Narrative

Narrative

• the narrative is different to a story in media as the story is a sequence of events also called the plot where as the narrative is how those events are strung together for the audience.
• narrative chain and effect- the plotline is triggered by action enigma codes meaning something happens causing something else to happen
• narrative can be linked to genre as some genres have a typical story line

information about narrative- http://www.mediaknowall.com/gcse/keyconceptsgcse/keycon.php?pageID=narrative

                                            - http://www.slideshare.net/anne.horne/media-narrative-theory


Narrative enigmas- http://www.godnose.co.uk/downloads/alevel/key%20concepts/narrative%20structure.pdf

This is like a code which will limit audience information. This would keep them interested in the film that they are watching and therefore would want to watch it till the end to find out for example who the killer was or if the hero would manage to save the day.

purpose for enigmas:

• engages audience attention
• maintains curiosity and interest
• chain and effect cause (want to see what happens)

Narrative themes- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Theme_(narrative)

This is when social issues are looked at within the film or media e.g-social class
                                                                                                             - sexuality
                                                                                                             - family values
These narrative themes are mostly in horror or crime drama this is because it tends to be more simplistic and encoded with entertainment values.

narrative structure-http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Narrative_structure

This is the structure of the story line e.g closed/open.
typically many films have a single stranded, closed, 3 act structure
Generally there is a plot theme and then a resolution within a film to make the audience more interested to see if the hero would solve the problem and save the world

Narrative theory

Russian theorist Tyvetan Todorov suggest that all narrative follow a three part structure.

comprehending time

Some films have many different ways of comprehending time for example: flashbacks, dream sequences, repetition, different characters pov, flash forwards, real time interludes and pre figuring events that have not yet happened. They do this as they most films don't happen in real time so they can fit all the action within a hour or more. This means something that might happen in 10 years will happen in an hour and those are some of the conventions that do so.