed by certain characters and specific actions that unfold in order to pursue a narrative. Within my AS coursework, I adopted two of Propp’s character roles: the villain and the “damsel”. Personally, my protagonist who, according to Propp’s theory, assumes the role of the “Princess” doesn’t entirely conform to specific characteristics as outlined by an archetypal Princess character – she is more of a character who, based on the storyline, is someone that is randomly selected. My overarching storyline within my AS opening is that a seemingly innocent girl is attacked by a supernatural entity, only to find out that her family and her heritage holds a certain gene that makes it impossible for her to ever become mortal again. Thus, I can’t really apply the label of “Princess” to her character, as I have constructed my film opening so that it is riddled with narrative enigmas.

On the other hand, the antagonist (the supernatural entity), successfully acts as a villain; satisfying Propp’s character function. However, even though I had Propp’s Theory in mind when creating my film opening, I wanted to subvert an element of the theory by deconstructing any previously existing stereotypes of a villain, and eventually transformed the antagonist into a sympathetic character. The sincerity and change of character was evidenced through extreme close up camera shots that were edited slowly, which then captured a notable change of tone in the antagonists voice – therefore deconstructing any negatively held views about the supernatural. To further justify and to provide a visual contrast, the opening shots of the antagonist were shot with the intention to build up a malevolent and ruthless character; done by an establishing shot and a transition into rapid quick-cut shots that showed the gruesome transformation of the antagonist’s physicality. In accordance to one of Propp’s 31 Character Functions, the villain injures and attacks the protagonist, however, this would be the only distinctive link that I could make to the theory, as Propp’s Theory follows suit to the “Folk Tales” that he studied during 1928, whereas my AS sequence follows suit to that of a modernised text and doesn’t fully include the other Character Functions.

My AS opening sequence is also based on the principle of Levi-Strauss’ Binary Opposites Theory. To put it simply, the sequence is heavily based upon the conflict between the notions of “Good versus Evil”. As the aforementioned states, there are two sole characters within my coursework: the protagonist and the antagonist. I have constructed the antagonist to embody the archetypal features and characteristics associated with ruthless supernatural entities. This was executed through wide angled camera shots that were compiled together in a quickly edited fashion as to emphasise the unrelenting determination to attack the female protagonist. Ergo, the antagonist is the embodiment of what audiences would consider being an “evil” character. In comparison, the female protagonist is depicted as the innocent, lone wanderer in the streets. Her nonchalance and general “aesthetic” was constructed with the intention to convey her to audiences as being “pure” and an “unlikely target”. This is evidenced through various wide angled camera shots, as well as a camera tilt that unintentionally objectifies her (this is in accordance with Laura Mulvey’s ‘Male Gaze Theory’). These camera angles capture what the protagonist wears and in order to emphasise her purity and innocence, I dressed her in white clothing, which typically connotes “the pure” and the “divine”.

To surmise, my moving image sequence entails theories that conform to the general ideologies of different narratives. Whilst I considered narratives, I also focused on subverting traditional expectations that audiences would typically expect as outlined by a rigid narrative structure – hence my deviation from typical characteristics that stock characters would usually embody.